Travelling to Tresco FAQs

The fastest way to the island is to fly direct to Tresco with Penzance Helicopters. The stunning flight takes just 15 minutes and you'll land moments from your accommodation here on Tresco.

Penzance Helicopters also fly to St Mary's, or you can take the Skybus fixed-wing planes from Land’s End, Newquay or Exeter, or the Scillonian III passenger ferry from Penzance to St Mary’s. Tresco is a short boat transfer away.

However you travel, please advise us of your travel plans using our Pre-Arrival Form or by calling +44 (0)1720 422849.

If you fly direct to Tresco with Penzance Helicopters, we will meet you at Tresco Heliport for the short complimentary transfer to your accommodation in our electric shuttle.

If you arrive at St Mary's on Penzance Helicopters, Skybus or the Scillonian ferry, there's just a short transfer to Tresco.

• Arriving by Air: Provided you advise us of your travel plans in advance, you will be met on arrival at St Mary's Airport and our friendly team will deliver you and your luggage to St Mary's Quay for the next scheduled boat to Tresco. All services are payable locally and we accept contactless payments. Our standard transfer service may involve a short wait at St Mary's. A 'special' boat is available for a supplement - for details, please contact Tresco Boat Services on 01720 423373).
• Arriving by Scillonian: Tresco Boat Services meet the Scillonian on arrival at St Mary's every day. Provided your luggage is labelled with a blue Tresco label (available at Penzance Quay), your luggage will be transferred across to our boat (usually Firethorn of Bryher) automatically. You will need to travel on this boat to Tresco. Times are advertised on the Tresco Boat Services page one day in advance and also announced on the Scillonian prior to arrival at St Mary's.

However, you are travelling, please be sure to let us know your travel plans using our Pre-Arrival form. We don't receive your journey details from your travel provider, so without this, we may not be there to meet you on arrival.

Tresco is a car free island, so your car will need to stay on the mainland.

If you are travelling by Penzance Helicopters there is on-site parking at Penzance Heliport, payable on exit. There is no need to book in advance.

If you are travelling from Land's End Airport the airport parking is provided by Isles of Scilly Travel or Westwinds Car Park. If you are travelling from Cornwall Airport Newquay or Exeter please visit the Newquay or Exeter Airport websites for parking information.

If you are travelling by sea from Penzance you can leave your car in the secure car park with Scilly Parking or Isles of Scilly Parking, who offer a shuttle to the quay.

We do all we can to make Tresco accessible for those with mobility difficulties, but you should be aware there is no public transport provision on the island. You may find it easier to take the direct helicopter service to Tresco, as this avoids the need to traverse quay steps and climb on and off boats.

For specific information on any aspect of your travel or your stay with us, please contact the Island Office on +44 (0)1720 422849 or email us.

Please contact the Island Office the day before departure to check the time of your transport from your accommodation to Tresco Heliport, or your boat for onward travel from St Mary's.

As a general rule of thumb, you'll be collected 45 - 60 minutes before your flight time if you're flying from Tresco Heliport, and 1 - 3 hours before your departure if you're flying or sailing from St Mary's (but these times can vary due to tides and weather conditions).

Except on our winter Dog-Friendly breaks, dogs are not permitted in any Tresco accommodation but are most welcome on day trips. Please keep your dog on the lead around the island. Dogs are welcome on the Terrace at The Ruin Beach Cafe, and in the garden and bar area of The New Inn.

Dogs are most welcome at our dog-friendly Hell Bay Hotel on the neighbouring island of Bryher.

The Isles of Scilly has a diverse and reliable transport system. However, as an offshore location, travel disruption due to weather or other factors is possible.

We strongly recommend all guests take out suitable travel insurance to cover any eventualities. Unfortunately, we cannot advise on or recommend travel insurance, but you should ensure it covers all reasons for delay and disruption to domestic travel, including weather.

Due to our offshore location and the possibility of travel disruption, we strongly suggest you leave plenty of time between your return from the islands and any important or urgent commitments, for example appointments, interviews or special occasions.

All travel providers issue 'travel advisories' if they are experiencing or expecting travel disruption. These are sometimes issued a day or two in advance but may be issued on the day of travel.

For the latest updates, please see the Isles of Scilly Travel website (for Skybus and Scillonian) or Penzance Helicopters website.

Please note that we do not receive additional information and can only pass on what we receive from the travel providers.

Please get in touch with your travel provider directly for the most up-to-date information.

Your travel provider will usually offer one or several of the following options in the case of delays and disruption, depending on the situation:

1. Transfer your flight or sailing to another time or date with no amendment fee, subject to availability or
2. Cancelling your journey and receiving a full refund of the unused portion of the ticket or
3. Offering alternative transport to your destination, which may include land and/or surface transport

If the weather is very favourable, Tresco Boat Services may be able to offer trips to and from the mainland on our Jetboats. However, please note that these operate under strict safety rules. Sea conditions and wind must be very low for these journeys, and they will not be able to operate if flights and/or the ferry have been cancelled due to wind and sea conditions.

As your accommodation provider, we are unable to make alternative travel arrangements for you. This is your travel provider's responsibility, and you should contact them to discuss your options.

Of course, we will always do our best to help and support you in any way we can, but we cannot be liable for any additional costs, loss or damage caused by the cancellation or delay, and we strongly recommend all guests have adequate travel insurance.

Unfortunately, this is very unlikely as the island is usually fully booked. The guests arriving at your accommodation may travel by another means (or from another cottage or island) and may still reach the island, even if your departure is disrupted.

As such, we always strongly recommend that you contact your travel provider as soon as possible to assess your options and follow their advice.

Occasionally, we may be able to help with alternative accommodation for those with no other option (for example, unexpected disruption with no alternative travel available). This may be on Tresco (for which we charge a substantially reduced 'delay rate') or another island (where we will help arrange and reach any offered accommodation, but the booking is a private arrangement between you and the accommodation provider, and we are not responsible for this arrangement).

You will be responsible for any transport costs associated with reaching alternative accommodation on other islands, but you may be able to reclaim these additional travel and accommodation costs from your travel insurance provider, so we recommend keeping all relevant receipts.