Getting Here & Around
By Car
Getting Here
With the well maintained and easily accessible A9 running from the Central Belt of Scotland all the way to Thurso, exploring Highland towns like Pitlochry, Aviemore and Inverness couldn’t be easier. Look at our quick guide below to start planning your journey.
From the South
From Glasgow take the M80 out of the city and join the M9 at the Stirling Services. From here, continue north past Bridge of Allan before turning onto the A9 at Keir Roundabout.
If you are travelling from Edinburgh, head out of the city via M90 and follow signs to Perth once over the Queensferry Crossing. This route will take you past Loch Leven and over the River Earn before the road transitions from the M90 to the A9 at the Broxden roundabout.
From the West
From the West, there are multiple points at which you can join the A9, depending on how far north you are.
For those heading from the Trossachs, the A85 offers a direct route to the A9, joining at Perth. Alternatively, with Fort William as a starting point, take the A86 to cut straight across to the wild sights of the Cairngorms, or follow the A82 to Inverness, where you can then head north or south to continue exploring the A9.
From the East
Depending on your starting point, from the east you can join the A9 by one of three ways.
From Dundee, nip across the A90 and join the A9 at Perth. If you are travelling from Aberdeen, take the A96 to head straight to Inverness, or turn off early onto the A95 to head across to Aviemore in the Cairngorms.
Getting Around
Home to the A9 (Scotland’s longest road) and a range of scenic tourist routes splintering off to picturesque towns, exploring the Highland’s by car is not only easy, but one of the best ways to see everything the region has to offer.
From long, open dual-carriages ways surrounded by vast, snow-capped mountain ranges, to tree-lined roads winding their way to secluded spots, driving in the Highlands offers the road trip of a lifetime. Check out our website and app to learn more about the routes you could explore and the places you could discover by car.
Top Tip: Check traffic conditions before you hit the road by visiting the Traffic Scotland website.
By train
Getting Here
As one of the top destinations to visit in the UK, the Central Highlands is well serviced by many train links both within Scotland proper, as well as from multiple cities across England. See a guide to travelling to the Highlands by train below.
From Edinburgh
Scotrail offers multiple direct train services daily that travel along the Highland Mainline, stopping in Perth, Dunkled and Birnam, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore, Carrbridge and Inverness. Trains depart from Edinburgh Waverly and sometimes stop at Edinburgh Haymarket.
From Glasgow
Trains from Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness, operated by Scotrail, run regularly throughout the day and offer two different routes. For those wanting to head directly to Inverness, a direct train offers a hassle-free journey via Stirling, Dundee, Aberdeen and Elgin. To head straight into the heart of the Highlands, however, visitors will first need to head to Perth before changing onto the Highland Mainline.
From London
Visitors arriving from London have a couple of rail options to choose from when heading to the Highlands.
Regular services, operated by LNER and Azuma, run from London King’s Cross via Newcastle, York and Berwick to Edinburgh Waverly. From here visitors can easily journey onwards to the Highlands via multiple modes of transport. See our ‘Getting Around’ page to learn more.
Alternatively, the Caledonian Sleeper service from London Euston offers the opportunity to travel overnight to a range of locations across the Highlands, including Perth, Aviemore and Inverness. With private rooms and washrooms available on-board, this option is perfect for those seeking to travel in ultimate comfort.
Getting Around
Take the stress out of your journey and soak up awe-inspiring views by travelling by train through the Highlands. Well connected by the famously scenic Highland Mainline, getting around by rail makes for quick and comfortable travel, while still allowing visitors to explore the Highland’s top destinations.
Running from Perth to Inverness in as little as 2 hours, trains on the Highland Mainline, operated by Scotrail, also stop at key stations, including Dunkled and Birnam, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore and Carrbridge. In addition to this, train passengers are also treated to dramatic views, with the train line crossing various viaducts, a spectacular mountain pass at Drumochter, and thrilling gradients leading to significant summits. In addition to this, passengers can learn more about the area as they travel, by downloading our app to listen to a selection of traditional stories set in locations along the line.
Tickets can be bought online on the Scotrail website or at any train station in the UK.
Top Tip: Check out the Traveline Scotland website to plan your journey and see train timings.
Bus
Getting Here
There are multiple bus operators offering travel to the Highlands from a variety of locations across the UK.
Megabus is the primary operator for long-haul travel, offering routes to Scotland’s main cities from multiple destinations, including London, Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh. To book tickets online, simply head to their website. Further information about getting around by Bus in the Highlands can be found on our ‘Getting Around’ page.
Getting Around
If travelling by car or train isn’t an option, there are also a variety of bus routes available to visitors in the Highlands. For short distance journeys, operators such as Stagecoach and Megabus offer multiple routes daily and service several locations across Scotland, including Perth, Pitlochry and Inverness. In addition to Stagecoach and Megabus, operators such as Citylink also run regular trips between cities, including from Edinburgh or Glasgow to Inverness.
For help planning your trip, visit the Traveline Scotland’s ‘Journey Planner’ to see all the bus routes available, or book directly through an operator’s website.
