bookingscotland.com - Your Scotland trade reference

Scotland's rail network is at its most dense in the central belt, reducing to a few main lines in the Highlands; these however do link with most of the major ferry ports to the west coast islands. FirstScotRail runs the majority of train services, reaching all the major towns, sometimes on lines rated as among the great scenic routes of the world.

Rail Tickets

Your clients can buy tickets for FirstScotRail trains at any station throughout the U.K., over the phone or online with a credit card. If the ticket office at the station is closed, tickets can be bought on board from the inspector.

Discount Fares and Passes

FirstScotRail trains offers an extensive range of ticketing options with discounts available over a huge array of categories based on for example, age, numbers travelling, advance booking and time of travel, and combining train travel with other transport options.

FirstScotRail also offers a couple of travel passes worth considering. 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, and gives discounts on Northlink ferries to Orkney and Shetland. Various versions of the pass are available with discounts for national rail card holders. The Highland Rover is more limited in scope, allowing unlimited travel on trains within the Highland region, plus the West Highland Line, travel between Aberdeen and Aviemore and a few connecting bus routes.

For details of all the numerous discounted national rail passes running to, from, and around Scotland, visit the National Rail enquiries website.

If Scotland is only a part of your clients' itinerary, more flexible - if more expensive - options are the various national rail passes which allow unlimited travel across mainland Britain. The only one that can be bought in the UK is the All-Line Rover, which allows 7 or 14 consecutive days' travel (with discounts for national rail card holders). BritRail passes are only available for purchase before your clients leave their home country online. There are various discounts available for those under 26 or over 60, and for those with children.

If your clients have been resident in a European country other than the UK for at least 6 months, an InterRail pass, allowing unlimited train travel within Britain might be a cost-effective way to travel, if Scotland is part of a longer European trip. This can also be purchased online at the RailEurope website.