| |
This system
is provided by
www.raileasy.co.uk.
You'll
need to make a ferry
reservation: Your train & ferry ticket will
not include a ferry reservation. You can
just turn up at the port and show your train & ferry
ticket as there's almost always spaces available, but I
recommend calling the IoM Steam Packet Company on
01624 661 661, say you have a SailRail ticket and
ask their friendly staff to make you a foot passenger
reservation on your chosen ferry departure(s).
You can
also buy tickets starting on the Isle of Man:
Just type 'Douglas (IOM)' in the 'From' box and any
station you like in to 'To' box to buy
ferry+train tickets from Douglas to any station in Britain.
Ticket
delivery: Tickets can be collected at
any main British station including London Euston, or sent to
any UK address including the Isle of Man, but can't be collected on
the Isle of Man.
Booking
fee: A £1.00 booking fee applies. Collection at stations
is free, tickets sent
by 1st class post £1.50. Debit cards free, credit card
fee around £1.41.
Which
journeys can this system book? It can book
tickets between any station in Britain and Douglas Isle
of Man, one-way or return, in either direction.
Which
route? Enter 'Heysham' or 'Liverpool'
in the 'Route' box if you want a specific route,
or leave it blank to see available journeys via both
ports.
If you have
any problems booking online, pick up the phone:
08457 222 333
 |
| |
|
It's a
well-kept secret! You can buy a special 'SailRail'
train & ferry ticket between any rail station in Britain
and
Douglas on the Isle of Man, one-way or return in either
direction, just use the online booking form on this page.
You hop on a train to Heysham (just north
of Blackpool) or Liverpool and take a comfortable ferry to
Douglas on the Isle of
Man with the famous Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. One
ticket covers both train and ferry, centre to centre, no
airport hassles, no baggage fees, no flights. What's the
journey like?
London to the Isle of Man from
£98.50 return...
Manchester to the Isle of Man from
£59.50 return...
Isle of Man to York from
£65 return...
Little Kimble
to the Isle of Man from
£98.50 return...
Little where??? Exactly!
Any station in Britain to Douglas. Even Little Kimble...
Buy tickets online using this booking form
►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►
On this page...
Ferry schedules to the Isle of
Man
Ferry schedules from the
Isle of Man
How much does it cost?
How to buy tickets
What's the journey like?
Tourist offices,
Isle of Man bus & TT race information
Hotels & accommodation
Manx Electric Railway
Snaefell Mountain
Railway
Isle of Man Steam
Railway
No airports, no flights, just an easy train ride & ferry
crossing with a combined 'SailRail' ticket...
 |
|
 |
|
London to Douglas by train
& ferry... Take the train to Liverpool or
Heysham, then a relaxing ferry to the Isle of Man. |
-
You can check
train & ferry times from any rail station in Britain to Douglas Isle
of Man using the online booking form opposite, just enter
the name of your local station and your dates of
travel. Minimum check-in for all these ferries is 25
minutes before sailing time. Times vary, but here are the usual times:
-
Depart London
09:30, Birmingham 10:20 or Manchester 11:16, arrive Douglas
at 17:45 on
the 'Ben My Chree'. Daily all year round, you can
leave London Euston at 09:30 (09:45 Sundays) on a 125 mph 'Pendolino' train for Lancaster, change onto a special 'boat
train' leaving Lancaster around 12:28 for
Heysham Port station, arriving 12:57. At Heysham, the station is right next to the
ferry terminal. The Isle of Man Steam Packet's
all-weather ferry 'Ben
my Chree' sails from Heysham at 14:15 arriving Douglas Sea
Terminal at
17:45. Douglas Sea Terminal is in central Douglas at
one end of the promenade, walking distance from all the
hotels,
see map of Douglas. This ferry sails daily, except on Saturdays &
Sundays from November to March when she sails
at 14:00 from Liverpool Birkenhead instead. Check times for your date of travel using the booking form opposite. There's a
strange error in the rail industry database, the ferry arrival time at Douglas is 17:45, not 16:45 as shown. What's the
journey like?
