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Best way to get around Scotland w/out a rental car??

Best way to get around Scotland w/out a rental car??

Old Jul 12th, 2017, 06:08 PM
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Best way to get around Scotland w/out a rental car??

Hey fellow travelers, just wondering what the best (preferably cheap) way to travel around Scotland without a rental car? What bus/train services are the best to take, most common services, etc.?
There will be two of us total traveling there for three weeks exactly!
Itinerary is as follows;
Glasgow(3 days)-Edinburgh(3 days)-Aberdeen(3 days)- Inverness(4 days)-Kyle(7 days)-Glasgow(1 night)-END.
Thank you everyone in advance, if you have ticket/pass prices that'd be very helpful as well!
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Old Jul 12th, 2017, 06:25 PM
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I've traveled Scotland by rail and find it the easiest mode of public transportation. I'm not a big fan of coach/ bus travel unless visiting out of way places that don't have rail service. Your itinerary is great for train travel. I suggest you go to Scotrail www.scotrail.co.uk to find special offers for your itinerary. I usually buy advanced tickets to save money, but these are not always available on every route.

You mention Kyle which I assume you mean Kyle of Lochalsh. This is a very scenic route from Inverness but what do you plan to use for transportation once you arrive in Kyle?
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Old Jul 12th, 2017, 06:30 PM
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@historytraveler awesome, good to know we can take train! And yeah we are still figuring out what we're going to do for travel in terms of Kyle of Lochalsh? I think i saw something that acted as a bus for getting us over the bridge to Skye from there? Other than that, no idea. lol but thank you for the info.!!
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Old Jul 12th, 2017, 06:39 PM
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Good news. The best website for Skye ( IMO ) is www.skye.co.uk. Curious I just checked and found a company that does a 5 hour tour of Skye departing from Kyle of Lochalsh. Also found on the same website another company ( Skye Car Tours ) located at Isle of Ornsay ( one of my favorite spots) that does day tours to any number of places including Applecross, Glenelg, Ullapool etc. They will pick you up at Kyle. Have no idea about pricing.
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Old Jul 12th, 2017, 08:02 PM
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First of all, look at the rail map: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/css/Ne...tional_map.pdf

Check trains times at www.scotrail.co.uk

Check ferry times at https://www.calmac.co.uk

The West Highland Line is Britain's most scenic railway, and my personal favourite, https://www.seat61.com/WestHighlandLine.htm

Although the Kyle-Inverness and Far North lines to Wick/Thurso are also great. Indeed, the Glasgow/Edinburgh - Inverness Highland Line isn;t so bad either!
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Old Jul 21st, 2017, 12:55 PM
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Thank you everyone for all the helpful links and info!
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Old Jul 21st, 2017, 01:00 PM
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We did train and bus. Man in seat 61 is a world of info.
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Old Jul 21st, 2017, 01:08 PM
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All those places yes can easily be reached by train - I did train to Kyle - took bus across bridge to Skye - then a bus to the southeastern tip of Skye for a ferry to Maillag to take the West Highlands line rightly touted by Man in Seat 61 - to Glasgow.

You could stop off at several neat places along it - like Rannoch Moor - neat isolated hotel at the train station in the heart of the desolate moor:

http://www.moorofrannoch.co.uk/about-us/

a great place for hikindg thru the moor.

For lots on Scottish trains check www.seat61.com - Man in Seat 61's commerical site and yes the best rail site all in all I've seen, especially for his native Britain; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Investigate the Spirit of Scotland Railpass if doing all those trips: also valid on ferries and buses:

https://www.scotrail.co.uk/tickets/c...it-of-scotland
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Old Jul 22nd, 2017, 07:19 AM
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Is there a "best" time of year to do these trips?
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Old Jul 22nd, 2017, 11:11 AM
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best time -well spring to early fall IMO for longer days and better weather of course.
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Old Jul 22nd, 2017, 12:18 PM
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For Edinburgh you may want to visit either during mobbed Edinburgh International Festival and simultaneous Fringe Festival or outside of them - rooms obviously at a premium during the festival -

http://www.edinburghfestivalcity.com...ional-festival
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