Getting to the Isle of Man is possible by sea or air. The two major carriers in these fields are the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (IOMSPCo) and British Airways.

Each form of travel has its advantages and disadvantages.

Travel by sea is slower - approximately four hours sailing from Liverpool or Heysham depending on the time of year - but allows you room to move around the ship, and of course you can bring a car with you. The new ship brought in by the IOMSPCo has not received rave reviews on the island as it is perceived to be less comfortable and less passenger oriented than the old boats which made the run. During the summer, travel is also possible by SeaCat, a high-speed catamaran which makes the run in about an hour and a half.

Air travel is much quicker and can be made from a number of major airports in the UK and Ireland. Presently you can fly to the island from London, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Dublin. Journey times are anything from an hour and fifteen minutes from London to half an hour from Liverpool.