-
Depart
London 16:07, Birmingham 16:01 or Manchester 17:07, arrive
Douglas at 22:15 by fast ferry. Daily from April
to October, you can leave London Euston at 16:07 (16:02
Sundays) on a
125 mph 'Pendolino' train arriving Liverpool Lime Street station
at 18:15. It's then 15-20
minutes walk or a transfer by taxi or bus C2 (see
www.merseytravel.gov.uk) to Liverpool
landing stage next to the famous Liver Building,
see map of Liverpool. On
most dates the SeaCat fast ferry 'Manannan' sails from
Liverpool at
19:30 arriving Douglas Sea Terminal at 22:15. Check these times for
your date of travel using the booking form opposite. What's the
journey like?
-
Mondays,
Fridays & Saturdays, depart London 08:07, Birmingham 08:36
or Manchester 09:07, arrive Douglas at 13:45 by fast ferry.
On most Mondays, Fridays & Saturdays from April to October,
also Thursdays in late June, July & August, take a train to
Liverpool Lime Street, walk (15-20 mins), taxi or bus to
Liverpool landing stage next to the Liver Building,
see map of Liverpool, and take
the fast ferry 'Manannan' sailing from Liverpool at 11:15
arriving Douglas at 13:45. Check times for your date
of travel using the booking form opposite. What's the
journey like?
-
You can check
train & ferry times from the Isle of Man to London
or any station in
Britain using the online booking form opposite, just
enter 'Douglas (IOM)' in the 'From' box and any station you
like in the 'To' box. Minimum check-in for the ferry
is just 25 minutes before sailing time. Times vary, but here are
the usual times:
-
Depart
Douglas 08:45 by 'Ben My Chree' to Heysham, arrive London 16:11,
Birmingham 15:55 or Manchester 15:18. Daily
all-year-round*, the all-weather ferry 'Ben My Chree' sails from Douglas
Sea Terminal in city centre Douglas at 08:45 arriving Heysham at 12:15. A connecting
'boat train' leaves Heysham Port station (right next to the
ferry terminal) at 13:15 arriving Lancaster
13:32. Change at Lancaster for onward trains to
Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham & London. On most days
there's a 13:39 train from Lancaster arriving London Euston
at 16:11. (* = On Saturdays & Sundays from November to
March the ferry departs Douglas at 08:00 and goes to
Liverpool Birkenhead, not Heysham). Check times for your date of travel
using the booking form opposite.
What's the
journey like?
-
Depart
Douglas 15:00 by fast ferry to Liverpool, arrive London
21:05, Birmingham 20:18 or Manchester 19:41. Daily
from April to October there's a 15:00 SeaCat from
Douglas Sea Terminal arriving
Liverpool landing stage next to the famous Liver Building at 17:30.
It's 15-20 minutes walk, or transfer by taxi or bus C2 from
the landing stage to Liverpool Lime Street station,
see map. The 18:48
'Pendolino' train from
Liverpool Lime Street arrives London Euston at 21:05.
Check these times for your date of travel using the booking form opposite. What's the
journey like?
-
Mondays,
Fridays, Saturdays, depart Douglas 07:30 by fast ferry to
Liverpool, arrive London 13:38, Birmingham 12:47 or
Manchester 12:01. On most Mondays, Fridays &
Saturdays from April to October, also Thursdays in late
June, July & August, the fast ferry 'Manannan' sails from
Douglas Sea Terminal at 07:30 arriving Liverpool landing
stage at 10:00. Walk (15-20 minutes), taxi or bus C2
to Liverpool Lime Street station,
see map. A train leaves
Liverpool at 11:04, change at Crewe, arriving London Euston
at 13:38. Check times for your date of travel using
the booking form opposite. What's the
journey like?
Train & ferry
'SailRail' tickets
to or from the Isle of Man...
|
|
|
Douglas, Isle of Man, to or from: |
One
way |
Economy
return |
Low Saver
return |
|
London or any rail station in the Greater London
area |
£92 |
£98.50 |
£123 |
|
Zone A: Any station in Lancashire, Greater
Manchester, Merseyside |
£59.50 |
£59.50 |
£76 |
|
Zone B: Any station
in
Cumbria, Yorkshire,
Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire, Clwyd, northern
Gwynedd (inc Holyhead, Bangor) |
£67 |
£65 |
£90 |
|
Zone C: Any station
in Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire,
Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, West Midlands,
Warwickshire, Hereford & Worcester, Powys, southern
Gwynedd (inc Pwhelli), Tyne & Wear, Northumberland,
Durham, Cleveland, Borders, Strathclyde, Dumfries &
Galloway, Central, Fife, Lothian |
£78 |
£79 |
£106 |
|
Zone D: Any station
in Greater London, Buckinghamshire,
Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Wiltshire,
Gloucestershire, Avon, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire,
Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Dyfed, Glamorgan, Gwent |
£92 |
£98.50 |
£123 |
|
Zone E: Any station
in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset,
Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Highland, Grampian,
Tayside |
£120 |
£119.50 |
£146 |
About these 'SailRail' fares...
