14 independent reviews for Scotland highlights by train
Reviews for Scotland highlights by train
Janae Horst review 23 Jul 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Beachcombing and our hike at Fort William to Steal Falls.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Maybe skip Inverness and spend more time in Pitlochry. For future beachcombers—the tiny pier in Portree at low tide is great!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent value, would recommend!Janae Horst review 17 Jul 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Beachcombing and our hike at Fort William to Steal Falls.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Maybe skip Inverness and spend more time in Pitlochry. For future beachcombers—the tiny pier in Portree at low tide is great!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent value, would recommend!Margi Conrads review 28 Jun 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The whole thing! Especially loved Isle of Skye and Orkney Islands.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Be sure you have good rain gear! Depending on season, Edinburgh is very touristy.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Probably. Loved using local businesses and since we travelled only by rail and ferry, carbon footprint was likely lower.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent.Barbara Lynch review 6 Jun 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Time spent in Orkney and Skye.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Take your time, don’t try and see everything in just a few hours.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, we spent locally and used local transport.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very good and well organized but we didn’t have to travel in a group.Maggie George review 1 May 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Pitlochry was charming. We could have spent a week there!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Pack light, and be prepared to walk.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was excellent. Many kudos to Claire and her amazing team !Sue Clissold review 27 May 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The stunning scenery throughout Scotland especially in the Orkneys and Isle of sky2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Discuss your hotel requirements in detail with the company before the trip to avoid any isdues with hotel rooms.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was great. The company responded quickly and personaly to our issues.HEATHER Chapman review 19 May 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The Isle of Skye private tour2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Pack light, but lots of layers.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. Supported local tourism. We trained for the most part and walked a lot.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
9/10 due to just a few let downs.Jenny Alvarez review 2 Oct 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Everything was exceptional2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Comunícate well prior to the trip. Be specific with what you are looking gor3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Absolutely4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
GreatGavin and Pat Hillyard review 8 Sep 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Train trip was great, Wandering round Oban, Fort William and Mallaig was memorable.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Trust this tour company to provide a brilliant itinerary. They listened to us.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Couldn't really say. Suppose money spent would have benefited local people4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
5 star rating. Seamless arrangements, professional and well-organized. Impressed that Claire responded promptly to a query even though she was on a conference. Highly recommend this tour company.Read the operator's response here:
Hi Gavin & Pat, we're so delighted you enjoyed your tailor-made mini rail tour of Scotland! It was our pleasure to be able to help with your last-minute inquiry and I'm glad you felt we really listened to what you wanted from your trip. I'm also grateful you listened to our advice and allowed us to adapt the itinerary from your initial ideas, which perhaps would have been a less fulfilling trip. With regard to the question about whether the trip helped to benefit local people or reduce environmental impact, I'm pleased to say that by staying in locally-owned hotels your stay helped to create a positive economic impact as well as helping to provide local employment. Likewise hopefully you were able to check out the locally-owned eateries we suggested, further boosting your positive economic impact as well as giving you a great experience. Traveling by train and local bus for most of your journey to meant that your carbon impact was significantly lower than for those travelers who choose to travel by private car - for example your bus, boat and ferry tour of Mull, Iona & Staffa was a fantastic way to enjoy traveling independently but without the high carbon footprint of a private driver guide. Thanks again for choosing to travel with us and we hope to have an opportunity to welcome you back again soon!
Annie Hickman review 13 Jul 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Getting a chance to talk with people randomly and finding unexpected connections, and seeing jellyfish and seals up close while kayaking!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Ask lots of questions~3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Peggy Madaisky review 26 May 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Edinburgh was a highlight.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Public transport is easy to use and have good walking shoes!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I would rate this vacation a 9/10 as we had a little problem with the Jacobite Steam train (it was not used for our trip due to extreme fire hazards and we were not informed ahead of time or given option to cancel or have a refund).Laura Wacker review 10 Oct 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The train ride to and from Mallaig from Ft. William was beautiful. Loved going over the Glenfinnan Viaduct.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Allow enough time to visit Skye since it is large, and, perhaps, go in the spring to avoid the rainier season of fall.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I felt we were supporting an important tourism economy. Soon the winter will set it and things will shut down. We also got to see that they need a boost in their employee base, perhaps from students or immigrants, which has disappeared since the pandemic and also new government legislation.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very fun to see the Isle of Skye and to recognize that it is a very large island with many communities. Very interesting and friendly.John Anderson review 10 Oct 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Hiking the hills and valleys in the highlands2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
The Scots are a happy friendly people. Speak with locals whenever possible for great insights3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We hopefully benefited the local communities by staying and eating in locally owned businesses. Reduced environmental impacts by training and bussing rather than driving even walking from stations to accommodation rather than a taxi.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
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