View source for Transport in the Isle of Man

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
There are a number of '''transport services around the [[Isle of Man]]''', mostly consisting of paved roads, public transport, rail services, sea ports and an airport.

==Roads==
[[File:Isle of Man map of roads.png|thumb|right|Overview map of transport links in the Isle of Man]]

{{see|List of roads in the Isle of Man}}
{{see|Bus Vannin}}
{{see|Speed limits in the Isle of Man}}
The island has a total of {{convert|688|mi}} of public roads,<ref>{{cite web|title=Everything you ever wanted to know about the Isle of Man|url=http://www.isleofman.com/tourism/about/|publisher=Isleofman Dot Com Ltd|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225093426/http://www.isleofman.com/tourism/about |archive-date=25 February 2008}}</ref> all of which are paved. Roads are numbered using a [[numbering scheme]] similar to the numbering schemes of [[Great Britain road numbering scheme|Great Britain]] and [[roads in Ireland|Northern Ireland]]; each road is assigned a letter, which represents the road's category, followed by a 1 or 2 digit number. ''A'' roads are the main roads of the island whilst roads labelled ''B'', ''C'', ''D'' or ''U'' decrease in size and/or quality. (The C, D and U numbers are not marked on most maps or on signposts.) There is no [[national speed limit]] – some roads may be driven at any speed which is safe and appropriate. Careless and [[dangerous driving]] laws still apply, so one may not drive at absolutely any speed, and there are local speed limits on many roads. Many unrestricted roads have frequent bends which even the most experienced driver cannot see round. Drivers are limited to {{convert|50|mph}} in the first full year after passing their driving test (Isle of Man citizens are permitted to start driving at the age of sixteen)<ref>{{cite web|title=Driving licences|url=http://www.gov.im/categories/travel-traffic-and-motoring/drivers-and-vehicles/driving-licences/|publisher=Isle of Man Government|access-date=27 June 2015}}</ref> and some are not used to having to make progress in the same way as on a larger road network such as that in the UK: even a cautious driver can get from anywhere in the island to anywhere else in no more than sixty minutes.

Set against this is a strong culture of motor sport enthusiasm (pinnacled in the [[Isle of Man TT|TT]], but there are many events during the year) and many residents familiar with the roads are well used to traversing country roads at speeds illegal on similar roads elsewhere. This leads to a very diverse spread of both driving competence and speed. In an official survey in 2006 the introduction of blanket speed limits was refused by the population,<ref>{{cite news|title=Islanders reject speed limit plan|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/isle_of_man/5100600.stm|access-date=27 June 2015|work=BBC News|date=20 June 2006}}</ref> suggesting that a large number appreciate the freedom.

There is a comprehensive bus network, operated by [[Bus Vannin]], a department of the [[Isle of Man Government]], with most routes originating or terminating in Douglas.

An organisation on the Isle of Man called the Fare Free Campaign supports making bus and tram travel on the island [[Free public transport|free of charge]] for all routes. One of the reasons the campaign gives for supporting this is to encourage people to change their transportation habits to help mitigate [[climate change]].<ref>{{cite news |last= Turton |first= Sam |date= 29 August 2019 |title= Campaign for fare free buses |url= http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=50508&headline=Campaign%20for%20fare%20free%20buses&sectionIs=NEWS&searchyear=2019 |work=IOMToday |publisher= Isle of Man Newspapers |access-date= 11 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Pritchard |first= Rob |date= 21 October 2019 |title= Fare free campaigners to hold public meeting |url= https://www.three.fm/news/isle-of-man-news/fare-free-campaigners-to-hold-public-meeting/ |work= 3FM |access-date= 11 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Pritchard |first= Rob |date= 4 November 2019 |title= Fare free campaigners hosting meeting |url= https://www.three.fm/news/isle-of-man-news/fare-free-campaigners-hosting-meeting/ |work= 3FM |access-date= 11 November 2021}}</ref>

==Railways==
{{Main|Rail transport in the Isle of Man}}
{{See|List of Isle of Man railway lines and locations}}

The island has a total of {{convert|68.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} of railway. There are seven separate public rail or tram systems on the island:

{|class="wikitable"
!Railway!!Location!!Approx.<br>length<br>(km)!!Track!!Main<br>propulsion<br>method!!Gauge<br>(inches)!!Operation<br>(days per week)<br>(Seasonal)!!Operated by
|-
|[[Isle of Man Railway]]||Douglas - Port Erin||25||Single||Steam||rowspan="2"|36||rowspan="4"|7||rowspan="3"|[[Department of Transport (Isle of Man)|Department of Infrastructure]]
|-
|[[Manx Electric Railway]]||Douglas - Ramsey||27||Double||Electric
|-
|[[Snaefell Mountain Railway]]||Laxey - Snaefell Summit||8||Double||Electric||42
|-
|[[Douglas Horse Tram]]||Douglas Promenade||3<sup>''a''</sup>||Double<sup>''a''</sup>||Equine||36||[[Douglas City Council]]
|-
|[[Groudle Glen Railway]]||Groudle Glen,<br>Lonan and Onchan||1||Single||Steam||24||1 or 2||Groudle Glen Railway (2012) Limited
|-
|[[Great Laxey Mine Railway]]||Laxey||0.4||Single||Steam||19||rowspan="2"|1||Laxey & Lonan Heritage Trust
|-
|[[Orchid Line]]||[[Curraghs Wildlife Park]],<br>Ballaugh||0.6||Single||Steam||{{frac|3|1|2}}, 5, {{frac|7|1|4}}||Manx Steam & Model Engineering Club
|}

<sup>''a''</sup> Reopened 2022, on a shortened route with its western terminus at Broadway.

