Isle of Man TT Travel

Best time to visit

Qualifying week: Qualifying week is the opening week of the fortnight and sees daily practice and qualifying sessions starting on Sunday and continuing until Friday. With action, every day and the chance to see all the stars on track in the course of one session Qualifying Week is becoming increasingly popular with fans, particularly towards the end of the week. However, it is currently still quieter than Race Week and there is generally better availability for travel and accommodation.

Race Week: Race Week starts with the Superbike and Sidecar races on the Saturday following Qualifying Week. There are race days on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Friday is a bank holiday in the Isle of Man and features the Blue Riband Senior TT Race. Race Week is much busier than Qualifying Week and demand for accommodation and travel is correspondingly higher. With more visitors on the island, bars, restaurants and attractions are also busier and the ‘buzz’ of TT is everywhere.

By Air

A range of airlines fly to the Isle of Man from the UK and Ireland. Demand for flights is very high during peak periods so costs can escalate quickly, however with low cost airlines operating to the Island there are bargains to be had so book early to take advantage. For travellers from outside the UK and Ireland we recommend ensuring your travel plans are routed through London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester or Dublin all having good links to the Isle of Man with large regional airlines. For travellers from the USA or Canada, Dublin is a particularly good option with Aer Lingus operating to the Isle of Man travellers can check in at their preferred airport all the way through to the Isle of Man. On returning from the Isle of Man travellers will also clear customs at Dublin Airport saving you valuable time when landing in the USA or Canada. Airlines release some flights a year in advance, while others such as easyJet go on sale between 7 to 10 months prior.

By Sea The Isle of Man is served by a single ferry company. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company sails from Liverpool and Heysham in England and Dublin and Belfast in Ireland. Additional services are provided during the TT and Classic TT periods. The Steam Packet Company operates two vessels, both of which are equipped to handle lorries, cars, campervans and motorcycles. Demand for places on sailings, particularly with vehicles, is very high so we would always recommend being as flexible as possible with dates and times. Remember: early morning departures are the least popular and save the cost of one night’s accommodation. It is important to understand how the ferry booking process works: tickets go on sale a year in advance. This means you can book your travel for the following TT during Qualifying Week, a year in advance. You can obtain a ferry booking by paying a deposit (at the time of writing), with the full balance then being due in February of the following year. At the time of booking you are not advised of the total cost, final balances are advised in November/December of that year. Any ferry bookings that are not paid in full will then go back into the system around the first week of March to be resold. Please note this system is operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and is outwith Duke Travel’s control.

Let public transport take the strain

Public transport is excellent, and you can get around easily with a transport ticket (additional cost), and put simply, this gives you access to any public bus, Electric Tram, Horse Tram or Steam Train while you’re on the island. Public Transport is increased over the TT period with extra trains and buses. You can even get around the course by bus (not the mountain section, this can be accessed using the Electric Railway) as long as roads are not closed. So most viewing points on the course can be accessed by bus.