IsleOfSkye.co.ukIsle of Skye Transport
Skye is linked to the mainland by the Skye Bridge, while ferries sail from Armadale on the island to Mallaig, and from Kylerhea to Glenelg. Ferries also run from Uig to Tarbert on Harris and Lochmaddy on North Uist, and from Sconser to Raasay. Ferries to and from Armadale are sometimes synchronised with train arrivals and departures at Mallaig, from where the train runs to Fort William and Glasgow on the West Highland Line.
The Skye Bridge, linking Skye with the mainland of Scotland, opened in 1995 under a private finance initiative. The high tolls charged (£5.70 each way for summer visitors) met with widespread opposition, spearheaded by the pressure group SKAT (Skye and Kyle Against Tolls). On 21 December 2004 it was announced that the Scottish Executive had purchased the bridge from its owners and the tolls were immediately removed.
Bus services run to Inverness and Glasgow, and there are local services on the island, mainly starting from Portree or Broadford. These are infrequent most of the year but more frequent during the summer. Train services run from Kyle of Lochalsh at the mainland end of the Skye Bridge to Inverness. There is also a small aerodrome at the south of the island, which is used exclusively by private aircraft.
The A87 trunk road traverses the island from the Skye Bridge to Uig, linking most of the major settlements. Many of the island's roads have been widened in the past 40 years, but there are still substantial sections of single track road.