(The last three are short-distance tourist rides which cannot be said to be transport services.)

In addition, in 2025 a short length of tramway on the [[Queen's Pier, Ramsey]] was partly reopened.

All of these routes are seasonal.

==Airports==
The only commercial airport on the island is the [[Isle of Man Airport]] at [[Ronaldsway]]. Scheduled services operate to and from various cities in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], operated by several different airlines.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.im/categories/travel-traffic-and-motoring/isle-of-man-airport/flight-destinations-and-timetables/ |title= Flight destinations and timetables|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= 2017|publisher= Isle of Man Government |access-date= 6 October 2017}}</ref>

The island's other paved runways are at [[RAF Jurby|Jurby]] and [[RAF Andreas|Andreas]].  Jurby remains in Isle of Man Government ownership and is used for motorsport events and, previously, airshows, while Andreas is privately owned and used by a local glider club.  The old [[Hall Caine Airport]], a grass field near [[Ramsey, Isle of Man|Ramsey]], is no longer used.

==Aircraft Register==
The Isle of Man Aircraft Register became operational on 1 May 2007.<ref>{{Cite legislation UK |type=si |year=2007 |number=1115 |si=
The Air Navigation (Isle of Man) Order 2007 |article=3 |date=4 April 2007 |accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref>
The register is open to all non-commercial aircraft and is intended to be of particular interest to professionally flown corporate operators.<ref>{{cite web |title=Isle of Man Aircraft Register |url=https://dq.im/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/upload_58a2f3398b16c.pdf |website=DQ Advocates |access-date=12 August 2025 |format=PDF}}</ref>
As of August 2025 a total of 1404 corporate and private aircraft had been registered.<ref>{{cite web |title=Search Register |url=https://ardis.iomaircraftregistry.com/register/search?__RequestVerificationToken=4GvhDauseA2SlEqfe%2BJJ%2FwyyGPA%3D&prs_rm__ptt=8&prs_rm__tt=8&prs_rm__v1=&prs_rm__pv1=&prs_rm__v2=&prs_rm__pv2=&prs_sn__ptt=8&prs_sn__tt=8&prs_sn__v1=&prs_sn__pv1=&prs_sn__v2=&prs_sn__pv2=&prs_on__ptt=8&prs_on__tt=8&prs_on__v1=&prs_on__pv1=&prs_on__v2=&prs_on__pv2=&prs_ma__ptt=8&prs_ma__tt=8&prs_ma__v1=&prs_ma__pv1=&prs_ma__v2=&prs_ma__pv2=&F__ptt=8&F__tt=8&F__v1=&F__pv1=&F__v2=&F__pv2=&prs_as__pv=__any__&prs_as__v=__any__&prs__adidx=&prs__reidx=&prs_bg__2__value=Search |website=Isle of Man Aircraft Register |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref>

==Ports and harbours==
[[File:Douglas Sea Terminal - Isle of Man - kingsley - 20-APR-09.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Isle of Man Sea Terminal]] at [[Douglas Harbour]]]]
There are ports at [[Castletown, Isle of Man|Castletown]], [[Douglas Harbour|Douglas]], [[Peel, Isle of Man|Peel]], [[Port St Mary]] and [[Ramsey, Isle of Man|Ramsey]]. Douglas is served by frequent ferries to/from England and occasional ferries to/from Ireland; the sole operator is the [[Isle of Man Steam Packet Company]], with exclusive use of the [[Isle of Man Sea Terminal]] and the Douglas port [[linkspan]]s under the conditions of the user agreement with the Isle of Man Government.

==Merchant marine==
The Isle of Man register comprised 404 merchant ships of 1,000 [[Gross tonnage|GT]] or over at the end of 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iomshipregistry.com/forms-reports/annual-reports |website=IOM Ship Registry |access-date=27 November 2018|title=Annual Reports }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{CIA World Factbook}}

==External links==
*[http://www.iombusandrail.info/ Isle of Man Transport (Arraghey Ellan Vannin)]
*[https://www.steam-packet.com/ Isle of Man Steam Packet Company]
*[http://www.iom-airport.com/ Isle of Man Airport]
*[http://www.gov.im/ded/Aircraft/ Isle of Man Aircraft Registry]
*[https://www.iomguide.com/timetables/ Searchable Isle of Man Bus/Railway Timetables]
*[https://www.mers.org.im/ Manx Electric Railway Society (MERS)]{{subscription required|s}}
*[https://archive.mers.org.im/ Archived copy of old MERS site]

{{Transport in Europe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In The Isle Of Man}}
[[Category:Transport in the Isle of Man| ]]
[[Category:Transport in dependent territories of the United Kingdom]]