Day 3: Edinburgh to Glasgow
Train · About 45–60 minutes
Choose ScotRail to Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High. Glasgow Central is a different station; compare the exact route and current ticket before booking.
Compare this journeyEdinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness in seven days
Begin in Edinburgh, continue through Glasgow to Inverness, and return to Edinburgh on the last day. Loch Ness and the coast require separate local transport or an organised outing. Their costs and travel time are not included in the city-to-city train ticket.
British Isles · Published planning example
- Duration
- 7 days
- Travel style
- Mid Range
Day-by-day itinerary
Open a day to read the plan and its spending notes.
-
Day 1Arrive in Edinburgh
EdinburghSettle in, then use Princes Street and the Old Town for a short first walk. The climb towards the Royal Mile includes slopes and steps, so choose the approach that suits your luggage and mobility. If the weather is poor and the timing works, the free National Museum of Scotland is an indoor alternative.
€170.00 for one whole private room, €52.00 for meals, €10.00 for local travel and €10.00 for extras. Add the paid visits, excursions, intercity tickets and airport journeys you choose. These are allowances; replace them with your bookings.
Estimated day spending: €242.00
-
Day 2Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Park
EdinburghGive Edinburgh Castle a booked morning slot and enough time inside. Afterwards, choose Grassmarket and the Old Town or a separate walk in Holyrood Park. Check current paths and weather; the Radical Road is closed. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is a different paid visit, not part of castle admission.
€170.00 for one whole private room, €52.00 for meals, €10.00 for local travel and €10.00 for extras. Add the paid visits, excursions, intercity tickets and airport journeys you choose. These are allowances; replace them with your bookings.
Estimated day spending: €242.00
-
Day 3Travel to Glasgow and visit the West End
Glasgow
Glasgow, United Kingdom Take a ScotRail train to Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High, allowing roughly 45–60 minutes. Drop your bags before heading to Kelvingrove, where general admission is free. The Subway is useful for some West End journeys; use the same contactless card or device to enter and leave so the right fare and cap can apply.
€135.00 for one whole private room, €46.00 for meals, €9.00 for local travel and €10.00 for extras. Add the paid visits, excursions, intercity tickets and airport journeys you choose. These are allowances; replace them with your bookings.
Estimated day spending: €200.00
-
Day 4Take the Highland train to Inverness
Inverness & Scottish Highlands
Inverness & Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom Choose the complete Glasgow–Inverness journey in the ScotRail planner. A suitable train takes around 3½ hours, with other departures or connections longer. Leave the afternoon for settling in and a riverside walk towards Ness Islands if conditions suit. Your city arrival does not include transport to a remote Highland hotel.
€155.00 for one whole private room, €50.00 for meals, €10.00 for local travel and €10.00 for extras. Add the paid visits, excursions, intercity tickets and airport journeys you choose. These are allowances; replace them with your bookings.
Estimated day spending: €225.00
-
Day 5Choose a Loch Ness outing
Inverness & Scottish HighlandsCompare a bus-based visit with a tour from Inverness before booking Urquhart Castle or a boat trip. Check the exact stop, walk, admission and return journey for the option you choose. A local bus ticket does not include castle entry or a cruise. Keep the return time clear rather than relying on an evening service being available.
€155.00 for one whole private room, €50.00 for meals, €10.00 for local travel and €10.00 for extras. Add the paid visits, excursions, intercity tickets and airport journeys you choose. These are allowances; replace them with your bookings.
Estimated day spending: €225.00
-
Day 6Culloden or a day along the coast
Inverness & Scottish HighlandsChoose one main outing: a visit to Culloden, or a planned trip towards the Moray Firth. Confirm transport, opening and any paid visitor-centre ticket before leaving Inverness. At Chanonry Point, wildlife sightings depend on the day and are never guaranteed. Return arrangements matter more than fitting several distant stops into the afternoon.
€155.00 for one whole private room, €50.00 for meals, €10.00 for local travel and €10.00 for extras. Add the paid visits, excursions, intercity tickets and airport journeys you choose. These are allowances; replace them with your bookings.
Estimated day spending: €225.00
-
Day 7Return to Edinburgh
EdinburghTake the planned train back to Edinburgh, allowing roughly 3½–4 hours on a suitable service and more for a connection or disruption. This itinerary ends in Edinburgh, so include any separate airport journey. If flying that day, book a departure that leaves a comfortable margin after the full rail trip rather than relying on its shortest advertised time.
No overnight stay; €52.00 for meals, €10.00 for local travel and €10.00 for extras. Add the paid visits, excursions, intercity tickets and airport journeys you choose. These are allowances; replace them with your bookings.
Estimated day spending: €72.00
Keep the Scottish rail journeys clear
Use ScotRail for the full dated journey. The faster Edinburgh–Glasgow route uses Queen Street via Falkirk High; Glasgow Central is a different station. Peak fares have been removed on ScotRail services, but other ticket conditions still apply.
Arrange the Highland outings
The Inverness guide explains the city base. Book a Loch Ness or coastal outing only after confirming its return. The final-day train ends in Edinburgh, with an airport transfer separate.
Build the budget from nights and days
The day figures add up to €1,431.00 for one traveller before paid visits and extra journeys. A private-room line buys the whole room; divide only that part when sharing. These are chosen spending allowances, not available room offers or measured averages. Replace the stay amount with the full booking cost, including taxes and cleaning.
Add paid visits, excursions, intercity or inter-island tickets and airport journeys. The day notes separate accommodation, meals, local travel and small extras. The final day has no extra overnight allowance. The city budget cards are an alternative plan, so do not add them on top of this subtotal.
Swipe to follow the full route.
Loading the map...
Journeys between stops
How to get from one stop to the next. Journey times are approximate; use the ticket and timetable links to choose a departure for your travel date.
Day 4: Glasgow to Inverness & Scottish Highlands
Train · About 3½–4 hours
Search the full ScotRail journey from Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness, choosing a direct train or the connection shown. Allow the station-to-room journey and keep distant Highland excursions separate.
Day 7: Inverness & Scottish Highlands to Edinburgh
Train · About 3½–4 hours
Take a suitable train from Inverness to Edinburgh Waverley. If flying afterwards, include the local airport transfer and the airline’s required arrival time. The rail trip does not end at Edinburgh Airport.
If you have fewer days
For fewer days, choose either the two cities or Edinburgh and Inverness. Check the return journey before dropping an overnight stop.
Make this trip cheaper
Compare your room and daily spending choices in the cost calculator. Check each journey fare, including local transfers, and count tickets covered by a pass only once.
Make the itinerary fit your trip
Change the days in each city, leave out stops, and update the estimate without changing the published itinerary.