Getting around Calgary: public transport, passes and taxis

Calgary is a hamlet on the west coast of Mull, in Argyll and Bute. There is no station, no airport and no town bus network. Almost every visitor arrives either by car on the Craignure–Oban ferry or by bus from Craignure, and then walks. The table below compares the realistic choices; treat the fares as 2026 estimates and confirm times before you travel.

The main crossing is Oban to Craignure, run by Caledonian MacBrayne. Sailings take roughly 45–50 minutes and run several times a day, with a reduced winter timetable. Vehicles should be booked ahead in summer; foot passengers can usually turn up, but reserving costs nothing and saves a wait.

From Craignure pier, buses run along the island's roads, including the route past Calgary. Service is thin: a handful of journeys a day, fewer on Sundays, and the last departure is early by city standards. Check the current timetable and buy your ticket on board or in advance, depending on the operator.

If you are coming from the mainland without a car, the usual pattern is train or bus to Oban, ferry to Craignure, then the connecting bus. Allow a buffer of at least an hour at Craignure; ferries can be delayed by weather.

Driving gives you the most freedom, and the roads to Calgary are manageable if you are used to rural driving. Expect single-track stretches with passing places: pull into the left-hand passing place to let oncoming traffic through, and do not park in one. Drive on the left, and give way to buses, lorries and livestock.

Fuel is limited. Fill up in Craignure, Salen or Tobermory before heading west, and do not rely on finding a pump near Calgary. Car hire is available in Oban and on the island, but automatic cars are scarce and should be booked well ahead; the parent country note that manual gearboxes are the default applies here too.

Parking at Calgary is informal and fills quickly on sunny summer days. Arrive before mid-morning if you want a space near the beach, and never block field gates or passing places.

There is no Uber or similar ride-hailing on Mull. Taxis are local firms with a small number of cars, so book by phone as early as you can, especially for ferry connections, evenings and Sundays. Ask for a fixed quote when you book, since metered fares on longer runs can add up.

A taxi from Craignure to Calgary is the sensible fallback if you miss the last bus, but do not count on one being free at short notice in high season. If your ferry is delayed, call the taxi firm or the bus operator rather than assuming a later service exists.

The figures below are 2026 estimates for planning, not quotes. Ferry fares vary by season and by whether you take a car; bus fares are modest; taxis are the expensive option for a single journey.

Treat the ferry as the fixed point in your plan and build the rest around it. If you are day-tripping from Oban, check the last return sailing before you leave the pier, and leave slack for the bus back to Craignure.

Mobile signal is patchy on the west coast, so download timetables, tickets and maps before you set off. An eSIM helps for data, but it will not create signal where there is none.

Weather changes plans more often than timetables do. Wind can delay or cancel sailings, and a wet day makes the single-track drive slower. Keep one flexible day in your itinerary.