Bus from Stromness to Kirkwall
5 direct routes · 28–64 min · first bus 05:42, last bus 21:00 (weekdays); night services N1 and X10 run 23:40–01:51.
Next buses to Kirkwall as of 12:43
Scheduled times at the boarding stop in Stromness, from the operators' timetables — they update automatically. Open the stop for live tracking.
Direct routes
| Route | Operator | Journey time | Weekday journeys | Days | First | Last | Board at | Get off at | Calls at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X1 | Stagecoach Bluebird | ~29 min | 25 | Sat 22 · Sun 10 | 05:42 | 21:00 | Travel Centre (at) | West Tankerness Lane (N-bound) | Stenness, Harray & Firth |
| 8S | Stagecoach Bluebird | ~64 min | 3 | Sat 3 · no Sunday buses | 10:40 | 17:28 | Travel Centre (at) | West Tankerness Lane (N-bound) | Sandwick, Skaill, Quoyloo, Marwick, Twatt, Dounby & 4 more |
3 occasional services — once or twice a day · 7, N1, X10
Often school, college or market-day journeys — check the route before relying on one.
| Route | Operator | Journey time | Weekday journeys | Days | First | Last | Board at | Get off at | Calls at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Stagecoach Bluebird | ~64 min | 2 | Sat 2 · no Sunday buses | 06:40 | 07:40 | Travel Centre (at) | West Tankerness Lane (N-bound) | Sandwick, Twatt, Birsay, Twatt, Dounby, Harray & 2 more |
| N1 | Stagecoach Bluebird | ~28 min | 1 | Fridays and Saturdays only | 01:51 | 01:51 | Travel Centre (at) | West Tankerness Lane (N-bound) | Stenness, Harray & Firth |
| X10 | Stagecoach Bluebird | ~28 min | 1 | Sat 1 · Sun 1 | 23:40 | 23:40 | Travel Centre (at) | West Tankerness Lane (N-bound) | Stenness, Harray & Firth |
Times are for the first boarding point in Stromness on each route's weekday timetable — open the route for the full timetable, live map and every stop.
The same number runs elsewhere in the UK — see every X1 bus, 8S bus, 7 bus, N1 bus or X10 bus timetable.
Fares from Stromness to Kirkwall
Between the stops in the table above. The operators' own published fares, from the Bus Open Data Service; check with the operator before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Which bus goes from Stromness to Kirkwall?
5 routes run directly from Stromness to Kirkwall: the X1 (Stagecoach Bluebird), the 8S (Stagecoach Bluebird), the 7 (Stagecoach Bluebird), the N1 (Stagecoach Bluebird), the X10 (Stagecoach Bluebird). The most frequent is the X1, 25 times each weekday — board at Travel Centre (at) and get off at West Tankerness Lane (N-bound), about 29 minutes.
How long does the bus take from Stromness to Kirkwall?
Between 28 minutes on the X10 and 64 on the 8S, depending on which route you catch and on traffic. It calls at Stenness, Harray, Firth on the way.
What time is the first and last bus from Stromness to Kirkwall?
On weekdays the first direct bus leaves around 05:42 and the last around 21:00 — and night services N1 and X10 run 23:40–01:51. Check the route timetables for weekends.
How much is the bus from Stromness to Kirkwall?
Adult singles from Stromness to Kirkwall: £2.00 on the X1, 8S and N1 (Stagecoach Bluebird). Prices are the operators' own published fares on the Bus Open Data Service — check with the operator before you travel. Fares on this journey are set by the operator — the England fare cap doesn't apply in Scotland. Under-22s, over-60s and eligible disabled passengers travel free with a National Entitlement Card.