Scotland Transportation

Reaching Scotland from outside Britain is often easiest and cheapest through London, where the Scottish Tourist Board, 19 Cockspur St., London SW1 Y5BL (☎020 7930 2812; www.visitscotland.com), gives out brochures and reserves train, bus, and plane tickets.

By Plane. The cheapest fares between England and Scotland are available from no-frills airlines. EasyJet (☎0871 244 2366; www.easyjet.com) flies to Edinburgh and Glasgow from London Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted. The fares are web-only; book in advance and fly for as little as £5. Ryanair (☎08712 460 000; www.ryanair.com) flies to Edinburgh and to Glasgow Prestwick (1hr. from the city) from Dublin and London. British Airways (☎0844 493 0787; www.britishairways.com) sells round-trip tickets between England and Scotland from £85. British Midland (☎08706 070 555; www.flybmi.com) offers round-trip fares from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh from £85. Book as far in advance as possible to guarantee a reservation and the cheapest available fare.

By Train And Bus. From London, National Express runs trains (☎08457 225 333; www.nationalexpress.com) to Edinburgh and Glasgow, which take 4-6hr. Fares vary depending on when you buy (£27-100). A pricier option is the Caledonian Sleeper, run by First Scotrail (☎08456 015 929; www.firstgroup.com/scotrail), which leaves London Euston near midnight and gets to Edinburgh at 7am (fares range £20-140). Although buses from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh can take 8-12hr., it may be much cheaper than rail travel.

Getting Around

By Train And Bus. In the Lowlands (south of Stirling and north of the Borders), trains and buses run many routes frequently. In the Highlands, Scotrail and National Express trains run a few routes. Many stations are unstaffed—buy tickets on board. Buses tend to be the best and cheapest way to travel. Scottish Citylink (☎08705 505 050; www.citylink.co.uk) runs most intercity routes; Traveline Scotland has the best information on all routes and services (☎0871 200 2233; www.travelinescotland.com). Bus service is infrequent in the northwest Highlands. Postbuses (Royal Mail customer service ☎08457 740 740) pick up passengers and mail once or twice per day in the most remote parts of the country, typically charging £2-5 (and sometimes nothing). Many travelers find that they can be a reliable way to get around the Highlands.

The Freedom of Scotland Travelpass allows unlimited train travel and transportation on most Caledonian MacBrayne (“CalMac”) ferries. Purchase the pass before traveling to Britain at any BritRail distributor (see By Train).

By Bus Tour. A thriving industry of tour companies is eager to whisk travelers into the Highlands. HAGGiS (☎0131 557 9393; www.haggisadventures.com) and MacBackpackers (☎01315 589 900; www.macbackpackers.com) cater to the young and adventurous, with a number of tours departing from Edinburgh. Both run hop-on, hop-off excursions that let you travel Scotland at your own pace (usually under 3 months). HAGGiS is geared toward set tours with specific itineraries and run by witty local guides; the company guarantees accommodation at a few favorite stopping points. MacBackpackers guarantees accommodation at any of the social Scotland’s Top Hostels in Edinburgh, Fort William, Skye, Oban, and Inverness (see Tours). Celtic Adventures (☎01312 253 330; http://celticadventures.com) covers Scotland and Ireland in a variety of four- to 12-day tours, with one-way, round-trip, and hop-on, hop-off options.

By Car. Driving affords travelers access to Scotland’s remote corners without the fear of being stranded by complicated bus services. As in the rest of Britain, driving in Scotland is on the left, seat belts are required at all times, the minimum age to drive with a foreign license is 17, and the legal minimum age to rent is 21. In rural areas, roads are often single-track, and vehicles may have to slow to a crawl to negotiate oncoming traffic. Often one car must pull into a passing place (shoulder turnoff) to enable another to pass. Drivers should also use caution on rural roads, which are often traversed by livestock. Sure, Highland cattle are cute, but not once they’ve gone through your windshield.

By Bicycle. Scotland’s biking terrain is scenic and challenging. You can usually rent bikes, even in very small towns, and transport them by ferry for little or no charge. Fife and regions south of Edinburgh and Glasgow offer gentle country lanes. Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles are negotiable by bicycle, although cyclists should be aware of strong winds and wet roads. In the Highlands, touring by bike is more difficult. Most major roads have only one lane, and locals drive at high speeds. Transporting a bike by public transportation in the Highlands can be challenging. Many trains can carry four or fewer bikes, so reservations are essential.

By Thumb. Hitchhikers report that drivers tend to be most receptive (and often downright friendly) in the least traveled areas. Far to the northwest and in the Western Isles, the Sabbath is strictly observed, making it difficult to get a ride on Sundays. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking.

By Foot. Two long-distance footpaths, established under the Countryside Act of 1967, traverse Scotland. The West Highland Way begins just north of Glasgow in Milngavie and continues 95 mi. north along Loch Lomond, through Glen Coe to Fort William and Ben Nevis. The Southern Upland Way runs 212 mi. from Portpatrick on the southwest coast to Cockburnspath on the east coast, snaking through Galloway Forest Park and the Borders. Most Tourist Information Centres (TICs) distribute simple maps of the ways and a list of accommodations along the routes. For information on these paths, write or call the Scottish Tourist Board, 23 Ravelston Terr., Edinburgh EH4 3EU (☎0845 225 5121; www.visitscotland.com) or visit www.walkscotland.com. Detailed guidebooks are available at most bookstores.

Mountain ranges, like the Cuillins, the Cairngorms, and Glen Coe, have hostels that are bases for hillwalking or biking. Walk along mainland Britain’s highest cliffs at Cape Wrath or ramble across the windswept isles of the Outer Hebrides. One of the most attractive aspects of hiking in Scotland is that you can often pick your own route. The wilds do pose certain dangers: stone markers can be unreliable, and expanses of open heather can be disorienting. Heavy mists are always a possibility, and blizzards occur even in July. Never go up into the mountains without proper equipment (see Wilderness Safety ). Many trails cross privately owned land. Be respectful and ask permission from the landowner. Leave a copy of your route and timetable at a hostel or rescue station, and, if you’re out between mid-August and mid-October, be sure to ask about areas in which deer hunters might be at work. For info on walking and mountaineering in Scotland, consult Poucher’s The Scottish Peaks (£13), the Scottish Mountaineering Club’s The Munros (£20), or the introductory Tourist Board booklet, Walk Scotland.