Digital ferry vouchers for eligible Orkney residents will be available to download from 15th of March for travel between 1st of April 2026 and 31st of March 2027.
The vouchers are for residents who hold a valid National Entitlement Card and can be used on external ferry services including NorthLink and Pentland Ferries.
Each eligible resident receives four digital ferry vouchers per year, covering free foot passenger travel to the Scottish mainland or to Shetland.
The vouchers must be added to the card annually using the Transport Scot Pass Collect app.
Transport Scotland will issue letters and information sheets to qualifying cardholders in March explaining how to download the vouchers ahead of the new financial year.
Residents are eligible if they permanently live in Orkney and are aged over 60, are disabled, or are aged between 16 and 21.
Laura Cromarty, Transportation Service Manager at Orkney Islands Council, said:
“Don’t worry if you cannot add your ferry vouchers to your card using the App, this can be carried out by a friend, relative, or completed at Customer Services in Kirkwall or Stromness or at a number of help spots across Orkney.
“This information will be detailed in the letter issued by Transport Scotland.
“Please note letters are printed numerically by the card number, not by surname or address, therefore be aware households with more than one eligible resident are likely to receive their letters on different days, or even weeks.
“We’d also stress the importance of letting the Council’s Transportation Service know if you have moved address in the last 12 months or so, as around 60 to 80 ferry vouchers are unclaimed each year, due to out of date addresses.
“As a result, any letters that are returned to Transport Scotland are likely to result in cards being cancelled.
“If you are not sure that the address held for you is up to date please get in touch with the Council’s Transportation Service so we can check for you and change it if necessary.”
Residents with a disabled card featuring the C+1 logo are also entitled to have a companion travel with them.
From 1st of April, free internal ferry travel for under 22s will continue, allowing young people to travel free as foot passengers on Orkney Ferries services by showing their National Entitlement Card or Young Scot card.
Details about the Transport Scot Pass Collect app can be found and downloaded from here
You can apply for a National Entitlement Card/Young Scot Card at getyournec.scot
Detailed further information and FAQs about ferry vouchers are available at the Transport Scotland website
