Scotland by train

[DEK64]

We are planning a trip to Scotland in August.

1 adult, 2 children (aged 11 & 9).

My very vague plan at the moment is -

Train from Birmingham to Glasgow (stay for 2 nights)

Train to Oban (staying for 3 nights)
maybe day trip to Tobermory.

Bus to Fort William (for 2 nights)

Bus to Inverness (3 nights)
would love to go on boat trip to (hopefully) see the dolphins.

Train to Edinburgh (4 nights)
see the castle & the zoo

Train to York (3 nights)

Back home.

Can you tell me anything we shouldn't miss out on this trip.

Are the timescales ok? Or too long / too short?

Would probably look at staying in B&B's or budget hotels, unless anyone has any recommendations?

Thank-you in advance

My main recommendation would be to look at the costs of the train tickets (which vary quite a lot depending on date and time of travel), and add it up carefully. You may find that it's cheaper to rent a car (if you don't have one), for your holiday.

Was fairly shocked recently (even with rail cards), it was much cheaper to drive two teens to (and from) an event 70 miles away rather than hop on the train!

If you go to Fort William (which isn't much to look at apart from the mountains...), try to get the steam train to Morar and head for Camusdarach beach. Stunning white sands and just beautiful.

If you go to Inverness, head over to the Black Isle (not an island) for dolphin-watching - I have seen them close up from the beach at Chanonry Point, though there are boat trips too. Cromarty, Fortrose, Rosemarkie are all pretty places and not too far from Inverness.

The only problem is that you're either going to be walking a fair bit, or taking local buses/taxis - some of the best places are fairly remote and a car would make it much simpler.

Booking single tickets on train , check for advance fare discounts , also family railcards to see what's best price wise , if kids are big Harry potter fans , you might want to do steam train from fort William to mallig , nice trip up , fisherman mission do a lovely fish tea .
Bus from boat to to Tobermory is very , very busy in the summer , there are times when not everyone gets on , but was about ten years ago now when we did this trip . So maybe this has improved .
Glasgow is fantastic city to see there is so much to see and do , during school holidays before Scottish school go back you get free local transport for kids on trains I know , as long as adult travelling with child .
You can even look at booking premier inn , they do sales , so check dates of availability . Look though Sunday post paper they do b&b as well as other deals in certain areas .
Most of all have a wonderful time all the places you looking at have so much on offer to see and do , also look at train station and travel centres for money off leaflets for things like free child into certain attractions . Scottish daily record do a build up with these also for during the holidays .
It all helps .

www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/Jacobite_Details.html

www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/Jacobite_Details.html

sorry!

We got the (big standard) train from Gladgow to Mallaig last summer - views on Rannoch Moor are stunning and its far cheaper than the Jacobite steam train which does the bit from Fort William to Mallaig! We then got the ferry to Skye and stayed there for a few days, had a lovely time and would love to do it again this summer but DC2 arriving in June so won't happen! Hope you have a great time!

That's fantastic, thanks all

You are planning to use various different train companies which all have different offers. For internal trains within Scotland the operator is Scotrail who have a fantastic year round offer for off peak travel- Kids Go Free. You do need to buy these tickets at the station on the day and make sure that you check when the off peak times are- 2 kids free with each adult. This is cheaper than using a railcard. I don't think this operates on the steam train. There are also lots of "days out with the kids" offers with the train- browse the Scotrail website for more details.
For the leg between Edinburgh and York it is East Coast and on this leg your best bet is to sign up for the alert on the website when the booking opens 12 weeks before. That way you get really cheap prices.

One word of warning though, if you are planning to stay in Edinburgh in August you need to book your accommodation NOW and be prepared for sky high prices as it is peak festival time. However, it is an amazing time to be in the city as there is so much going on.

Get a family and friends railcard - to get from down south to Edinburgh (although not going through London) was just over a 100 pounds for 1 adult and 3 kids .... much cheaper/easier than driving

Oban - Tobermory - good day trip - nice cruise on the ferry - look out for wildlife from up on deck. Good swimming pool at Oban near Tescos. Cracking range of Fish and Chips....2 nights enough

From Fort William - get the normal train towards Mallaig - get off at Arasaig and have a wander down to the village and shore (some of the best beaches round here) - plan a trip with a couple of hours break/picnic by the shore etc. If you work out the times you can watch the steam train (V expensive) passing instead of not seeing it by being on it...!

Get shuttle bus out to Nevis Range (ski resort) - or if confident cyclists - hire bikes and cycle out there (cycle path all the way!! - 7 miles e/w). Take the cable car up to the summit of Aanoch Moor and walk back down or take the cable car back.

Book your buses in advance from Oban to Fort WIll and FW to Inverness - it can be very cheap in advance (Stagecoach website) - even a day or two before!
On the way to Inverness - you could jump off at Urquhart Castle - which is great. Am sure you can leave bags there whilst visiting....?

