Transport in the North of Scotland

Transport

Travel by air, rail or road to the Scottish Highlands is generally easy, but travelling around often needs more planning with consideration given to the weather and the often isolated islands, mountains, lochs, valleys and glens. This sparsely inhabited region more or less covers the entire northern half of Scotland and includes the Hebrides, Shetland Isles and John O’Groats in the north to Fort William.

Fly to Inverness Airport on the mainland and go island hopping on the short flights to the Islands, many of which have small airports or landing strips. Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd manage and maintain the ten airports.

To the east of the region, busy Aberdeen Airport enjoys numerous flight connections to major centres throughout the UK and the city has good bus and rail connections to the south as well as Inverness and Elgin. Inverness and Aberdeen straddle the tortous A96 road and many local drivers prefer to take alternative, but often quicker, routes to the south of the road.

Coaches and buses are available to the remotest parts of the Highlands, including Durness, the most north-westerly village on mainland Britain. Citylink operate long distance coaches within the region; National Express run the coaches between Scotland and England. Check out services to your destinations and book both Scottish Citylink and National Express coach tickets.

The south of the region has excellent road and motorway links with the rest of Scotland and the UK; in the more remote mountain areas and islands travel planning is essential however. Find all the travel info and links you need in our guides to transport in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

News

North airports record busiest ever year (7th May, 2007)

Transport links

Train: King’s Cross to Fort William 10hr 3min (change Edinburgh and Glasgow); King’s Cross to Inverness 8hr 10min; King’s Cross to Thurso 12hr 27min (change Edinburgh and Inverness).

Car: Fort William is 497 miles from London, via the M1, M6, A74, M74 and A82; Inverness, 536 miles and Thurso 645 miles, via the M1, M6, A74, M74, M90 and A9.

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