Mulling over transport options from Tobermory to Fionnphort

Where are you staying on Mull? I had a lovely stay on Mull back in 2001 but I did have a car. I stayed in Tobermory. It was wonderful. You should think about visiting Staffa as well. So, I suggest that you contact the Mull tourist office to see if there are any tours that originate on the island. You can email them and ask questions. Here's the link. I was there when 9/11 happened and everyone was lovely to me.

Your plan sounds very similar to mine in July! I also have 4 nights booked in Tobermory. And I had looked at a couple of options for the trip to Iona when this was originally scheduled in 2020.

First I looked at the bus. While it was doable based on 2020 times, I wasn’t totally happy with it. A friend recommended Magic Mull Tours http://www.mullmagic.com/ - she and her husband loved their day. I contacted them and they were already booked for the days I was on Mull. I will probably try them again this summer. It’s not cheap but it was going to give me a lot more time on Iona, reduce bus transfer stress, plus give me all manner of guiding knowledge.,

Here’s what the bus and ferry schedule looked like in 2020 (from Tobermory).
Tobermory to Iona: 7:30-8:20; 8:25-9:40; ferry;
Iona to Tobermory: 3:15-4:35; 4:50-5:40. Mon-Fri
Doable, though, if times stay the same. I haven’t tried to check for this year, though.

Edit: thanks for that link, Pamela!

I wouldn't count on getting from Edinburgh to Oban much before noon. There's a Scotrail train due into Oban at 11:27 AM, but by the time you dropped your luggage off, you would be well shy of a full day on Iona.

@Pamela, thank you for the tourist office link! A common sense tip to contact them, and one of those things I didn't think about until pointed out :) I'm staying the whole time in Tobermory and plan to leave my accommodations for a morning walk and see where the day takes me (except my Iona day!).

@Travelmom: thanks for the tip! I'll check them out.

@acraven: thanks- yes, once I actually mapped the train journey (after I posted) I came to the same realization.

I've determined to hope for the best re the buses, contact the tourist office, and let my week play out how it will. Thanks for your help!

Without wanting to be negative, I would try to choose the best weather day for Iona. The day we went on a Rick Steves tour the weather was awful. Our visit was truncated as the ferry was going to shut down after the 3PM sailing from Iona back to Mull due the expected high winds. This was in a mid-June.

@Pam, yes! Weather is definitely a consideration, and why I am hoping that getting myself there via the bus and ferry will work since I think that will afford me maximum flexibility :)

You probably need to buy the bus or train ticket to Oban ahead of time. Some buses do sell out, and I assume trains can as well; I don't know whether that's a risk in late May, but there's just not that much transportation available.

@acraven, yep! I've got a calendar hold for 3 months out to check timetables, and I'm purchasing the appropriate railcard too :) thanks for the reminder!

Are your four days on Mull part of a longer trip or is Mull / Iona your only Scottish destination for your mini-sabbatical?

In case anyone was still following this thread (haha), I did ask my B&B host about the bus timetables to Fionnphort and the Iona ferry and it is possible, if a little squeezed to make sure to catch the last bus from Craignure to Tobermory.

@Cynthia this is just one stop :)

Don't forget to check out the Mish in Tobermory. It's a wonderful pub and they were extraordinarily lovely to me on 9/11. I too can say beautiful weather makes Staffa and Iona amazing place. We had that same beautiful blue skies that day in Scotland that you could also see in New York City. It's very striking for me. I was lucky to be in the Abbey that day.

@Pamela, thank you for the rec!

Have you thought about having an overnight on Iona? Not only would it give you much longer to explore, it is also a unique experience...

Thanks, wasleys- unfortunately not in the budget this go round!

I'll be in Mull for 2 nights in June. I have a car so I can't help you with any transportation advice, however when planning our trip I found a Facebook site called Scottish Travel Society that was helpful.