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-   -   From Portree to Edinburgh (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/from-portree-to-edinburgh-883739/)

rbezzina Mar 26th, 2011 10:04 AM

From Portree to Edinburgh
 
Do you know of any private tour that can take me from Portree to Edinburgh and can visit some sites during the way. The reason is that with buses or trains from Portree to Edinburgh I will waste 6 hrs, and I thought of taking a private personal tour and visit some sites along the way. I know that it won't be cheap but I'm ready to pay a decent price especially that this is a holiday. We will be only 2.

janisj Mar 26th, 2011 10:29 AM

I'm pretty much 100% sure there are NO tours starting in Portree to Edinburgh. Portree is a tiny place and not where one would catch a tour across the country.

You <i>might</i> be able to find a local driver who would drive you to Edinburgh --but it would cost an absolute fortune. That is nearly 250 miles/6 to 6.5 hours w/o any stops. Basically it an all day drive if you stop for a meal and even just one site.

The driver would have to return to Skye -- so you'd be paying for at least 12 hours of his time.

janisj Mar 26th, 2011 10:31 AM

meant to add -- my guess is you don't understand how rural Skye and western Scotland is. There are no cities or even any big towns. Inverness is the closest population center - but by the time you got to I'ness you might as well take the train the rest of the way.

rbezzina Mar 27th, 2011 12:10 AM

So do you suggest that I leave it a use the buses for the trip back from Portree to Edinburgh?

GeoffHamer Mar 27th, 2011 12:27 AM

I don't understand why the journey by bus or train would "waste 6 hrs". There are various routes from Portree to Edinburgh:
bus all the way;
bus to Kyle then by train via Inverness;
bus to Armadale, ferry to Mallaig then train.
Any route will take you through some magnificent scenery which can be seen from the bus or train window.

SusieQQ Mar 27th, 2011 02:50 AM

rabbies.com does a three day tour out of Edinburgh to Portree and back. Maybe you could see if you could join them in Portree.

sheila Mar 27th, 2011 06:22 AM

hire and drive? Mind you, even that will be a problem one way

janisj Mar 27th, 2011 09:31 AM

I wouldn't count on joining a Rabbies group -- Unless you are amazingly lucky. This tour doesn't run every day in October so the stars would have to align to have the tour's return leg to Edinburgh fall on the day you need to travel. But it would be worth a try.

Contact them.

If I were you though -- I'd REALLY think about renting a car in Inverness (unless you've changed plans from your original thread) and use it for exploring Skye and the west coast. Then return the car in Inverness and take the train to Edinburgh

Or even better IMO would be to pick up the car in Inverness and return it in Edinburgh. There is no problem w/ one way rents from I'ness but its nearly impossible from small local places.

But if you are set on using public transport - you have to work w/ the limitations.


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