Step aboard one of these trains for a railway tour of Scotland to remember. Here’s our pick of the best train journeys in Scotland
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The best train journeys in scotland
Step aboard one of these trains for a railway tour of Scotland to remember. Here’s our pick of the best train journeys in Scotland
The Royal Scotsman
Words by Ailsa Sheldon
This year, Scotland’s most luxurious train, the Royal Scotsman, is offering guests the chance to spend two nights travelling through the Highlands in style with a Michelin-starred chef in the kitchen.
This must surely be top of the list of the best train journeys in Scotland.
To journey on the Royal Scotsman is to step into a more opulent world: think refined Edwardian country-house style, polished lacquer panelling, and an observation car with an open-air veranda at the back of the train. It’s an exclusive journey, with only 38 guests on board and a full staff catering for your every need.
There is even a Christian Dior spa on board offering unique, luxurious treatments designed to enhance the journey. Many people book the Royal Scotsman as a ‘once in a lifetime experience’, only to return again every year.
Food and drink play a hugely important role in all journeys on this luxury train, from breakfasts and lunches to afternoon tea and dinner, but with chef Tom Kitchin on board, an already special experience is taken to another level.
Tom is one of Scotland’s best-known and best-loved chefs. As chef-patron of The Kitchin in Edinburgh, he gained a Michelin star in 2007 when he was only 29 years old, an accolade he has held onto ever since. The Kitchin is also the only restaurant in Scotland to hold 5 AA Rosettes.
Tom and his wife Michaela also run The Scran and Scallie, a gastropub in Edinburgh and KORA, a restaurant also in Edinburgh, as well as The Bonnie Badger restaurant with rooms in Gullane, East Lothian.
A journey on the Royal Scotsman begins at the iconic Balmoral hotel. After meeting your fellow travellers, your luggage is whisked away to your train compartment allowing you to board via the red carpet unencumbered. Over two days the train traverses great swathes of Highland countryside, on both national rail and private railway lines, giving guests views of places inaccessible by road. The route north passes through Perthshire and
on to the Cairngorms, returning south through Aberdeenshire and Angus.
Tom says his cooking style is a great fit for the Royal Scotsman: “It’s very much showcasing Scottish produce, that’s what I’m known for. I’m very passionate about the produce, the larder that we have here in Scotland, all the excellent suppliers. It’s a really nice fit.”
Before opening his restaurants, Tom worked on luxury yachts, so he wasn’t daunted by the size of the kitchen on the train. This year will be Tom’s third voyage with Belmond, “After I’d done it the first time, it absolutely blew my socks off. It’s just like a fairy tale, it’s one of the most magical experiences. It’s such a lovely way to see the country. It makes me so proud to be Scottish.”
Tom’s starred restaurant is just a few miles from the train station in Leith, allowing the food preparation to start well before guests embark. “We can actually prepare 90% of the food in the restaurant,” he says, “so you’re getting that incredible restaurant level of food and then we transport it up in big chill boxes and unpack it, instead of ordering scallops and trying to open them on the train.”
Tom also brings one of his restaurant chefs to work with him on the train, “It’s a fight to see who joins me because they all want to come,” he says.
The menus Kitchin designs complement the incredible scenery that the train travels through – basically the very best of Scottish ingredients.
“The menu’s not finalised this year. In years gone by, I’ve done venison, I’ve done scallops, I’ve done game in game season, it’s just the finest Scottish ingredients,” he says.
As part of the journey, a barbecue is also held on the Rothiemurchus estate in the Cairngorms, using meat and fish from the estate. “Guests are literally eating from the land that they’re enjoying,” Tom says, “it’s very special.”
Dinner on the train begins in the observation car, where guests enjoy champagne and canapés, “Everyone’s dressed up very smart. Everyone puts an effort in, it’s really nice,” Tom says.
After a delicious four-course meal in the dining room guests return to the lounge for a wee dram, often joined by local Scottish folk musicians who will come on the train to entertain them. During the journey guests will also enjoy a wine tasting on board from the Kitchin’s top wine supplier and also visit Benromach Distillery in Speyside.
At the time of writing there are cabins still available on this year’s trip, from 2-4 October 2024, though Tom will also return to the Royal Scotsman from 5-7 July 2025 for another journey in the train’s 40th anniversary year.
Prices start from £4,800 per person.
The best rail holidays in Scotland
McKinlay Kidd
Glasgow-based husband-and-wife team Robert and Heather have been designing railway tours and holidays in Scotland for 20 years and know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to the best train journeys in Scotland.
