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Does a Highland Rover ticket include buses on Skye?

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johnyduff

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Hi everybody,
First of all, excuse me if my English is not fluent, I'm a French student but I hope you'll understand my question and be able to answer it.

I'm planning a one-week trip to Scotland in September and I almost booked all my journeys, I just have a question that I can't find the answer on UK sites.
I'd like to buy a Highland Rover ticket, I understood that it covers trains, ferries ans coaches, but what about buses on Isles of Skye (and Mull but it's less important for my trip)?
Are these buses included in the ticket, is there a discount on it, or nothing ???

I found contradictory informations on different websites, maybe it was included and it's not anymore ...:-x

If someone could give me the answer, that would be really kind. I have no fears about that, it's well known Scottish people are ! ;)
 
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yorkie

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Welcome to the forum!

Details of the ticket are available at National Rail Enquiries.

Valid for any 4 out of 8 consecutive days travel.
The Highland Rover entitles holders to unlimited travel on the following services:

  • Rail - ScotRail: Glasgow - Oban / Fort William / Mallaig, Inverness - Kyle of Lochalsh, Inverness - Wick / Thurso, Inverness - Aberdeen, Inverness - Aviemore
  • Ferry - Caledonian MacBrayne: Oban - Mull, Mallaig - Skye
  • Coach - Scottish Citylink: Oban / Fort William - Inverness
  • Coach - Stagecoach in Inverness: Thurso - Scrabster

Discounts are also available on the following services:

  • Ferry - Northlink Ferries: 20% discount on seated Standard fares purchased on the day of sailing on the following routes: Scrabster - Stromness, Aberdeen - Lerwick, Aberdeen -Kirkwall - Lerwick
  • Coach - Tim Dearman Coaches:25% discount on Single and Day Return fares between Inverness and Durness

Which websites suggest that these buses are included? The National Rail Enquiries site is usually accurate and there's no suggestion they are included there.
 

bb21

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Which websites suggest that these buses are included? The National Rail Enquiries site is usually accurate and there's no suggestion they are included there.

Not in The Manual either.

Below is an extract of the information from the staff manual.

FRPP said:
Highland Rover

Validity

Anytime - except on trains arriving before 09:00 Mondays–Fridays at Aberdeen and Inverness.

Valid from:
  • Glasgow to Oban, Mallaig and Fort William
  • Inverness, Aviemore, Kyle Of Lochalsh, Wick, Thurso, Aberdeen and all intermediate stations
  • Standard class travel on the services of all rail operators.

Additional benefits

Also valid on:

  • Scottish Citylink/West Coast Motors services between Inverness and Fort William/Oban and vice versa.
  • Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry services between Oban and Mull, and Mallaig to/from Skye.
  • Stagecoach in the Highlands bus service Thurso – Scrabster

Discounts on:

  • 20% discount on Northlink Ferries on routes between Scrabster and Stromness, Aberdeen and Lerwick, and Aberdeen and Kirkwall
  • 10% discount on D & E Coaches between Inverness and Durness

Some services operate seasonally, customers should check before travelling.
 

johnyduff

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Thanks both for answering.
I found that on a website, unfortunately I can't remember what it was, I found that weeks ago :

The Highland Rover is a great way to explore the West Highland lines or the magnificent Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness line, the Highland Rover lets you choose where and when to travel.

Any 4 out of 8 consecutive days travel for only £72.00
Fare shown valid from 2 January 2009
Your Rover ticket includes:

Rail travel

1. Travel between Glasgow and Oban, Fort William and Mallaig.
2. Travel between Inverness and Wick, Thurso, Kyle of Lochalsh, Aberdeen, Aviemore and intermediate stations (Highland Rovers are NOT valid on trains arriving before 0900 at Aberdeen or Inverness on Mondays to Fridays).

Coach travel

1. Inclusive bus travel on the Isle of Mull with Bowmans Coaches (some services are seasonal - check before travelling). Rovers are NOT valid on scheduled Bowmans Tours.
2. Scottish Citylink bus travel between Oban/Fort William and Inverness.
3. Inclusive bus travel between Thurso and Scrabster with Stagecoach.
4. Inclusive bus travel on the Isle of Skye with Stagecoach (some services are seasonal - check before travelling). Also valid on Stagecoach services between Kyleakin and Kyle of Lochalsh.

