Travel to the Isle of Man - Getting There

This section is under construction, and is intended as a compilation of information collected from our members travels. Please send additions to Jim Kneale at

A visit can be a very heartwarming experience, especially when you know that this is the land from which your ancestors originated. Many of us have travelled to the island, and the purpose of this page is to share our experiences of what to expect and what not to miss. We have no business connection to any of these entities being recommended. If you have any experiences to pass along - good or bad, please send them to Jim Kneale at

Getting There

You aren't going to find any direct flights from the US, so travel to England or Ireland is the first step. From there, you have two primary ways to get to the island: local airlines or the Steam Packet Ferry.

Road signs in the UK tend to be a bit different than those in the US. The intersections will direct you towards a town, but might not indicate the particular route number that you are on. A detailed local map is a good investment. For planning purposes www.rac.co.uk/web/routeplanner is roughly similar to Google Maps or Mapquest for the US.

Air travel availability to the island tends to change, as various carriers adjust their routes to keep their planes full. Most of the traffic volume for is from Liverpool, Manchester, and Gatwick. Ronalsdway Airport has a list of the carriers currently serving the IOM, and links to their websites.

The Steam Packet transports passengers, vehicles, and cargo from Belfast, Dublin, Liverpool, or Heysham. You can make reservations over the internet from the US. Beware that the terminal at Liverpool is very difficult to find your way to, if unfamiliar with Liverpool. A navigation system and/or a current local map of Liverpool are strongly recommended. Heysham is much easier on the nerves and only an hour or so further north.

Travel in the Island

Car Rental is available near the Steam Packet Terminal in Douglas or Ronalsdway Airport. Not many are equipped with automatic transmissions, and you will find many instances where it is necessary to start and stop on a slope. The Peugot we rented from Mylchreests Car Rental was equipped with a 4 digit code that had to be entered each time you started the car. If you make a mistake, it won't let you try again for a half hour. On the next trip we brought our UK rental car over on the ferry.

One thing that you might keep in mind when planning for transportation:

- many roads are very narrow
- they drive on the left
- and there are no speed limits outside of the towns.

If you rent a car, select one that is narrower, if possible.

Many enthusiasts bring their motorcycles to the island. With the exception of the motorcycle scene in "Waking Ned Devine", most people ride wearing full racing leathers and good helmets.

Keith & Lorraine Handley have a description of a trip in August 2006 here

There is a wealth of information available on the web. Try www.visitisleofman.com who can send you their 107 page brochure filled with beautiful photos and lots of listings of accommodations. Many of the listings are for bed and breakfasts that you won't find on the internet.

An extensive travel website specializing in travel to and around the island is travel.holidays.com.