Photo: Simon Hurry / Unsplash
Checked against northlinkferries.co.uk on 9 November 2026
Are you planning a trip to Shetland? The Aberdeen to Lerwick ferry is listed on Ferryu with NorthLink Ferries, who offer nightly sailings to Shetland from Aberdeen every evening.
These are overnight crossings. You leave at tea time and arrive the following morning, reaching Lerwick at 07:30 on the way out and Aberdeen at 07:00 on the way back. You can compare this route on Ferryu.
Photo: Sebastian Schuster / UnsplashFrom the operator
MV Hrossey and MV Hjaltland sail nightly to Shetland from Aberdeen.
Opens Direct Ferries, a ferry booking site. Or book direct with NorthLink Ferries.
NorthLink Ferries sail nightly to Shetland from Aberdeen on board the MV Hrossey and MV Hjaltland, with a departure every evening.
Sailings from Aberdeen to Lerwick and from Lerwick to Aberdeen are overnight crossings. They leave at tea time and arrive the following morning, in Lerwick at 07:30 and in Aberdeen at 07:00. That means you set off in the evening and arrive with the day ahead of you.
Timetables can change, so be sure to check the latest sailing times with NorthLink Ferries before you set off.
The Aberdeen Ferry Terminal is at Jamieson's Quay, in the heart of the city. It is easily reached by car and close to rail and bus stations, with airport connections too.
Whichever way you are getting to the terminal, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to check in before your evening departure.
Average total for the month, mm (1991–2020)
Average total for the month, mm (1991–2020)
| Month | High °C | Low °C | Rain mm | Sea °C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.1 | 5.0 | 120.4 | 7.8 |
| February | 6.5 | 4.5 | 94.0 | 7.4 |
| March | 6.6 | 4.8 | 87.6 | 7.3 |
| April | 7.2 | 5.8 | 53.0 | 7.9 |
| May | 8.5 | 7.3 | 42.4 | 9.4 |
| June | 10.4 | 9.3 | 49.3 | 11.6 |
| July | 12.2 | 11.2 | 55.4 | 13.3 |
| August | 13.1 | 12.0 | 70.3 | 13.1 |
| September | 12.2 | 10.9 | 82.6 | 12.8 |
| October | 10.6 | 9.0 | 109.1 | 11.5 |
| November | 8.9 | 7.1 | 122.2 | 10.0 |
| December | 7.7 | 5.7 | 115.2 | 8.8 |
1991–2020 averages, ERA5 via Open-Meteo, read at the grid point nearest the port (11 km away). Sea surface: 2023–2024 averages from the Open-Meteo Marine Weather API, which has no sea temperatures before late 2022.
Nightly sailings to Shetland from Aberdeen every evening. (NorthLink Ferries, northlinkferries.co.uk)
Sailings from Aberdeen to Lerwick and from Lerwick to Aberdeen are overnight crossings, leaving at tea time and arriving the following morning in Aberdeen at 07:00 and Lerwick at 07:30. (NorthLink Ferries, northlinkferries.co.uk)
Who sails each route and how long the crossing takes.
| Route | Operator | Crossing |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen to Lerwick This route | NorthLink Ferries | – |
| Aberdeen to Kirkwall | NorthLink Ferries | – |
| Ardrossan to Brodick | CalMac Ferries | About 55 minutes |
| Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope | Pentland Ferries | – |
| Largs to Cumbrae | CalMac Ferries | – |
| Mallaig to Armadale | CalMac Ferries | About 45 minutes |
| Oban to Castlebay | CalMac Ferries | About 5 hours |
| Oban to Craignure | CalMac Ferries | About 45 minutes |
| Scrabster to Stromness | NorthLink Ferries | About 90 minutes |
| Uig to Lochmaddy | CalMac Ferries | About 105 minutes |
| Uig to Tarbert | CalMac Ferries | About 100 minutes |
| Ullapool to Stornoway | CalMac Ferries | About 2½ hours |
| Wemyss Bay to Rothesay | CalMac Ferries | About 35 minutes |
All ferries to Scotland · More from Aberdeen ferry port
Facts on this page come from:
