Oban Ferry Terminal

Oban Ferry Port offers ferry crossings to Castlebay and Lochboisdale (Outer Hebrides) and Coll, Colonsay, Lismore and Tiree (Inner Hebrides).

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Oban, located on the Firth of Lorn between Helensburgh and Fort William in the Argyll and Bute region of Scotland, is simply a stunning location with picturesque views all around.

Attractions include Oban Distillery on Stafford Street and Dunollie Museum, including the evocative ruins of Dunollie Castle and Grounds. Oban (Listeni/ˈoʊbən/ OH-bən;[2] An t-Òban in Scottish Gaelic meaning The Little Bay) is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William. During the tourist season, the town can play host to up to 25,000 people. Oban occupies a setting in the Firth of Lorn. The bay is a near perfect horseshoe, protected by the island of Kerrera; and beyond Kerrera, the Isle of Mull. To the north, is the long low island of Lismore, and the mountains of Morvern and Ardgour. History The site where Oban now stands has been used by humans since at least mesolithic times, as evidenced by archaeological remains of cave dwellers found in the town.[3] Just outside the town stands Dunollie Castle, on a site that overlooks the main entrance to the bay and has been fortified since the Bronze age. Prior to the 19th century, the town itself supported very few households, sustaining only minor fishing, trading, shipbuilding and quarrying industries, and a few hardy tourists.[4] The Renfrew trading company established a storehouse there in about 1714 as a local outlet for its merchandise, but no Custom-house was deemed necessary until around 1760. The modern town of Oban grew up around the distillery, which was founded there in 1794. The town was raised to a burgh of barony in 1811 by royal charter.[5] Sir Walter Scott visited the area in 1814, the year in which he published his poem The Lord of the Isles; interest in the poem brought many new visitors to the town. The arrival of the railways in the 1880s brought further prosperity, revitalising local industry and giving new energy to tourism. Shortly thereafter, McCaig's Tower, a folly and prominent local landmark, was constructed, as was the ill-fated Oban Hydro. Oban in 1900 During World War II, Oban was used by Merchant and Royal Navy ships and was an important base in the Battle of the Atlantic. The Royal Navy had a signal station near Ganavan, and an anti-submarine indicator loop station, which detected any surface or submarine vessels between Oban, Mull and Lismore. There was a controlled minefield in the Sound of Kerrera, which was operated from a building near the caravan site at Gallanach. There was also a Royal Air Force flying boat base at Ganavan and on Kerrera, and an airfield at North Connel built by the Royal Air Force. A Sector Operations Room was built near the airfield; after the war, this was extended to become the Royal Observer Corps Group HQ. Oban was also important during the Cold War because the first Transatlantic Telephone Cable (TAT-1) came ashore at Gallanach Bay. This carried the Hot Line between the US and USSR presidents. Since the 1950s, the principal industry has remained tourism, though the town is also an important ferry port, acting as the hub for ferries to many of the Hebrides. Oban is best known as the ‘Gateway to the Isles’, thanks to its role as a hub for tourists departing to the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides. But Oban has plenty of secrets of its own for visitors to uncover. Here are 12 amazing facts about Oban. 1 – The Scottish Gaelic name for Oban is An t-Òban, which means The Little Bay. Oban’s bay is a perfect horseshoe shape that offers spectacular sunsets. 2 – The site of Oban has been occupied since the Mesolithic times, and the sites around Oban Bay are noted for having a distinct Oban culture. If you’re interested in the history of the area, there’s a great museum at Kilmartin Glen. 3 – The ruins of Dunollie Castle occupy a strategic location overlooking the entrance to the bay. This site has been occupied since the Bronze Age, giving some indication of the importance of the area. (Source = www.follypublications.co.uk) (Dunollie Castle Source = www.follypublications.co.uk) 4 – The town of Oban has a resident population of just over 8,500 people, but during the tourist season it swells to accommodate up to 25,000 people. 5 – In the 1700s, Oban was a small village with a few fishermen’s cottages. Life changed in 1794 when the Oban Distillery opened, and the modern town grew around that. One of the oldest and smallest distilleries in Scotland, it’s in the top 20 worldwide for single malt sales, making a visit essential for whisky lovers. 6 – Oban has played a strategic role in several wars, acting as an important base for the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II, and as the landing point for the first Transatlantic Telephone Cable during the Cold War, which carried the hot line between the US and USSR presidents. If military history’s your thing, a trip to Oban’s War and Peace Museum is a must. 7 – Home to some of the freshest seafood and some award-winning restaurants, Oban deserves its title as the ‘Seafood Capital of Scotland’. A definite stop for foodies! (Seafood Capital, source = www.tripadvisor.co.uk) (Seafood Capital, source = www.tripadvisor.co.uk) 8 – The town has been the backdrop to a number of movies, including Ring of Bright Water, the story of a Londoner and his pet otter living on the Scottish coast, Morvern Callar, a thriller based on the novel by Alan Warner, and Eye of the Needle, a spy thriller by Ken Follett. 9 – Oban is the birthplace of several well-known people, including the contemporary folk musician Aidan O’Rourke, bagpipe player Stuart Liddell, artists Charles Avery and Euan Heng, politicians Alexander Gordon Cameron, Mike MacKenzie and Maureen Macmillan, and Susan Newell, the last woman to be hanged in Scotland. 10 – Oban is twinned with Gorey in County Wexford, Ireland, and Laurinburg in North Carolina, US. Whereas the main city on Stewart Island, New Zealand was named after Oban, thanks to the strong influence of Scottish settlers. 11 – A computer glitch on Guy Fawkes Night 2011 ensured the evening went off with a bang as £6,000 of fireworks were ignited simultaneously. The display should have lasted 20-30 minutes. (Guy Fawkes in Oban, source = www.obantimes.co.uk) (Guy Fawkes in Oban, source = www.obantimes.co.uk) 12 – It’s good enough for Roman – the football billionaire and his family recently spent a week enjoying the sights and seafood of Oban, before heading to the South of France.

Get directions for Oban Ferry Terminal

Port address: The Ferry Terminal, Oban, PA34 4LE, Scotland.

Oban terminal is served by these ferry routes:

Travelling to Oban Ferry Terminal

From Glasgow, Follow A82 and A85 to Deanery Brae in Oban for 88 miles.

From Glasgow, there is a direct train to Oban.

All services operate adjacent to Station.

Oban: Port Facilities

There is a vending machine located in the terminal. Additional services are available 50 metres outside the terminal.

There are disabled toilets, access to the terminal building and lifts.

During the winter, the terminal is open on Monday from 04:45 to 17:00, Tuesday from 06:15 to 18:00, from Wednesday 07:00 to 17:00, Thursday from 06:15 to 17:00, Friday from 07:00 to 21:45, Saturday from 6:15 to 21:45 (closed between 16:30 and 20:30) and Sunday from 06:15 to 18:00.

During the summer, the terminal is open Monday from 05:45 to 19:35, Tuesday from 06:45 to 19:35, Wednesday from 06:15 to 19:35, Thursday from 06:15 to 19:35, Friday from 05:15 to 21:45, Saturday from 06:15 to 19:35 and Sunday from 06:15 to 19:35.

Information is available at the ticket sales and enquiries desk.

No parking at terminal. Parking available in Shore Street car park. No accessible parking spaces, drop off only at terminal building.

This information is provided for guidance only.