These SailRail fares cover both the train and the
ferry. they're centre-to-centre, no extra cost getting to
& from airports, no airport taxes, no baggage fees.
You can buy them in either direction, one-way or
return starting on the mainland or starting in Douglas.
Check
prices using the
online booking form above,
or go to
www.steam-packet.com (look for the small 'Sail and
Rail' link at the bottom of their home page).
Can it be done any
cheaper? One-way
= This price is good for for any day, any date. The
ticket can be used on any ferry sailing you like & any
suitable connecting trains on the date shown on your ticket.
No time or train restrictions.
Economy
Return = This price
is good for any day, any date except Fridays,
Saturdays & Sundays in June, July, August & September.
You must travel outward on the date shown on your ticket,
using any ferry you like & any suitable connecting trains.
You can return any day within 1 month
by any ferry & any suitable trains, except on
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays in June, July, August & September.
Low Saver Return = You only need this ticket if your
outward or return journey is on a Friday, Saturday or
Sunday in June, July, August & September.
You must travel outward on the date shown on your ticket, returning on any day within 1 month.
Valid on any ferry you like and any suitable connecting trains,
any day, any date.
Children under 16 go for half the adult fare.
Children under 5 travel free. Railcard
holders (Senior, disabled, family, 16-25) get around
25-30% off these fares.
Bicycles: To book a bicycle space on the ferry with
your train+ferry ticket call 01624 661 661. Bikes
either go free or for a
small charge on trains, call
National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 to ask.
Dogs & other pets go on the ferry for £5
one-way, £10 return, you simply pay at the port. There
is a separate dogs & owners lounge on the Ben My Chree.
First class fares to the Isle of Man don't exist, but
you can buy a cheap first class advance fare between London
and either Liverpool or Heysham, and buy a ferry ticket
separately at www.steam-packet.com.
How do you use these tickets?
Which
trains, ferries & routes
can you take?
You can use any ferry from Liverpool or
Heysham to Douglas run by the Isle of Man Steam Packet
Company, and can take
any suitable train to
connect with that ferry. You must travel out on the
date on your ticket, with a return ticket you can come back
on any day on which your ticket is valid up to 1 month after
your outward journey. There are no time
restrictions and no train reservations are necessary, you just hop
on any train and show your ticket when asked. Indeed, if you have
multiple connections to make to reach the ferry,
I'd recommend playing safe by taking an
earlier train than the one suggested by the online system.
You can take any permitted train route from your starting
station to either Liverpool or Heysham. Tickets from stations in zones D & E can be used
via London at no extra cost as well as via any more direct route,
going
via London can often be simpler and sometimes quicker. If you
want to go via London, just enter 'London (mainline stations)' in
the 'via' box when using the
online
booking form above. Feel free to go out via Heysham, back
via Liverpool,
or vice versa, whichever route seems most convenient when you see the train &
ferry times using the
online booking form above.
After
buying your ticket online, it's a good idea to make a ferry
reservation: Your train & ferry
ticket will not include a
ferry reservation. You can simply turn up at the port
and show your train & ferry tickets as there's almost always
spaces available. However, in theory the ferry can get
full so to be 100% sure of getting
on your chosen ferry I recommend calling the IoM Steam
Packet Company on 01624 661 661, tell them that you have a
SailRail ticket and ask them to make a foot
passenger reservation for you. You then simply quote your
reservation reference number at the port. Top tip:
Why not book a seat in the ferry's Premium Lounge?
You can ask to have a seat in the
Premium Lounge added to your ferry reservation for £16
extra each way, with complimentary tea, coffee & soft drinks,
table seating with laptop/mobile charging points, and steward
service for food from the cafe.
