Scotland Itinerary: 1 Week in the Highlands by Train

This 1 week Scotland itinerary visits Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow. It includes how to get there, where to stay and what to see!

I know I said one week, but this itinerary is actually 8 days long.

I know, I know, I’m sorry, but I added a day trip to the Culloden Battlefield from Inverness. It’s a nice, chill day trip to break up the hectic, busy exploring of the rest of the trip. But if you’re short on time, you can totally cut it out.

This Scotland itinerary covers all of Scotland’s best sights!

Click these to skip ahead!

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EDINBURGH

How to Get To Edinburgh

Plane

If you’re visiting Scotland from abroad, you’ll obviously need to fly there.

Before booking your flight, always check which airline is offering the best price. An easy way to do this is using WayAway.

Just put in where you’re going and when you want to go, and WayAway will give you the cheapest option, as well as a price chart to compare the best day to travel.

I also like to use Google Flights to track flight prices over a couple months; they send you an email when the flight is the absolute cheapest it’s going to get!

Train

If you’re already in the UK, try taking the train to Edinburgh.

TIP: Most of the time, it is cheaper to fly to London and then take the train to Edinburgh instead of directly flying to Edinburgh.

Where to Stay in Edinburgh

This Scotland itinerary requires 4 nights accommodation in Edinburgh.

$ Hostel $

Castle Rock Hostel
15 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2PW, United Kingdom.
This is one of my favourite hostels EVER. Located right next door to Edinburgh Castle, this hostel is basically a castle itself. With medieval furnishings and quirky room and bed names (I stayed in the Virgin room), this place is a maze to explore. It’s very social; there are events every night including pub crawls, whisky tasting and dancing. Check availability or see other options.

$$ Hotel $$

Eliza House
14-16 Grosvenor Street, Edinburgh, EH12 5EG, United Kingdom. 
Hotels in Edinburgh are notoriously expensive. If you are set on staying in a hotel, then Eliza House is a good, simple choice. Located just slightly west of the city centre, all of the best sights are still in walkable distance. The decor is a little dated but has charming, spacious rooms. Check availability or see other options.

Getting Around Edinburgh

There is really no need to use public transport in Edinburgh because the city is very walkable. However, it may be important to note that it is very hilly (the streets steeply rise towards Edinburgh Castle) and the streets are cobbled.

Day 0: Arrival

Arrive in Edinburgh via plane or train.

Spend the afternoon settling in to your accommodation.

Day 1: Edinburgh’s Royal Mile

Morning

• Edinburgh Castle (£15.50)
• National Gallery (free)
  Princes Street Garden (free)
• The Writers Museum (free)
• Gladstones Land (£10)
• St Giles Cathedral (free)
• Window shopping in Cockburn Street

Afternoon

• Lunch in a cafe
• Museum of Edinburgh (free)
• Canongate Kirk (free)
• Holyrood Palace (£20)
• Calton Hill for sunset (free)
• Dinner in one of Edinburgh’s many pubs (try haggis)!

Travel Essentials 

SIM cards: Airalo offers eSIMS for over 200 countries which you can install BEFORE travelling, saving you the stress of running around to find a store or from being ripped off by local vendors. This is perfect for backpackers who are travelling to multiple destinations in a short period of time.

Insurance: You should NOT go overseas without getting travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you in case you get injured or your plans change or are cancelled. I always use Covermore, because the cover is comprehensive and they were easy to work with when I needed to make a claim.

Banking: When travelling and saving for travel I use Up Bank, an online Australian bank, that allows fee-free overseas transactions, unlimited savings ‘pools’ and easy transfers. If you join Up with my invite code we both get $13! 

Day 2: Deans Village and Grassmarket

Morning

• Deans Village (free)

Afternoon

• Greyfriar’s Kirkyard (free)
• National Museum of Scotland (free)
• Get jiggy at Stramash (the best live music bar in Edinburgh)

Packing List for Female Backpackers

Day 3: Arthur’s Seat

Morning

• Climb Arthur’s Seat

Afternoon

Choose your own adventure:

1. Souvenir shopping and relaxation
2. Visit the seaside village of Leith
3. Visit the Botanic Gardens

Need more details? Read my 3 Day Edinburgh Itinerary.

INVERNESS

How to Get to Inverness

Catch the train from Edinburgh. The journey takes about 3.5 hours.

Pre-book your tickets well in advance and make use of railcards to get the best deal.

There are buses available, but the prices are the same as train and they take 4 hours. Just take the train.

Where to Stay in Inverness

This itinerary requires 4 nights stay in Inverness.

