Transportation in Scotland
International Airports
Scotland’s five main airports operate on a commercial basis.
Aberdeen International Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Glasgow Airport
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
Inverness Airport
Buses
Lothian Buses (https://www.lothianbuses.com/)
First Bus (https://www.firstbus.co.uk/)
Stagecoach Bus (https://www.stagecoachbus.com/)
Border Buses (https://www.bordersbuses.co.uk/)
West Coast Motors (https://www.westcoastmotors.co.uk/)
McGill’s Buses (http://www.mcgillsbuses.co.uk/)
Whitelaws coaches (https://whitelaws.co.uk/)
Xplore Dundee (https://www.xploredundee.com/)
Coaches
Scottish Citylink (https://www.citylink.co.uk/)
Megabus (https://uk.megabus.com/)
National Express (https://www.nationalexpress.com/)
National rail services
ScotRail (https://www.scotrail.co.uk/)
The last few years have seen new and refurbished trains on Scotland’s Railway. After the completed electrification of much of the country’s central belt, a new £370m fleet of 70 class 385 electric trains were introduced. These faster, greener, quieter trains not only offer 44% more capacity for customers and quicker journey times but have also reduced the amount of emissions along the main Edinburgh to Glasgow route by 60%. These trains are helping to contribute to achieving the rail network’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2035.
On routes between Scotland’s seven cities, refurbished High Speed Trains were introduced to deliver greater capacity.
Other operators:
Caledonian Sleeper (https://www.sleeper.scot/)
Caledonian Sleepers are overnight train services running between Scotland and London.
Avanti West Coast (https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/)
London North Eastern Railway (https://www.lner.co.uk/)
CrossCountry (https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/)
TransPennine Express (https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/)
Ferries
Caledonian MacBrayne (https://www.calmac.co.uk/)
Northlink Ferries (https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/)
Orkney Ferries (http://www.orkneyferries.co.uk/)
Pentland Ferries (https://pentlandferries.co.uk/)
Shetland Ferries (https://www.shetland.gov.uk/ferries)
Western Ferries (https://www.western-ferries.co.uk/)
Ferry services between Scotland and Ireland
P&O Ferries (https://www.poferries.com/)
StenaLine (https://www.stenaline.co.uk/)
Taxis
Local operators include:
Central Taxis (https://www.taxis-edinburgh.co.uk/)
City Cabs (https://www.citycabs.co.uk/)
ComCab (https://comcab.co.uk/)
SPT Subway
The Subway is the easiest way to get around the City Centre and West End of Glasgow. Running every four minutes at peak times, it takes just 24 minutes to complete a circuit of the fifteen stations and costs from as little as £1.55 for an adult single to travel anywhere else on the system.
There are two lines. The Inner Circle and Outer Circle, with train operating in each direction.
Edinburgh Trams
The tram line runs from the airport via Haymarket and Princes St to York Pl at the east end of the city centre and is operated by Edinburgh Trams (www.edinburghtrams.com).
Trams run frequently along the route, every 7-9 minutes during the daytime. There are sixteen tram stops along the route, with most stops allowing onward connections to other bus and/or national rail services.