Step on board one of their expertly curated tours, such as their 14-night Grand Tour of Scotland by Train, which will take you the length and breadth of the country and pass by some of Scotland’s greatest sights, including a trip over the magical Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous by the Harry Potter films; the beautiful islands of Skye, Mull and Iona; and Scotland’s vibrant capital of Edinburgh.
There is also the option to choose a specific area to explore in more detail or tailor-make your own rail holiday. Robert and Heather’s expert local guides will show you hidden wonders, and you’ll have the chance to interact with locals at many of the places you visit. When your day’s exploring is done, rest assured that all accommodation has been carefully chosen to ensure every moment of your trip is as relaxing and memorable as possible.
Prices start from £1395pp. mckinlaykidd.com
Vacations by Rail
This US-based tour company runs a variety of railway tours of Scotland that will allow you to experience our beautiful country in all its majesty.
A land of legend and unbelievable beauty, Vacations by Rail will guide you through the very best of Scotland’s landscapes, travelling on some of the world’s most famous trains on the best train journeys in Scotland, including the Jacobite steam train and the Royal Scotsman.
Whether you choose to plan your own itinerary or travel on one of the company’s carefully curated tours, such as the perennially popular nine-day Edinburgh, Highlands and Islands tour, or on one of its more specific tours such as a Scotch Malt Whisky Trail aboard the Royal Scotsman, you’ll travel through lochs and glens, past mountains and castles, through quaint villages and historic towns, and are guaranteed to have an adventure to remember.
Prices start from £1,295pp. vacationsbyrail.com
RailTrail
With 20 different railway tours and holidays in Scotland to choose from, family-run RailTrail is guaranteed to have a holiday that will tickle your fancy, with virtually every inch of Scotland covered.
You can choose to explore Scotland’s exciting urban centres on a Stirling Cities of Scotland by Rail holiday; visit the wild landscapes of Shetland and Orkney on a journey to Scotland’s far north; travel through the Highlands on a steam train and visit a distillery or two en route; or choose the Golden Highlander tour for a chance to step on board the famous Jacobite steam train.
With journeys ranging from four to 12 days, including some seasonal trips that will explore the very best of Scotland at Christmas, every step of your journey has been carefully planned to guarantee guests the experience of a lifetime.
Prices start from £470. railtrail.co.uk
Newmarket Holidays
A Scottish railway holiday with Newmarket Holidays will offer you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience some of the world’s most spectacular scenery on three of the best train journeys in Scotland, if not the world.
Sit back and let someone else do the driving as you travel past breathtaking views all the way from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh, or journey along the incredibly dramatic 42 miles of track that makes up the West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig. Alternatively, take a nostalgic steam train ride on the Strathspey Railway.
As well as seeing many of Scotland’s most desirable sights, like Loch Ness, the Glenfinnan Viaduct and magnificent Eilean Donan castle, your holiday includes four night’s dinner, bed and breakfast at the historic and charming Carrbridge Hotel, in the heart of the stunning Cairngorms National Park.
Prices start from £544pp. newmarketholidays.co.uk
Macs Adventure
Starting life offering self-guided walking tours of Scotland, Macs Adventure has 20 years of expertise in planning adventures.
Its Scotland by Train holidays allow you to embark on a relaxing car-free journey across the country, covering, of course, some of the best train journeys in Scotland. You’ll glide through the beautiful Highlands past lochs, castles and glens, delve into Scotland’s larder, enjoy a dram or two in a distillery and uncover rich stories, ancient history and intriguing folklore along the way.
Accommodation has been meticulously planned for each step of your curated journey, so all you need to do is sit back, relax and enjoy.
Prices start from £490pp. macsadventure.com
Great Rail Journeys
Specialising in exactly what its name suggests, Great Rail Journeys’ escorted tours and holidays will guide you through the romantic landscapes, fascinating history and wild nature of Scotland via some of the country’s greatest railway routes.
Tours include a five-day trip through scenic Royal Deeside aboard the Royal Deeside Railway, during which you’ll visit three of Scotland’s most exciting cities:
Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. There’s also an eight-day Skye, Orkney and the Wild North of Scotland tour, where you’ll visit historic sites and whisky distilleries and take a journey on the legendary West Highland Line, one of Britain’s most beautiful railway journeys and one of the best train journeys in Scotland.
Seasonal tours include a special Christmas in the Glens festive adventure, where you’ll experience a cosy Scottish Christmas in the heart of the Highlands.
Prices start from £795pp. greatrail.com
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