You can buy SailRail train & ferry tickets to the isle of Man:
-
Online,
using the booking form above.
-
By phone,
try calling the following train company telesales lines:
First Trans-Pennine on 0845 678 6974, Virgin Trains
on 08457 222 333 or Chiltern Railways on 08456 005
165. Any train company can in theory easily sell
these fares, but in practice staff often aren't very
familiar with them so be polite but persistent (feedback
would be appreciated!).
-
In person,
from any main railway station, though again staff aren't
usually very familiar with this product so be polite but
persistent.
-
On the Isle of Man, you can buy these
tickets over the counter from the Ferry Travel Shop in the
Sea Terminal at Douglas.
-
Alternatively,
you can book a regular ferry ticket
online at
www.steam-packet.com,
then buy train tickets separately.
The SailRail tickets
are often the best value for return journeys or travel at short
notice, especially considering their flexibility, as you can use any
train even if the ferry is late, and as the price is fixed, you
can buy them at any time, even on the day of travel. But in principle, you can book a no-refunds,
limited-changes-to-travel plans 'Advance' ticket from London to
Liverpool from just £11.50 or so one-way (buy
online here or at
www.virgintrains.com) then buy a separate ferry ticket from £22.50 or so
one-way at
www.steam-packet.com.
Or vice versa. That would get to from central London to the Isle of Man for
around £34 one-way.
 |
|
|
|
London to Liverpool or
Heysham by train... This is a Virgin Trains
125 mph Pendolino train boarding at London Euston.
The trains have air-conditioning, WiFi (free in 1st
class, charged in 2nd class), and a shop selling
newspapers, drinks and snacks. These trains tilt
into the corners at high speed on the curvaceous West
Coast main Line... |
 |
|
 |
|
Heysham to Douglas aboard the ferry 'Ben My
Chree'...
This is the Ben My Chree arrived at Douglas Sea
Terminal. Unlike the airport, the Sea Terminal
is in Douglas city centre at the south end of the
promenade, a few minutes walk from all the main
hotels,
see map. |
|
More relaxing
than flying... The ferry Ben My Chree
is small but perfectly formed. It has a self
service food lounge (above), cafe-bar, shop, and open decks.
WiFi is available for a small fee. Smoking is permitted on deck. |
 |
|
|
|
Premium Lounge:
A top tip when phoning to make your ferry
reservation is to pay for a reserved seat in the
Premium Lounge (above). Leather seats, complimentary
tea, coffee, biscuits, and the steward will bring
you drinks from the bar or food from the restaurant
on request. The Ben My Chree's Premium Lounge
is at the front of the ship directly below the
bridge, giving excellent forward views of the Isle
of Man approaching... |
|
Isle of Man
ahead! With the sun glittering on
the waves, the Isle of Man emerges from its blanket
of mist. This mist is known as Manannan's
Cloak, Manannan is the mythical being that protects
the Isle of Man. There's a diagram on the top
deck identifying the hills you can see.
Douglas is in the gap between the hills, to the
right of Douglas the tallest peak with two masts at
the summit is Snaefell, 2,036 feet. |
 |
|
 |
|
Or Liverpool to
Douglas on the fast ferry 'Manannan'. It's
seen here at Liverpool landing stage, right next to
the famous Liver Building, 15-20 minutes walk from
Lime Street station or there are taxis
waiting on the quayside.
See map. |
|
The Premium Lounge on the 'Manannan' is at one
side of the smaller upper deck. Complimentary
tea, coffee, biscuits, and at-seat food and drinks
service. The Manannan is all non-smoking, even
on the outside deck areas. |
 |
|
 |
|
Douglas Sea Terminal... You can buy
SailRail tickets from the Steam Packet Company
travel shop. The main tourist information
office is here. |
|
Douglas' Victorian
promenade, looking south from the
Manx Electric
Railway station towards the Sea Terminal.
Map of Douglas showing Sea Terminal. |
|
Tourist
information:
www.gov.im/tourism. There is a large and helpful
Tourist Information office in the Sea Terminal.
Hotels & accommodation in Douglas and
other locations on the
Isle of Man: See the
search system below
Isle of Man
TT motorcycle race...
