We're looking at touring Scotland using the Scottish Grand Tour ticket https://www.scotrail.co.uk/tickets/combined-tickets-travel-passes/scottish-grand-tour
This is described as giving four days'’ travel over eight consecutive days on the West Highland Line, Kyle Line, and Highland Main Line, travelling in one direction, clockwise or anti-clockwise. It also includes ferry travel between Mallaig and Armadale on Skye, and coach travel on Skye between Armadale and Kyle of Lochalsh. The ticket is £58.75 each with a railcard and so is good value. It is in looking how it can practically be used that questions have arisen.
The website gives a suggested itinerary of (in either direction), Glasgow-Mallaig, then the ferry to Skye, the coach to Kyle of Lochalsh, then the train to Inverness, followed by the Highland Line to Glasgow or Edinburgh.
However, further down the webpage it states that 'From 21 October 2019 there are no direct public bus services between Armadale ferry terminal on Skye and Kyle of Lochalsh train station. Bus connections are available but limited, will take longer and may require a stopover. Check timetables at www.stagecoachbus.co.uk'
It is more than a little odd for a change in 2019 to still be a footnote further down the page. On checking the Stagecoach website, it does indeed appear to now involve two buses on long infrequent journeys. However, the Grand Tour webpage does not make clear whether the ticket is valid on these buses rather than the coach referred to above. Does anyone know?
Moreover, should one decide that this two bus option is too long and unpredictable, and so to give Skye a miss, it is not clear what other itineraries the ticket could practically be used for, bearing in mind the one direction, clockwise or anti-ckockwise requirement, and so doubling back is not an option.
It is also slightly ambiguous which lines the ticket can be used on. The lines menntioned above are listed on those where it is valid. However, it states elsewhere on the webpage that you can 'travel Standard class at any time, except on the Highland Main Line and between Glasgow and Edinburgh on weekdays before 09.15'. That implies it is valid on Glasgow-Edinburgh after 0915, yet that is not one of the lines listed above.
Can anyone help clarify the lines for which the ticket is valid, amd give practical suggestions on itineraries, given the limitations listed above?
This is described as giving four days'’ travel over eight consecutive days on the West Highland Line, Kyle Line, and Highland Main Line, travelling in one direction, clockwise or anti-clockwise. It also includes ferry travel between Mallaig and Armadale on Skye, and coach travel on Skye between Armadale and Kyle of Lochalsh. The ticket is £58.75 each with a railcard and so is good value. It is in looking how it can practically be used that questions have arisen.
The website gives a suggested itinerary of (in either direction), Glasgow-Mallaig, then the ferry to Skye, the coach to Kyle of Lochalsh, then the train to Inverness, followed by the Highland Line to Glasgow or Edinburgh.
However, further down the webpage it states that 'From 21 October 2019 there are no direct public bus services between Armadale ferry terminal on Skye and Kyle of Lochalsh train station. Bus connections are available but limited, will take longer and may require a stopover. Check timetables at www.stagecoachbus.co.uk'
It is more than a little odd for a change in 2019 to still be a footnote further down the page. On checking the Stagecoach website, it does indeed appear to now involve two buses on long infrequent journeys. However, the Grand Tour webpage does not make clear whether the ticket is valid on these buses rather than the coach referred to above. Does anyone know?
Moreover, should one decide that this two bus option is too long and unpredictable, and so to give Skye a miss, it is not clear what other itineraries the ticket could practically be used for, bearing in mind the one direction, clockwise or anti-ckockwise requirement, and so doubling back is not an option.
It is also slightly ambiguous which lines the ticket can be used on. The lines menntioned above are listed on those where it is valid. However, it states elsewhere on the webpage that you can 'travel Standard class at any time, except on the Highland Main Line and between Glasgow and Edinburgh on weekdays before 09.15'. That implies it is valid on Glasgow-Edinburgh after 0915, yet that is not one of the lines listed above.
Can anyone help clarify the lines for which the ticket is valid, amd give practical suggestions on itineraries, given the limitations listed above?
. Fair enough to warn that you might not be able to do (say) Ft William to Inverness in a day, which I expect some might try.
