Kirkwall Travel Centre will reopen on Friday afternoons and will now be staffed from 3:00pm to 5:00pm Monday to Thursday, and from 1:30pm to 5:00pm on a Friday. The funding for the staffing is coming from cruise ship revenues, however, this will be reviewed later on in the year.

The early closure followed on from repeated anti social behaviour on a Friday afternoon. Passengers using the travel centre felt unable to use the centre due to the behaviour of some youths.

From 1st of April there are also changes to the public bus service operating from the Travel Centre which includes alterations to stances.

From  April to October there will be increased frequency on the X1 and 8S networks and an additional evening bus for Kirkwall and Orphir on Saturdays. This has been made possible by the significant rise in passenger numbers on these Stagecoach routes during the summer months.

Timetable information is available on the council website by visiting www.orkney.gov.uk/bus.

Download here:

Service X1 (Stromness – Kirkwall – St Margarets Hope):

• There are some small adjustments to the timings – check the new timetable carefully.
• The service between Kirkwall and Stromness now has more half hourly departures throughout the day.
• An additional hourly service taking in historic sites will operate from Stromness to Skara Brae via the Brodgar Road (returning to Stromness).
• Improved Sunday connections.
• Buses will no longer drop off at the Brodgar Road end for safety reasons.

Service 2 (Houton):

• Note a change to Stand No 4 at Kirkwall Travel Centre for this service.
• The Saturday bus timetable has been amended to provide improved connectivity to the Houton ferry.

Service 5 (Stromness – Houton):

Last year this commercial service between Houton and Stromness was rolled into the X1 timetable – it has now reverted to a separate ‘No. 5’ timetable again. Timings are unchanged.

Service 8S (Skara Brae / Quoyloo):

• The number of days per week this service runs over the summer period is increasing from three to six. The service will operate Monday to Saturday from 1 April to 26 October inclusive. (Outwith this period, the service will revert to three days, Monday, Thursday and Saturday).
• This service will change to operate from Stand 3 at Kirkwall Travel Centre.
• Travelling throughout the west mainland, this service is great for visitors and locals, running: Kirkwall – Brodgar – Stenness – Dounby – Twatt – Quoyloo – Skara Brae – Stromness (and return)

Service 7 (Birsay / Dounby):

The route has been amended to go direct to the Balfour Hospital and then on to the Kirkwall Travel Centre. The route will no longer travel via Pickaquoy Road, Sunnybank Road or Hatston Brae. The new route will operate: Old Finstown Road, Glaitness Road, Foreland Road, New Scapa Road (Balfour Hospital), Kirkwall Travel Centre. The best point to board/disembark for Pickaquoy Centre and/or supermarkets is at Great Western Road (opposite Lidl).

Service 9E (Kirkwall and Orphir Evening):

A new, additional evening bus will run on Saturdays, leaving Kirkwall Travel Centre at 21:10 via Orphir returning to Kirkwall at 22:01. This is in addition to the evening service on Friday nights.

Changes to bus stands at Kirkwall Travel Centre, from 1 April:

• Service 2 (Houton Ferry) – will depart from Stand 4
• Service 3 (Deerness and Tankerness ) – will depart from Stand 2
• Service 3E (East Mainland Evening Bus : Friday & Saturday) – will depart from Stand 2
• Service 6 (Tingwall Ferry and Evie ) – will depart from Stand 3
• Service 8S (Quoyloo and Skara Brae) – will depart from Stand 3
• Service 9E (Town and Orphir Evening Bus : (Friday & Saturday) – will depart from Stand 3