Overview
The Belmond Royal Scotsman is not really a train in the way most people understand the word. It is a touring hotel on rails, threading out of Edinburgh into the Highlands at a pace that has nothing to do with getting somewhere quickly and everything to do with the getting there itself.
This is a journey built around slowness, whisky, tweed-lined lounges and the sense that the Highlands are best absorbed from a moving window rather than a car windscreen. It suits travellers who see rail touring as an occasion rather than a commute.
There is no pretending this is a budget or a mainstream way to see Scotland. It is a deliberately indulgent, small-scale way of doing it, and everything about the experience — route, pace, onboard life — should be checked and booked directly with Belmond, since it varies by season and itinerary.
Key facts
| From | Edinburgh |
|---|---|
| To | Scottish Highlands |
| Operator | Belmond |
The route: Edinburgh to the Highlands
The journey begins in Edinburgh, a city whose own railway heritage sets the tone before the train has even left the platform, and heads north into landscapes that change character the further you travel. The lowland scenery around the capital gives way gradually to the wilder, emptier country the Highlands are known for.
Exactly how the route unfolds depends on the itinerary chosen, since the Royal Scotsman operates various touring patterns through the region rather than a single fixed point-to-point line. What stays constant is the general shift from urban Edinburgh to the more remote, dramatic terrain of the Scottish Highlands, with the train itself acting as a slow-moving vantage point over that transition.
Timetable and how to book
Because this is a touring service built around multi-day itineraries rather than a daily commuter timetable, departures and durations vary by season and by the specific tour chosen. There is no fixed everyday schedule to quote, and travellers should not expect it to run like a regular intercity service.
The only sensible approach is to check current itineraries, seasonal availability and departure dates directly with Belmond. Booking well ahead is standard practice for this kind of small-capacity touring train, and the operator will confirm actual timings, duration and route specifics for any given season.
Fares and classes
Belmond structures the Royal Scotsman experience around different grades of cabin and suite, and while none of the specific pricing can be stated here, the general distinction between them is physical: differences in cabin space, the standard of furnishings, and the size and outlook of the windows. Higher-grade accommodation typically offers a more generous sense of space and a more elevated standard of finish throughout.
What tends to unite all classes on a service like this is the inclusion of meals, onboard hospitality and the shared lounge and dining carriages, so the differences are felt mainly in personal space and cabin comfort rather than in what activities or dining you can access. For exact fare levels, cabin types and what is included in each, the only reliable source is Belmond's own current tariff.
Which side to sit, and getting the best views
On a touring train moving through varied Highland terrain, the single most useful piece of advice is to stay flexible rather than fix yourself to one side of the carriage. Because the train curves through glens, lochsides and open moorland, the best outlook tends to swap from one side to the other as the route unfolds.
Panoramic or larger windows, where fitted, are designed precisely so passengers are not overly dependent on which side they happen to be sitting. Observation or lounge cars, common on this style of touring train, are usually the best place to head when the landscape becomes particularly dramatic, since they offer a wider, less obstructed outlook than a standard cabin window.
Onboard experience
Life on board a service like the Royal Scotsman revolves around slow, sociable hospitality rather than functional transit. Expect wood-panelled interiors, dining carriages set for proper meals, and lounge spaces designed for lingering with a drink while the scenery goes past rather than rushing through a journey.
Catering is a central part of the experience, with meals forming a structured part of each day aboard rather than an optional extra bought from a trolley. Panoramic windows throughout the carriages are intended to keep the Highland scenery constantly present, in the cabin, the dining car, or one of the lounge carriages.
Best season to travel
The Highlands change dramatically across the year, and a journey on the Royal Scotsman will feel quite different depending on when you travel. Spring and early summer tend to bring longer daylight hours, which matters enormously on a scenic touring train where the view is the point.
Autumn brings its own draw, with the changing colours across the glens and hillsides adding another layer to the landscape outside the window. Winter journeys, where operated, offer a starker, quieter version of the same country. Since operating patterns and seasonal itineraries are set by Belmond, it is worth checking directly which time of year suits the specific route and experience you want.
Alternatives and onward connections
From the Scottish Highlands, travellers typically have the option of connecting onward to other parts of Scotland by regular rail services, by road, or by returning south towards Edinburgh, depending on how the specific Royal Scotsman itinerary concludes. Because this is a touring product rather than a simple A-to-B ticket, onward planning should factor in where the tour actually finishes.
Those who want a taste of Highland rail travel without the touring-train format can also look at Scotland's standard scheduled rail network, which reaches many of the same general regions, albeit with a completely different pace and level of onboard service. The two are not really substitutes for one another so much as different ways of engaging with the same landscape.
History and context
The Royal Scotsman belongs to a tradition of luxury rail touring that draws on the romance of an earlier era of train travel, when a long-distance rail journey was itself considered part of the holiday rather than simply a means of reaching one. Belmond's approach to the train reflects that heritage, styling the onboard experience around a sense of vintage travel rather than modern high-speed transit.
This positions the Royal Scotsman less as a piece of contemporary railway infrastructure and more as a continuation of a particular style of touring that has existed, in various forms, for a long time in Scotland and beyond.
Common questions
- Is the Belmond Royal Scotsman a normal train service I can just turn up and board?
- No. It operates as a small-capacity touring train with its own itineraries, booked in advance through Belmond, rather than a scheduled point-to-point service you can simply catch.
- How much does a journey on the Royal Scotsman cost?
- Pricing depends on cabin grade, itinerary and season, and is set by Belmond. Check directly with the operator for current fares rather than relying on any figure quoted elsewhere.
- Which side of the train has the best views between Edinburgh and the Highlands?
- There is no single best side, since the route passes through varied scenery on both sides. Staying flexible, and using any observation or lounge car when available, tends to give the fullest experience.
- What is included in the fare?
- Journeys of this type generally include meals, onboard hospitality and access to shared lounge and dining carriages, with the main differences between classes being cabin space and finish rather than what is included. Confirm exact inclusions with Belmond.
- When is the best time of year to travel?
- Spring and summer offer longer daylight for scenery, autumn brings seasonal colour to the glens, and winter offers a starker, quieter landscape. The right season depends on personal preference and on which itineraries Belmond is operating.
On the map
Sources & method
- OpenStreetMap route=train (ODbL) — route
See our methodology for how Head Your Way sources and reviews travel data.