The Aran IslandsDepending on which island you visit, the ferry journey is approximately 40-minutes from Rossaveel, Connemara and 90-minutes from Galway City.
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The Doolin Express Ferry is the fastest crossing to the Aran Islands, reaching Inis Oirr in only 15 minutes!
Inis Mor, the largest and most popular island of the Aran Islands can be accessed by passenger ferry or by airplane. The passenger ferries depart from Galway City, Rossaveel and Doolin. The airplane to Inis Mor departs from Connemara Regional Airport. You cannot take your car on the ferry to the Island.
Out of the 3 main islands, Inis Mor (also, Inishmore) is the largest and most popular for a day trip among locals and tourists. It offers beautiful landscapes, historical sites, turquoise water beaches and vertiginous cliffs.
We strongly recommend that you pre-book your tickets, especially from April to October. Our ferries are regularly booked out. Depending on our pre-booking figures we can organise additional timetabled ferry crossings and have extra crew available however this is not possible if people just show up on the day of travel.
If one were to do a walked loop of the entire island it would probably take an entire day (roughly 16km ) as the island is 8km long. Walking on the Aran Islands is one of the most popular activities. With miles and miles of small thin roads criss crossing each other most people just venture out and explore.
Inis Mor is noted for it's sandy sheltered beaches and interesting shorelines. On Inis Mór there is a blue flag beach at Cill Mhuirbhigh which is safe for swimming. During summer this beach is popular and as such has on duty life guards so ensure the safety of swimmers.
Please note – it is not possible to bring your car over to the Aran islands, as the ferry services do not allow for this. Vehicles can be left at the ports and the airport before boarding.
Location of the Aran IslandsThey are located about 48 km from Galway City, however they are only 8 km from Doolin Pier, Doolin, Co. Clare. Inis Oirr (Inisheer) is the closest Island to Doolin.
There are two ferries to Arran: You can take the ferry from Ardrossan to Brodick, which takes 55 minutes. Vehicle reservations are recommended on these routes. You can book travel online, and when you do, you'll immediately receive an eTicket direct to your inbox - ready to board.
The population of 1,347 (as of 2022) primarily speak Irish, the language of local placenames, making the islands a part of the Gaeltacht. Most islanders are also fluent or proficient in English. The population has steadily declined from around 3,500 in 1841.