Doolin to the Aran Islands Ferry: Times, Fares & What to Know
Doolin to the Aran Islands Ferry: Times, Fares & What to Know
The fastest way to the Aran Islands — fifteen minutes to Inis Oírr — but it only runs eight months of the year, and one of the three islands is barely served at all. Here is the 2026 timetable and the detail the guides get wrong.
When the boats run
| Island | Season | Out from Doolin | Back from the island |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inis Oírr 15 min | 28 Feb – 3 Apr | 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 | 12:30, 13:45, 16:45 |
| Inis Oírr | 4 Apr – 27 Sep | 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 | 10:30, 13:45, 16:45 |
| Inis Oírr | 28 Sep – 1 Nov | 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 | 12:30, 13:45, 16:45 |
| Inis Mór 35 min | 28 Feb – 3 Apr | 11:00, 15:00 | 12:00, 16:15 |
| Inis Mór | 4 Apr – 30 Aug | 09:00, 11:00, 15:00 | 09:50, 12:00, 16:15 |
| Inis Mór | 31 Aug – 1 Nov | 11:00, 15:00 | 12:00, 16:15 |
| Inis Meáin | Event dates only | 09:00 | 16:30 |
Times published by Doolin Ferry for the 2026 season. The service runs 28 February to 1 November only — there is no winter crossing from Doolin. Note that the operator’s own summary page lists an extra 12:30 return from Inis Oírr in peak season that its dedicated page omits; check when booking.
Times change with the season and the weather. Check the operator before you travel:
What it costs
| Island | Adult return | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inis Oírr | around €28 | Operator’s published range for this island is €18–€35 |
| Inis Meáin | around €33 | Event dates only |
| Inis Mór | around €35 | Operator’s published range is €23–€45 |
| Inter-island hop | from €10 one way | Between the three Aran islands |
Doolin Ferry does not publish a fixed fare table — prices sit behind its booking system and vary with date and sailing. The figures above come from the operator’s own published ranges and its sister brand’s stated adult returns, checked July 2026. Treat them as indicative and confirm at booking. Child and family rates exist but are not published.
Prices move with the date and demand. Get a live quote and book direct:
Route map
Doolin pier sits below the Cliffs of Moher, with Inis Oírr — the smallest Aran island — barely nine kilometres offshore.
Can you do it in a day?
Yes, comfortably — this is the port for a day trip. Inis Oírr gives you roughly five hours ashore on the standard 11:00 out and 16:45 back, and the island is small enough to walk.
Inis Meáin is the exception. Despite Doolin being described everywhere as serving all three Aran islands, the middle island runs on event dates only: one 09:00 out, one 16:30 back. If Inis Meáin is the goal, sail from Rossaveal instead.
Cars and bikes
No cars — these are passenger boats. The bigger catch is bicycles: Doolin Ferry carries them for overnight stays only, and asks you to ring first.
That single rule decides which port you use if you want to cycle the islands. From Rossaveal a bike costs €15 return and travels the same day; from Doolin a day-tripper simply cannot bring one.
Continuing your journey
- The 350 bus links Galway, Kinvara, Doolin and Ennis — the main public transport option for the village.
- For wider connections see public transport in Ennis and buses in Galway.
- The year-round alternative is the Rossaveal crossing from Connemara.
Things people get wrong
The cliffs come free on the way back
Return from any island and stay aboard: the boat runs along the Cliffs of Moher before docking, so the cliff cruise is appended to your return leg rather than bought separately.
Closed for four months
Doolin shuts from 2 November to 27 February. For winter travel to Aran the only option is Rossaveal, which sails 363 days a year.
Accessible travel
The boats themselves are wheelchair accessible. The harbours are not — the operator states that the piers it uses are not wheelchair friendly and are subject to changing tides.
Wheelchair users are asked to contact the company in advance so the tide can be checked for their specific date. This is the same tidal legacy that shaped the pier’s history.
The departure point
Doolin pier is a short distance outside the village, below the Cliffs of Moher. It was rebuilt as a deepwater pier in 2014 — before that the tide could close it for up to four hours a day, and passengers were rowed out to the boats.
- Address: No. 1 Doolin Pier, Ballaghaline, Co. Clare, Eircode V95 DR74.
- Parking is unusually cheap: €1 for two hours, €5 for up to 30 hours, €15 for a week — a fraction of what most Irish ferry piers charge.
- Arrive 30 minutes early, or an hour in peak season. Tickets are also sold from the red office on the pier.
- By bus, the 350 between Galway, Kinvara, Doolin and Ennis is the route to check — but Doolin is realistically a car-access village.
Booking
Booking is advised, particularly in high summer when seats are limited. Bookings can normally be changed or cancelled free up to 24 hours before departure, and a cancelled sailing brings a full refund or a transfer.
If you have booked online you can usually go straight to the boat rather than queuing at the office.