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Edinburgh to Inverness by train
How to travel from Edinburgh to Inverness on the beautiful train journey
Try to take this journey before May 2022, because after that date, the trains will be switched to a less scenic route.
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Routes
From Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness
Journey Summary
3hr 22min - 3hr 47min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Inverness
All trains also call at: Perth, Pitlochry, Kingussie and Aviemore
Additional connections are available by taking other trains from Edinburgh to Perth and connecting there for trains on to Inverness.
The connecting time between trains at Perth station will be around 20 minutes when departing Edinburgh at:
09:36 on Mon-Sat
11:35 on Mon-Sat
14:37 on Mon-Sat
17:50 on Sunday
The train which is usually scheduled to depart from Edinburgh at 16:32 on Sunday and 16:34 on Monday to Saturday is the train which will have travelled from London and is operated by LNER.
It takes a different (less scenic) route between Edinburgh and Perth, as it travels via Stirling, though it is the fastest service of the day; though it's only a few minutes quicker than the fastest trains on the usual route via Kirkcaldy.
An Azuma train is used on this service which travels via Stirling.
Inter7City trains are now used on most other departures, but the Turbostar trains are also used, particularly at weekends.
Heading north on from Inverness
If you will be continuing a journey north from Inverness, the connections on towards Kyle of Lochalsh, Thurso and Wick aren't particularly convenient.
The train which departs Edinburgh at 10:36 on Mon-Sat arrives in Inverness less than 15 mins after one of the four trains per day on to Thurso and Wick has departed!
The best connection on to Kyle of Lochalsh involves departing Edinburgh on Mon-Sat at 13:31 and then spending an hour in Inverness between trains.
When heading to Thurso and Wick, the only option for spending less than 90 minutes in Inverness when taking a direct train to there from Edinburgh, is to depart at 13:57 on Sundays.
Monday to Saturday = 5 x trains per day
Sunday = 4 x trains
Tickets
Book Early and Save: Yes
Online Bookings Usually Open: from 12 weeks ahead of the travel date (usually)
If you want to travel at the cheapest possible price, look for the 'Advance tickets', though the three key things worth knowing about booking and using 'Advance' tickets are:
(1) You can only travel on the specific departure you select when making a booking.
(2) The ticket(s) cannot either be refunded, if you subsequently change your plans, or be exchanged to another departure - so they won't be valid if you miss the train due to any circumstances not attributable to the train operator.
(3) These tickets have seats specified on them, so in effect they come with seat reservations - though you won't have to sit in the seats you have been assigned for the ticket to be valid.
Travelling on Saturday-Sunday
Tickets are usually available 12 weeks ahead of the travel date, but maintenance work on the route is periodically undertaken at weekends and if it is scheduled on your travel date, it can affect when tickets will be released for sale.
If you're looking up a journey less than 12 weeks ahead and Advance tickets aren't available, it can be a good indication that works will be impacting on your travel date.
It can be worth checking this on the National Rail website - enter ScotRail as the operator.
Booking at the station
If you will be booking at the station less than a couple of hours prior to departure, you will have to purchase non-discounted Off-Peak or Anytime tickets with Anytime tickets being the most expensive of all.
On this route you will have to pay the Anytime rate on departures between 16:30 and 19:00 when Mondays to Fridays are working days
Because if you do depart Edinburgh at those times only the more expensive type of Anytime tickets will be available
Deals and offers:
ScotRail offers ticketing deals when Adults travel with children or in groups, so when booking online it's worth being checking to confirm whether the total price being charged is inclusive of these deals
Or you can book these deals at a station ticket office, if Advance tickets are available the booking clerk will ask if that's your preference - though be aware that Advance deals can't be refunded or exchanged if one or more members of a party subsequently can't make the trip.
If you do opt to book these deals at the station you won't ever charged more than the online price and the booking clerk may be able to point out a money saving option.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| ScotRail | * |
On this journey
Journey Features
Good to Know
All trains also depart from: Edinburgh Haymarket
If the starting point of your journey is at the western end of the city centre, you can save time by heading to Haymarket station rather than Edinburgh Waverley, in order to board these trains.
Even the most fabulous routes followed by European express trains have their more prosaic moments, when for a while all that can be seen from the train windows are the suburbs of towns or fairly uninteresting farm land.
But this particular journey, when travelling by the trains operated by ScotRail, is the exception, because aside from the first 10 minutes, while the train is still escaping from Edinburgh’s suburbs, every other part of this train ride is fairly fabulous.
It’s why it was singled by the UK’s Channel 5 and showcased in its TV series of ‘World’s Most Scenic Train Journeys'.
And what makes it extra special is that very few journeys combine both stunning sea views and wild mountainous landscapes, but this route ticks both of those boxes!
And there’s also a cherry on top moment, because the trains from Edinburgh to Inverness, which are operated by ScotRail, also cross the mighty Forth Rail Bridge.
While the majesty of the bridge’s iconic structure can only be seen from a distance while on the train, what can get overlooked when extoling its virtues, are the marvelous views which can be seen from the train windows, while crossing the bridge.
This is the first highlight of this journey, because on the other side of the bridge, the railway line descends, so that for around 15 minutes the train will be travelling by the shore of the East Fife Coast.
If your seat is on the right, when facing north, you’ll have the opportunity to appreciate some of the finest sea views that can be seen while on a British train.
**Though after May 2022 these trains will be following a route away from the coast, as they will be travelling from Edinburgh to Perth via Stirling.
After departure from Kirkcaldy, the railway turns inland, but between there and Perth the train will pass through rolling Scottish farm land, with the hills, which on this part of the route are on the left, becoming ever higher as it heads north, a hint of what lies ahead!
Because after Perth the remainder of the journey will be on the Highland main line, which lives up to its name, because the highest elevation on the British rail network is attained on this line.
For the final two hours epic views of the rugged highland landscape can be appreciated from both sides of the train!
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