Scotland's Scenic Railways

Next stop, whisky! These train journeys through the Highlands traverse some of Scotland’s most stunning scenery

August 25, 2025 –––––– David Fleming, , , ,

Everybody loves a good train ride, and whisky lovers are often among those fascinated by the romance and history of the rails. Here we’ve assembled train journeys suited to the scotch whisky lover—with stunning views and destinations, mainly in the Highlands. Some are luxury travel experiences with full-on dining and amenities, while others are simply trains offering beautiful views of the countryside on their travels through whisky country.

The Royal Scotsman offers luxury train travel to a variety of Scottish destinations, with trips that include distillery visits as part of the journey.

Certainly, Scotland has a wide array of scenic train rides for whisky lovers to enjoy, as well as great railway history—it’s home to the Flying Scotsman, the most famous steam locomotive of its day when it was built in 1923, which pulled the first non-stop train from London to Edinburgh and became the first locomotive to reach 100 miles an hour (in 1934). But all of these journeys are beautiful excursions through the places where scotch whisky is made, sometimes in classic coaches that capture the romance of bygone days.

The Royal Scotsman

This overnight luxury train is the queen of the Scottish rails, launched in 1985 and now operated by Belmond Ltd., the same company that owns the Orient Express. Like the Orient Express, the Royal Scotsman offers all-inclusive luxury trips with sleeping cars, meals in its opulent dining car, onboard whisky tastings, and entertainment, as well as sightseeing excursions and distillery visits. It offers 14 different train tours ranging from two to seven nights in length—from the Taste of the Highlands to the Grand Tour of Scotland. The most whisky-centric of these is the Scotch Malt Whisky Tour, a four-night journey departing from Edinburgh’s Waverly Station and venturing far up into the western Highlands before returning to Edinburgh. Distillery stops include Glenmo-rangie, Benromach, Tomatin, and Tullibardine, in addition to a visit to Rothiemurchus Estate in Cairngorms National Park. Like the Orient Express, the Royal Scotsman is expensive. Prices start with the two-night Taste of the Highlands trip at £4,800/$6,200, while the Scotch Malt Whisky Tour begins at £9,100/$11,740 a person. The priciest option is the seven-night Grand Tour of Scotland at £24,850/$32,060 a person.

So, you say you might prefer some less expensive options for your Scottish rail adventure? The most affordable are those in the remote western Highlands, where train travel can sometimes be the best way to see the countryside. Here are some options:

The West Highland Line

Considered one of the most scenic train rides in the world, the West Highland line has appeared in movies like “Harry Potter” and “Trainspotting.” The Glenfinnan Viaduct, a tall 21-arch concrete trestle that’s particularly memorable from the “Harry Potter” films, is part of this route. The line runs north from Glasgow to Fort William, and then west to Mallaig in the remote far western Highlands. A second line branches out before reaching Fort William, going west to Oban. Sights along the West Highland line include Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park, Rannoch Moor, and Glenfinnan Viaduct. Distilleries that are nearby or a short driving distance away include Ben Nevis and Oban.

The Jacobite

There is a special steam train service along this line, run by West Coast Railways, that makes an 84-mile round trip from Fort William to Mallaig. Round trip tickets are £105/$136 for first class and £69/$89 for coach. It’s a seasonal line that runs from April to October, seven days a week. While there are no distilleries along the line, this short scenic run makes a great day out, especially if you’re traveling with children.

Along Scotland’s Kyle Line, which runs from Inverness out to Kyle on the west coast. SCOTRAIL

The Kyle Line

Starting from Inverness, the Kyle line is another highly scenic route. The train first heads north to the market town of Dingwall and then turns west, all the way out to the coastal town of Kyle of Lochalsh. The line is 57 miles long, and includes views of Torridon Hills, scenic Plockton Bay, Ben Wyvis, and the Isle of Skye. A round-trip ticket on the Kyle line costs about £65/$84, depending on the day and time. Distilleries nearby include Talisker and Torabhaig, just across the water on the Isle of Skye, as well as Isle of Raasay, all of which can be reached from the end of the line.

The Caledonian Sleeper

If you’re in London, one fun way of getting up to Scotland is by train. The Caledonian Sleeper is the UK’s oldest overnight route, dating back to 1873. Departing from London’s Euston Station, it travels to three destinations in the Highlands: Fort William, Inverness, and Aberdeen.

The trip to Fort William in the far west is the most scenic and remote, with 15 stops in all, including Crianlarich, Rannoch, and Bridge of Orchy. The Inverness route has 14 stops, including Stirling, Gleneagles, Perth, Pitlochry (the closest station to Blair Athol distillery), Blair Athol, and Dalwhinnie. The train to Aberdeen along the east coast has stops at Dundee, Carnoustie, Montrose, and Stonehaven.

The Caledonian Sleeper operates six nights with Saturday/Sunday being the off-night, The service also advertises its Lowland routes from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Lowlands train splits at Carstairs in the Lowlands and proceeds into those two cities before continuing up into the Highlands. The Caledonian Sleeper celebrated 150 years of operation in 2023 and released a limited-edition single malt (200 bottles) to commemorate the occasion. Whiskies served aboard the train include 10 year old expressions of Arran and Isle of Jura, 12 year old bottlings of Glengoyne, Tomatin, and Bunnahabhain, and the no age-statement Nc’Nean Organic.

Distilleries Near Train Stations

A surprisingly high number of scotch whisky distilleries are nearby regular train routes. Here are some destinations that are not far from either Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Inverness, with distilleries within reasonable walking distance of the local station.

Blair Athol Distillery DAVID OSBORN / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO