Getting to Shetland and Orkney for the fire festivals
The crossing deserves as much thought as the event. Start with the island, the festival date and a place to sleep, then work backwards through the ferry or flight and your mainland journey. A brilliant winter night out is easier to enjoy when you know how you are getting home. This guide brings the three island events together, while their individual guides explain what visitors can watch and what belongs to local participants.
Which event, which island?
Up Helly Aa and Scalloway Fire Festival take place in Shetland. The Kirkwall Ba’ is in Orkney and is a ball game, not a fire festival; it belongs here because it creates a similarly demanding winter journey. These are separate destinations, so avoid treating them as stops on a quick mainland road trip. Read the date status beside each event before paying for travel. An announced date still needs a final programme check, while a traditional date describes the custom rather than a transport guarantee.
Choose your main event first. If you want to include another custom, compare the actual dates and the intervening travel before extending your stay. Keep a simple itinerary showing the arrival port or airport, accommodation address and event location. That catches a surprising number of mistakes before any money changes hands.
| Event | Date | Date status |
|---|---|---|
| Up Helly Aa | Tuesday 26 January 2027 | Date announced |
| Scalloway Fire Festival | Friday 8 January 2027 | Date announced |
| Kirkwall Ba’ Game | Friday 25 December 2026 | Traditional date |
By ferry: choose the island and arrival port
NorthLink’s Aberdeen–Lerwick route is an overnight crossing, with some departures calling at Kirkwall. Cabins, sleeping pods and reclining seats are options to consider when you book. NorthLink also runs Scrabster–Stromness for Orkney. Stromness and Kirkwall are different towns: include the onward journey when comparing that route with the Aberdeen option. Check the operator’s current sailing page rather than relying on a saved screenshot from another season.
For the mainland leg, compare trains to Aberdeen with the journey north towards Thurso for Scrabster. A railway arrival is only one part of the connection: leave time to reach the ferry terminal and complete the operator’s check-in. If you are bringing a vehicle, compare passenger space, vehicle space and sleeping accommodation together. A route that looks available for a foot passenger may not suit the rest of your booking.
Write down the sailing date as well as the arrival date. For an overnight journey these are different, and booking a room against the departure date can leave an awkward gap. Keep the ferry confirmation and your accommodation arrangements beside each other while planning.
Winter sailings and the festive timetable
The published 2027 NorthLink timetable lists January services, including the period around Up Helly Aa on 26 January. Winter maintenance brings amended schedules, so consult the dry-dock page as well as the normal weekly table. The 2026 festive timetable lists no Aberdeen–Northern Isles sailings on 24, 25 or 31 December or 1 January; the Scrabster route has additional Christmas and New Year gaps. This makes travelling on the day of a Kirkwall Ba’ match an unsuitable plan on those ferries.
For the Ba’, decide whether Christmas Day or New Year’s Day is your target and build the journey around an earlier arrival. Check both outbound and return travel before choosing a room. A return that is convenient on an ordinary weekday may not operate during the holiday period. Keep the operator’s live service-update page available on your phone, and ask about alternatives directly if a timetable change affects your trip.
By air: include the airport transfer
Loganair operates scheduled passenger flights to Sumburgh in Shetland. Shetland’s visitor information lists Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow among the mainland connections and places Sumburgh around 25 miles south of Lerwick. Kirkwall Airport also lists Loganair services, including Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Route patterns vary, so search for your particular dates instead of assuming that every advertised destination has a flight when you need one.
Compare the whole journey from your front door to your accommodation. Include the trip to the departure airport, check-in, baggage arrangements and the transfer after landing. If your itinerary uses connecting flights, read the booking terms so you understand what happens if the first leg is delayed. Ask the airline directly about assistance you need before committing. A shorter flight time does not remove the need for an arrival plan at the other end.
Getting around after you arrive
Shetland’s visitor information lists buses, taxis and car hire for the connection between Sumburgh and Lerwick. Choose the option that works with your arrival and luggage, then check the final journey back after the event. Scalloway requires its own transfer from a Lerwick base; arrange the outward and return legs together. We have not verified a road distance for this guide, so use the current transport information to plan the journey.
For Orkney, make the same distinction between arriving in Stromness and staying in Kirkwall. Share your expected arrival with the accommodation and check the arrangements for getting in if travel changes. Do not leave the last connection to a guess based on a daytime route. It is worth keeping the address and transport details offline, particularly when travelling with children or several bags.
Where to stay: match the nights to the journey
Search Lerwick for Up Helly Aa and Scalloway plans, and Kirkwall for the Ba’. Compare the location of a room with your event and arrival point, not simply the town name in a search result. Before booking, read cancellation terms and ask about any access needs that matter to you. A useful enquiry includes the dates, likely arrival time and how you expect to travel onward.
The searches below use the event dates from our guides. They are starting points for comparing accommodation, not a complete recommended itinerary. Adjust check-in and check-out to include your earlier arrival, any spare day and the actual ferry or flight home. In particular, a match-day-only search does not solve festive transport gaps. Booking.com links are affiliate links: a booking may earn us commission at no extra cost to you.
Weather, disruption and a little breathing room
NorthLink warns that weather and technical issues can affect sailings. Give yourself a spare day where your plans allow, particularly before an event you would be disappointed to miss. Check cancellation terms across transport and accommodation together, and keep contact details for each booking. The cheapest combination may be less appealing if every part is inflexible.
Pack what you need for an outdoor winter evening and keep essentials with you during the crossing or flight. Before leaving home, revisit the event guide, the organiser’s programme and the operator’s service updates. Once there, follow local instructions about access and viewing. Travel planning gets you to the island; it does not give visitors a right to join a local procession or game.
Questions people ask
Is the ferry to Lerwick overnight?
Yes. NorthLink describes Aberdeen–Lerwick as an overnight crossing. Check the sailing and arrival dates carefully and compare a cabin, pod or reclining seat when booking.
Can I sail to Orkney on Christmas Day for the Ba’?
NorthLink’s published festive timetable lists no sailings on Christmas Day 2026 or New Year’s Day 2027. Arrange an earlier arrival and check the return timetable too.
Which airport serves Lerwick?
Sumburgh is the arrival airport for scheduled passenger flights to Shetland. It is around 25 miles south of Lerwick, so include the onward transfer.
Should I book the room or the crossing first?
Compare availability and cancellation terms together. Make sure the nights booked cover the actual arrival and departure, including any buffer you choose.