GETTING HERE
TRAVELLING BY FERRY
If you travel to the Isle of Man by sea, you’ll have the option of coming as a foot passenger or bringing your bike, car or van. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company operates ferry services to the Isle of Man from Heysham, Liverpool, Dublin, and Belfast - with a number of extra sailings available during the Manx Grand Prix. If you wish to visit the Island for either event, please book well in advance. These are exceptionally busy times and you will need to book early in order to fulfil your travel plans. For timetables, fares and to make a booking, please visit the Steam Packet Company website or call their reservations team on 01624 661661.
ARRIVING BY FERRY
Arriving by ferry, you’ll dock at the Sea Terminal - found at the southern end of Douglas promenade and within walking distance of many hotels and guesthouses. You’ll find a taxi rank outside the main entrance and a number of bus stops close by. If you’ve hired a car, drop-offs at the Sea Terminal can be arranged with your hire company. Please remember the Manx Grand Prix can be an exceptionally busy time and we recommend that you book car hire and transfers well in advance.
TRAVELLING BY AIR
The Isle of Man has great air links with many major airports, making travelling by air quick and convenient. Most airlines operate daily flights to the Island with a number of extra flights available during the Manx Grand Prix period. If you wish to visit the Island for either event, please book well in advance. These are exceptionally busy times and you will need to book early in order to fulfil your travel plans. For timetables, fares and to make a booking, please check with individual flight operators. For all other enquiries, please contact the Isle of Man Airport or telephone +44 (0)1624 821600 or visit their website.
ARRIVING BY AIR
Arriving by air, you’ll land in style at Ronaldsway Airport - found in the south of the Island. A frequent bus service stops outside the airport terminal building - travelling north to Douglas or south to Port Erin via Castletown and Port St Mary. The Island’s capital, Douglas, is home to the Manx Grand Prix Grandstand - along with other superb vantage points such as Bray Hill and Quarterbridge. Both the Douglas and Port Erin bus services depart the airport every 20 minutes and run until the airport closes.
If you’d prefer to travel from the airport directly to your accommodation, you can hire a car or pre-book a taxi from one of the many firms on the Island. You’ll find these services at your immediate disposal at the airport. Please remember the Manx Grand Prix can be an exceptionally busy time and we recommend that you book car hire and transfers well in advance.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Remember, no matter where you're from, if you're travelling to the Isle of Man you should have some form of insurance.
UK RESIDENTS
The Isle of Man and the UK have a reciprocal healthcare agreement in place which ensures that Isle of Man residents visiting the UK (and UK residents visiting the Isle of Man) have the assurance of receiving urgent healthcare which is required before returning home (excluding prescription and dental charges, which will be chargeable).
Although treatment is free, repatriation (return travel to someone’s home country) has never been included as part of the reciprocal agreement and this remains the case.
Because of this, all UK residents who travel to the Isle of Man (including on business) should ensure that they have adequate insurance in place in the event of repatriation being required, as this can be a considerable expense ranging from the purchase of a ferry ticket to the hire of a private Air Ambulance, which can be extremely costly.
TRAVELLING FROM OUTSIDE THE UK
If you’re travelling to the Island from outside of the UK, and therefore responsible for all your own healthcare costs whilst in the Island, you will need to make arrangements for full healthcare cover for the duration of your stay in the Isle of Man.
It is therefore extremely important that you take out adequate insurance for all trips to the Isle of Man to cover both medical treatment and repatriation to your home country. If you require medical treatment or repatriation and are uninsured, the Isle of Man Government is not able to help and you can expect to have to pay the full cost of treatment and travel home, which can run into tens of thousands of pounds depending on where you live.
The vital importance of having adequate insurance in place for visits to the Isle of Man cannot be overstated. If you required medical treatment or repatriation without having the correct insurance cover, the Isle of Man Government would be unable to act or offer financial assistance, nor would the government of your home country (including the UK for repatriation).
It is strongly recommended that you take out adequate insurance cover and make your specific needs clear to the insurance provider, remembering to read your policy documentation before travel.
REPATRIATION COST
The actual costs would depend on many variables, such as the distance of the journey, whether an Air Ambulance was required and what specialist equipment and medical staff may be necessary - plus the nature of your condition.
It is not uncommon for repatriation by Air Ambulance to reach sums of £5,000 just for the Isle of Man to UK, and the cost would be considerably more to other countries.
The Isle of Man is not part of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), which is where the EHIC (formerly Form E111) scheme operates. EU/EEA residents will require appropriate insurance when travelling to the Isle of Man.
It is worth noting that even travellers with an EHIC can be required to pay some of the costs of treatment when in EU/EEA countries. The UK Government strongly advises its residents to make certain that they are insured, even if they hold an EHIC.