For all bus and coach timetable information, call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 (24 hours) or visit www.travelinescotland.com

Ferry travel

1. Inclusive ferry travel between Oban - Mull and Mallaig - Skye with Caledonian MacBrayne. For full details of ferry times please call direct on 01475 650100 or visit www.calmac.co.uk (opens in new window).
2. 20% discount on Northlink Ferries standard fares between Scrabster-Stromness; Aberdeen-Lerwick; and Aberdeen-Kirkwall-Lerwick.

You can get your Highland Rover ticket at staffed railway stations throughout Britain, rail appointed Travel Agents, First ScotRail Telesales (08457 550033).

Conditions

1. Highland Rover tickets are not valid on special excursion trains, or privately owned railways.
2. Tickets are for Standard Class travel only and may not be upgraded to First Class travel, except on ScotRail Weekend First trains.
3. Travel on ScotRail's Caledonian Sleepers is not included within Highland Rover tickets. Sleeper tickets must be purchased separately.
4. Seat reservations are recommended, are free of charge and must be booked by 4pm on the day prior to travel.
5. Cycles can be carried on ScotRail trains subject to space being available, reservations are free of charge. On some trains, advance booking is essential. Cycles on Train for full details


It was in 2009, maybe it was wrong or maybe it has changed since this date.

Second (and last) question if tou are right about the HR, where can I find the tickets prices for Skye buses ? Does it exist all day ticket ?

Thank you, have a good (rainy here) day, all of youuuuuu !!!
 

TWPacer

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Hi - if memory serves me correctly the Freedom of Scotland Travelpass is more generous with bus options compared to the Highland Rover if you are using a lot of buses. I remember I was toying with getting the two different tickets when I did a tour of the Highland lines a few years ago but opted for just the Highland Rover. However, I nearly fell through the floor when I boarded a Scottish Citylink bus at Kyle of Lochalsh and asked for a day return to Portree (on the Isle of Skye) - it was nearly £20 ! Even the driver was embarrassed ! That journey would have been covered by the Travelpass. Saying that local buses are probably a lot cheaper than Citylink coaches for short journeys.
 

Statto

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Hi - if memory serves me correctly the Freedom of Scotland Travelpass is more generous with bus options compared to the Highland Rover if you are using a lot of buses. I remember I was toying with getting the two different tickets when I did a tour of the Highland lines a few years ago but opted for just the Highland Rover. However, I nearly fell through the floor when I boarded a Scottish Citylink bus at Kyle of Lochalsh and asked for a day return to Portree (on the Isle of Skye) - it was nearly £20 ! Even the driver was embarrassed ! That journey would have been covered by the Travelpass. Saying that local buses are probably a lot cheaper than Citylink coaches for short journeys.

Either the prices have come down or you were overcharged for that journey, as i've just looked on Scottish Citylink & day return is £10:50[even open return is £10:50].
 

hluraven

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I have just booked a Highland Rover ticket for a trip in September, I am planining on taking the bus from Inverness to Oban which I believe is covered (do I just show the driver the rover?), but I have pre-booked the bus from Kyle to Portree online as that isn't covered. I got the bus return trip for £14.80 total for 2 people.
 

sdrennan

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Travelled on Highland rover
Local buses not included
I bought a day ticket which was £7 . This allowed me on all local buses including the 52X which starts at Armadale for a round island bus which stops at the Taliskar distillery for an hour and then went to Dunvegan castle for just over an hour z( entry not included) before going to Portree
 

johnnychips

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Walk-on tickets for Scottish buses can seem to be very expensive in the Highlands or Aberdeenshire, but this is often because of an underestimation of how far a journey actually is: I recoiled at a price of over £7 single from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh, but then realised over 40 miles and 100 minutes later that it wasn't that dear at all.

So take advantage of rover tickets.
 

johnyduff

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... but I have pre-booked the bus from Kyle to Portree online as that isn't covered. I got the bus return trip for £14.80 total for 2 people.

Where did you make the pre-booking ? Can you let me know the link ?
 

Ani

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I went to Mull yesterday (4 Sep 2012) with a Freedom of Scotland Travelpass and had to pay £12.00 for a return trip from Craignure to Fionnphort. Bowmans Coaches have not accepted Freedom of Scotland Travelpasses for the past two or three years. Hope this helps. Ani
 
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