The famous
isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle race is
traditionally held in the last week of May and first week of
June each year. It's been a feature of the Manx
calendar since 1907. Accommodation and transport can
be very hard to come by during that period, and travel can
be difficult as roads are closed for the race. The
course travels from Douglas to Ramsey and back, over parts
of Snaefell. The official Isle of Man TT Race
('Tourist Trophy'
motorcycle race) website is
www.iomtt.com.
Wikipedia entry.
Bus, train & tramway
information for the Isle of Man...
For a route map, timetables and operating days, also Isle of
Man bus information, see
www.iombusandrail.info. Ask about 'Island
Explorer' tickets which give 1 day or a number of days'
unlimited travel on the island's buses, the Manx Electric
Railway, the Steam Railway and the Snaefell Mountain
Railway.
Between March
and November, the Manx Electric Railway links Douglas with
Laxey & Ramsey. Ramsey is the Isle of Man's second
biggest town, Laxey is the stop for the famous Laxey
wheel and the mountain railway up Snaefell. The ride
on the MER to Ramsey should not be missed, it's a
wonderfully scenic ride on a unique tramway, twisting and
turning, up and over the hills and along the coast. The Manx Electric
Railway runs every 30-60 minutes from mid-morning to late
afternoon, taking 30 minutes to Laxey and 1 hour 15 minutes
to Ramsey. Timetables and fares are at
www.iombusandrail.info.
Map showing tram terminus in Douglas.
 |
|
 |
|
A Manx Electric
Railway tram at Douglas (Derby Castle) terminus,
at the north end of Douglas' 2-mile-long promenade.
There's a small ticket office, and a pub next to the terminus if you need
refreshment. |
|
Each tram has one
enclosed car and one open-sided car.
The narrow-gauge two-track electric railway twists
and turns, climbing steeply out of Douglas alongside
the road, the sea visible over the cliffs. |
 |
|
 |
|
At Laxey station,
you can change for the
Snaefell
Mountain Railway. The connecting tram to
Snaefell summit is seen here on the left. The
station has a welcome tearoom,
www.laxeystationcafe.com. |
|
The
famous Laxey Wheel is the world's largest working
waterwheel, and a Manx icon. It's a 10-15
minute walk up the valley from Laxey station. |
 |
|
 |
| On its
way to Ramsey the railway passes through some of the
Isle of Man's most beautiful scenery. The line
was opened to Laxey in 1893, and to Ramsey in 1899. |
|
This is
tram 6 at Ramsey. All the trams are original,
the oldest dating from 1893, the newest dating from 1906.
The trams run round their trailer car at each
terminus. |
A simple
change of tram at Laxey station gets you onto the Snaefell
Mountain Railway. An offshoot of the Manx Electric
Railway opened in 1899, it links Laxey with the summit of
the Isle of Man's one and only true mountain, the
2,036-feet-high Snaefell. It runs April to October,
mid-morning to early afternoon, usually every half an hour.
On leaving Laxey station, it climbs up the opposite side of
the valley to the famous Laxey Wheel, giving great views of
the wheel, then curving round the top of the mountain to
arrive at the tram terminus and restaurant/tearoom at the
summit. You can see the whole island from up there.
Highly recommended! Timetables and fares are at
www.iombusandrail.info.
 |
|
 |
| At
Snaefell summit, 2,036 feet above sea level.
Time for a cup of tea... |
|
The
view from the summit, looking towards Laxey.
The Laxey Wheel is just visible to the naked eye. |
The
delightful Isle of Man Steam Railway links Douglas with
Castletown and Port Erin to the south, from March to
November with roughly hourly departures mid-morning into the
afternoon. Timetables and fares are at
www.iombusandrail.info.
Map showing steam railway station in Douglas.
 |
|
 |
|
The Steam
Railway station is at the south end of town,
just inland from the Sea Terminal. The booking
hall-cum-tea-room features old maps showing how the
steam rail network once reached Peel and (by a long
way round) Ramsey. |
|
The Isle of Man
Steam Railway is a wonderful way to travel
between Douglas and Castletown and the sleepy
seaside town of Port Erin. You'll see
coastline and green scenery from the train. |
 |
|
 |
| A steam train at
Port Erin station. |
|
Port Erin.
The beach is 2 minutes from the Steam Railway
station. |
|
|
