Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MINIBUS TOURS
Minibus tours
that operate out of Edinburgh (and Glasgow) and head off into the Highlands
are popular with backpackers who want a quick taste of Scotland. Aimed at the youth market,
they adopt an upbeat and irreverent approach to sightseeing, as well as offering a good
opportunity to get to know fellow travellers.
The current leading operator,
Haggis
(
T
01315 579393,
W
haggisadventures.com), has bright
yellow minibuses setting off daily on whistle-stop tours lasting between one and ten days, in
the company of a live-wire guide. A three-day trip from Edinburgh to Skye via Loch Ness costs
£119 (food and accommodation not included).
Several other companies offer similar packages, including
Macbackpackers
(
T
01315
589900,
W
macbackpackers.com), which runs tours linking up their own hostels round the
country. The popular
Rabbie's
tours (
T
01312 263133,
W
rabbies.com) don't aim quite so
squarely at the backpacker market and have a mellower outlook.
students and those aged between 16 and 25, and
the
Senior Railcard
for people over 60. Alterna-
tively, a
Family & Friends Railcard
entitles up to
four adults and up to four children to a reduction.
In addition, ScotRail offers several regional passes.
The most flexible is the
Freedom of Scotland
Travelpass
, which gives unlimited train travel
within Scotland. It's also valid on all CalMac ferries
and on various buses in the remoter regions. The
pass costs £134 for four days' travel in an eight-day
period, or £179.70 for eight days' travel in a fifteen-
day period. The
Highland Rover
allows unlimited
train travel within the Highlands; it costs £81.50 for
four out of eight consecutive days. Lastly, there's a
Central Scotland Rover
, which gives unlimited
train travel on lines between Glasgow and
Edinburgh; it costs £36.30 for three out of seven
consecutive days.
BritRail
passes (
W
britrail.com) are only available
to visitors not resident in the UK and must be
purchased before you leave your home country.
The pass is available in a wide variety of types; for
example the Adult pass allows unlimited train travel
for eight days and costs €249. If you've been
resident in a European country other than the UK
for at least six months, an
InterRail
pass, allowing
unlimited train travel within Britain, might be worth
it if Scotland is part of a longer European trip. For
more details, visit
W
interrail.eu. Note that
Eurail
passes are not valid in the UK.
On most ScotRail routes
bicycles
are carried free,
but since there are only between two and six bike
spaces available, it's a good idea to reserve ahead,
and this is a requirement on longer journeys.
Britain as
coaches
. Scotland's main long-distance
operator is
Scottish Citylink
(
T
08712 663333,
W
citylink.co.uk). On the whole, coaches are cheaper
than trains and, as a result, are very popular, so for
longer journeys it's advisable to book ahead.
There are various
discounts
on offer for those
with children, those under 26 or over 60, and
full-time students (contact Scottish Citylink for
more details), and you can also buy an
Explorer
Pass
, which gives unlimited travel throughout
Scotland; the £93 pass gives you eight days' travel
over a sixteen-day period. Overseas passport
holders can buy a
Brit Xplorer pass
(in 7-, 14- or
28-day versions) in the UK, from National Express
(
W
nationalexpress.com), or at major ports and
airports; the seven-day pass costs £79, though
you'd have to do a lot of bus travelling to make
it worthwhile.
Local bus services
are run by a bewildering
array of companies, many of which change routes
and timetables frequently. Local tourist o
ces can
provide free timetables or you can contact
Traveline Scotland
(
T
0871 200 2233,
W
travelinescotland.com), which provides a reliable
service both online and by phone. There is also a
free app available for download.
Some remote parts of Scotland are only served by
postbuses
, vehicles carrying mail and a handful of
fare-paying passengers. They set off early in the
morning, usually around 8am and, though sociable,
can be excruciatingly slow. You can view routes and
timetables on the
Royal Mail website
(
T
08457
740740,
W
royalmail.com/postbus).
By car
In order to
drive
in Scotland you need a current full
driving licence. If you're bringing your own vehicle
into the country you should also carry your vehicle
By coach and bus
All of Scotland's major towns and cities are served
by a few long-distance bus services, known across
