Scottish Castles & Coasts by Train
View over to the Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye - credit VS
Uncover the drama of the Scottish Highlands on this specially curated rail tour, which can be enjoyed throughout the year.
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of rail travel in 2025, we are delighted to launch a new Scottish self-guided train trip that can be taken all year round.
Your Scottish Castles & Coasts by Train holiday begins with the dramatic coastal train journey north from Edinburgh to the Granite City of Aberdeen, crossing both the Forth and Tay rail bridges. Enjoy the best of Aberdeenshire’s Castle Country, including a guided day tour, before continuing to the Capital of the Highlands, Inverness. You’ll have time to explore here plus take an unforgettable day trip to the Isle of Skye on the west coast, including a view of one of the country’s most iconic castles, Eilean Donan. Then meander south by rail into Highland Perthshire, where you will stay in castle grandeur, before finishing in historic Stirling with its imposing castle, monuments and battlefield.
This eight-night, four-centre holiday takes in the eastern part of the Highlands centered around the Cairngorms National Park but also includes a day trip to the dramatic West Coast and the Isle of Skye. The trip starts and ends in Edinburgh but this can easily be tailored to Glasgow or indeed most other major UK cities.
We can also include the magical experience of overnight train travel via the Caledonian Sleeper from London – just ask for details.
£1895 per person for November to March, £2255 per person for April & October and £2320 per person for May to September.
The above pricing does not include stays over Christmas or New Year from 23 December to 8 January . If you are interested in taking a holiday across these dates, please get in touch for a bespoke quote.
All prices are based on two adults sharing a double or twin room for eight nights on a bed & breakfast basis in our hand-picked selection of hotels and guest houses. The holiday includes train travel throughout, a full day private tour of Aberdeenshire’s Castle Trail and a full day small group tour from Inverness to the Isle of Skye.
We would also be delighted to assist with hotel or guest house reservations in Edinburgh or Glasgow, for the beginning or end of the trip.
Before your departure, you will receive personalised holiday information including full directions, recommended routes, and suggestions on places to visit depending on your interests and our local knowledge to help you get the most from your holiday.
All itineraries and room types are presented subject to availability at specific hotels.
We work hard to make sure the unexpected doesn’t affect your trip. On rare occasions, changes or cancellations may occur, affecting accommodation, transport or excursions. We are committed to informing you of any such circumstances and will use our knowledge and resources to offer suitable alternatives wherever possible.
You are requesting availability for
This holiday can be arranged year-round from January to December – though stays over the Christmas or New Year period from 23rd December to 8th January will require a bespoke quote.
Availability is individually checked for a hand-picked selection of smaller hotels, guest houses and other independent businesses, so please bear with us and we will respond in 1-2 working days.
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Download our handy guide with useful information and top tips on Rail Touring in Scotland.
All our holiday prices include a service charge of £9 per person per night towards the costs we incur in researching, planning and designing your holiday.
We guarantee to refund this service charge if you believe that arranging your holiday through McKinlay Kidd has not met your expectations for value. All we ask is that you write to us within 7 days of your return and explain your reason for claiming the refund. This will ensure that we can improve the experience for all our future guests.
My journey to the Highlands began from bustling Glasgow Queen Street station. Watching as busy commuters scrambled to catch their train, I was very m...