In Inverness (where we live!) - go to the Town museum - which is great and free, recommend the boat trip from Avoch to see the Dolphins, Culloden battlefield museum is excellent - with a real battelfield outside and some amazing interpretive videos etc and story telling guides (people - not headphones!).
For Inverness to Edinburgh train - look to get out on the early (0755) on the 1 "East Coast" departure on which you can nearly always get very cheap tickets and best comfort (book three months in advance with your railcard and it will be be about half the cost of the fuel in a car for all of you!!)

Edinburgh - the National Museum of Scotland is great - everything from technology to furry things in glass, to dinosaurs to history of scotland - all over 6 floors - great cafe -wonderful building.......go up to the roof terrace for a spectacular view too - and ALL FOR FREE!!!!
Do other free stuff - Princes Street Gardens picnic (Sainsburys and M&S Food just behind Princes Street on Rose Street for your supplies.
As you have now saved all this money - you may be able to afford the Castle, Camera Obscura.
In good weather - walk up Arthurs seat via the Scottish Parliament building - agains great views - and right next to the centre of town.

York (where I am from!) - Railway Museum (Free and wonderful....) - walk round the Bar Walls - especially the bit round the Minster. Go on a snickleways tour or Ghost Walk in the evening (fun and entertaining - and well practiced). Museum Gardens (don't let the squirrels nick your crisps). York is another great place to wander round - even with kids...See if you can get up the tower in the Minster for a spectacular view. Boat trip on the river.

Edinburgh Accomodation - if you go before the festival and fringe dates (look them up) and book well in advance then you can get great prices (£30 per night!) at the Travel Lodge backing onto Princess Street for a Family room. Entrance is down a back alley but it works - and you only need to sleep there.
I am no good on accomodation elsewhere - sorry.

You will have a great trip - good choices and timescales I reckon. GOod planning - book ahead for trains etc. Print stuff out or save to phone and enjoy ;-)

Oh - and the Transport Museum in Galsgow and the Kelvingrove museum - both top quality and reasonable prices or free!

Scotrail do a Rover-type ticket, which gives you something like 8 days travel in a 14 day period, and includes connecting buses and ferries. I'm on my phone so can't find link, but I've been wanting to do a trip like this for ages.

Also, don't bother staying in Edinburgh in summer, far too pricey. i live in Fife, and am a 20min train-ride away from Edinburgh, perfect for day trips. plnety of holiday accom here, and fab beaches too.

If the Edinburgh in August accommodation prices are too high, try staying in Glasgow, Stirling (good castle) or another central belt location - train links to Edinburgh for day trips are good.

If you want to go to the castle and the zoo but aren't interested in the festival Edinburgh will be a wrong move. If you are up for it it's great but even then it's exhausting battling your way through the throng 24/7.

I paid £200 for a travel lodge with a broken window. Fife with a day trip to do the things you like would be nice. You could stay in St. Andrews - 20 min taxi to station and hour on train? Or much easier travel but less to do? along along that line

You are planning to do a lot in a short time. Personally, I would give Fort William a miss (its only good as a base for getting to other places). I also would not go to Edinburgh to go to the Castle. It looks fab from the outside but inside it is rammed with tourists and not that interesting. If you want a Scottish castle, Stirling is much better.

If I was you I would stick to the West Coast and go to Glasgow and then either Oban or Mallaig and go to some of the islands. I think Cal-Mac do island hopper tickets. It will also work out cheaper on the train cos you won't be doing loads of seperate journeys. You could still go to York on the way back.

I live up here and would second skipping Fort William, except as a place to go through. The Jacobite is £££ but the ScotRail from Fort William to Mallaig is the same line, same everything, just a normal train. Do book that section as it fills up with those who are on a coach holiday but just want to go on the workd's best train journey. If you stay in Mallaig, not Morar, you can walk to Morar (2 miles) but have plenty of places to eat. You could also, easily, do a calmac trip to Skye (20 minutes on the ferry) or a day trip to the Small Isles - different islands on different days.

That's all great, thank-you so much for taking the time to reply.

If I missed out Fort William, is there a direct train / bus from Oban to Inverness?

Glasgow has the commonwealth games this summer and apparently this means hotel rooms are extortionate even in the budget hotels. I only know this through hearsay so you should check the prices and maybe make Glasgow a day visit, e.g. arrive in the morning, spend the day there and get the evening train to Oban.

You would have to go through Fort William and, probably, change bus there. You could have a quick lunch and head on. However, missing out Mallaig / Morar would be a total crime!

I would get the train from Fort William to Mallaig - night there. Ferry to Skye and bus to Portree - night there. Then bus to Inverness. Much, much more scenic and interesting.

www.scotrail.co.uk/content/freedom-scotland-travelpass-0

Found it! Sorry it took so long OP. I really want to get one of these, think you see so much more of a place than when you whizz through in your car.

Saw Edinburgh Zoo mentioned above. Apparently you have to book separately to see the pandas, can't just turn up on speculation. Again as with the hotel rates, that's what I've heard so best to check.
Have a great trip whatever you decide