$ Hostel $

Inverness Student Hostel
8 Culduthel Rd, Inverness IV2 4AB, United Kingdom.
Inverness doesn’t have many options when it comes to hostels. Inverness Student Hostel is the closest to the centre of town and has quirky decor. You can also get brekky there for a decent price. Check availability or see other options.

$$ Hotel $$

Castle Viewpoint B&B 
22 Ardconnel St, Inverness IV2 3EX, United Kingdom.
I can personally vouch that the beds in this quaint b&b are the comfiest in Inverness, and potentially all of Scotland. The owner is the loveliest person and the rooms are adorable. Brekky was yum, too. It’s on a hill so it has a great view across the city. Check availability or see other options.

Day 4: Inverness Town

Morning

Check out of your hotel and catch the train from Edinburgh to Inverness (3 hr 45 min).

I know this seems pretty hectic with a LOT of things to do, but these are more like checkpoints rather than actual sights. You will get through this in a few hours, and if you’re in Inverness in the summer (which you probably are) the sun doesn’t set until 10pm.

• Inverness Cathedral (£2)
• Ness Walk
• Inverness Botanic Gardens (by donation)
• Ness Islands
• Inverness Castle (closed until 2025)
• Inverness Museum and Art Gallery (free)
• High Street (good place for lunch)
• The Victorian Market
• Old High Church
• Leakey Bookshop
• Live music at a bar

Need more details? Read The Best of Inverness Itinerary (it has a free walking tour map!)

Day 5: Loch Ness Day Trip

Morning

• Take bus 17 (from King Street) or 919 (from the bus station) to the village of Drumnadrochit (£2, 3o mins)
• Explore Drumnadrochit:
• Drum Farm Gallery Gift Shop
• Loch Ness Gifts
• Walk one hour (or take bus 919, 15 mins) to Urquhart Castle
• Check out the cemetery and hike through Urquhart Bay Woods to the Loch Ness shore
• Lunch at Fiddlers Highland or Ness Deli

Afternoon

• Craigmonie Walk
• Take a cruise on the Loch Ness
• Take bus 17 or 919 back to Inverness

Need more details? Read How to Plan the Perfect Loch Ness Day Trip from Inverness (with map)

Day 6: Culloden Battlefields

I recommend bringing a packed lunch because the area is quite rural so you won’t have access to any restaurants. The cafe in the Visitor’s Centre doesn’t have great options.

• Take bus 27 from Inverness Bus Station to Culloden (20 mins)
• Walk 150 metres to the Culloden Battlefield
• Observe the battlefield from the viewing platform
• Leanach Cottage
• Walk around the Culloden Battlefield
• Take bus 27 back to Inverness

Need more details? Read How to Visit Culloden Battlefield from Inverness.

GLASGOW

How to Get to Glasgow

Trains from Inverness to Glasgow usually take about 3 hours 40 minutes and leave about every hour.

Some are direct, while some include a stop in Stirling. 

Bus journeys take slightly longer at 3 hours 50 minutes, but they are a bit cheaper, especially if you are booking at the last minute.

Where to Stay in Glasgow 

$ Hostel $

The Revolver Hotel
62 Virginia St, Glasgow G1 1TX, United Kingdom
Revolver Hotel is the best hostel accommodation available in Glasgow. I stayed here; it’s in a central location close to the train station and in walking distance of the best sights and nightlife. Check availability or see other options.

$$ Hotel $$

Motel One Glasgow
78-82 Oswald Street , Glasgow City Centre, Glasgow, G1 4PL , United Kingdom
Motel One Glasgow is everything you could want in a hotel: clean, modern, and centrally located. It’s the best mid-range hotel in Glasgow with raving reviews (over 20,000!) Check availability or see other options.

Day 7: Train to Glasgow

Morning

Take the train from Inverness to Glasgow (3 hrs 40 mins)

Afternoon

Glasgow Necropolis (free)
Glasgow Cathedral (free)
St. Mungo Museum Of Religious Life & Art (free)
Gallery of Modern Art (free)
George Square

Day 8: Departure

Morning

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (free)
University of Glasgow (free)
Glasgow Botanic Gardens (free)

Afternoon

Depart Glasgow via plane or train.

Need more details? Read my 24 hour Glasgow Itinerary

There you have it! My 1 week Scotland itinerary by train.

I know it’s 8 days, I’m sorryy! If you absolutely have only 7 days, cut out the Culloden Battlefield day trip.

Since you’re travelling to Scotland, read my other Scotland posts for some inspo.

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