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Weekend 3-day short break by rail to Scotland

Accommodation & guided tour in Edinburgh, with options for free time or guided Highland Tour

Edinburgh skyline, Scotland
Enjoy a 3-day weekend in Edinburgh and Highlands

Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train - 3-day break

Enjoy a 3-day weekend tour to the enchanting and beautiful country of Scotland on this city break to Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands.

This tour offers value for money and flexibility, staying two 2 nights in Edinburgh, with the journey between London and Edinburgh by fast train.

The tour thus offers three full days in Scotland with great flexibility to spend all the time In Edinburgh or take time-out for tours to the Highlands of Scotland, whisky tasting etc to get a wider perspective of what Scotland has to offer.

This tour was suspended fully in 2023. We await more information regarding the 2024 season.

Weekend 3 Day Short Break By Train to Edinburgh and Highlands Tour Ticketing

Tour highlights   Tour details   Day 1 itinerary   Day 2 itinerary   Day 3 itinerary   Hotel accommodation   Prices & reservations  

edinburgh skyline

3-DAY SCOTLAND BREAK WITH 3 OR 4* HOTEL

Edinburgh skyline

(Tour currently unavailable in 2024)

3-Day Scotland excursion from London by high speed train

• Travel by high speed train • 2 nights 3* hotel in Edinburgh city centre with breakfast • Panoramic coach tour on arrival with a local professional guide • Full day of sightseeing • Optional tours to Loch Ness & Scottish Highlands and Ghosts & Ghouls guided walk • Arrival and departure transfer to and from your hotel


3-day weekend break by rail to Scotland tour highlights

Ross Fountain, Edinburgh Castle in background
Ross Fountain and Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Holyrood House, Scotland
Holyrood House, Edinburgh
  • Return travel in standard class from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh by high-speed train

  • A two hour professionally guided tour of Scotland's Capital, Edinburgh

  • Two nights 3* accommodation in a central Edinburgh hotel with breakfast (with upgrade options)

  • Services of Tour Manager for entire duration of the tour

  • Option to purchase add on experiences: Loch Ness & Highlands Tour and Ghosts & Ghouls Evening Tour

  • Free time to explore Edinburgh at your leisure

On arrival in Edinburgh you will be taken on a panoramic sightseeing tour of Edinburgh, on board an executive coach, after which you check in to your hotel.

You can be as independent as you like. You can join the tour manager for perhaps a whisky tasting or try some haggis in the evening, or upgrade to go on the 'Ghost and Ghouls Tour', giving you a chance to explore some of the city's haunted places.

The second day a full day tour of the Scottish Highlands is on offer including Loch Ness and Glen Coe. On your final day you will have time to visit Edinburgh Castle or perhaps The National Museum of Scotland.

Your package includes two nights 3* accommodation in Edinburgh city centre, a guided tour of the city and a chance to travel to the stunning Scottish Highlands to visit mysterious Loch Ness and the magnificent mountain scenery of Glen Coe and Rannoch Moor. 

3-day weekend tour of Edinburgh from London details

Tour runs one Friday a month (Saturday if a national holiday on the Monday).

Friday

6.15am - check in at London Kings Cross Railway Station, 7am - departure

11.22am - arrival in Edinburgh.

 

Sunday

2.30pm - train leaves from Waverley Sation

8.27pm - arrival back at London Kings Cross Railway Station.

Day 1: Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train - what to expect

Edinburgh Castle skyline at night.
Visit the Crown Jewels of Scotland at Edinburgh Castle

An early start leaving London at 7am will see you in Scotland by 11.22 am. Upon leaving the train your guide will transfer you to the coach for an eye opening informative tour of Scotland's capital city.

Heading to the Royal Mile that links the Palace of Holyrood House with the ancient Edinburgh Castle, you will see the High Kirk of St Giles (the cathedral), the old Parliament Square and the Castle Esplanade. Here you will stand outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse and learn of Scottish Royalty, of King David, Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots.

Journeying from the Old Town towards the New Town your coach will take you up Calton Hill to see the National Monument and admire the view towards Arthur's Seat, a 250m high rocky crag that lies within the whole city.

You will have an opportunity to learn of Scotland's writers, Robbie Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson, view their memorials and see where they lived.

Driving back through the elegant squares and terraces of the New Town you are taken to your nearby accommodation where you can have a late lunch and explore some of the excellent free museums your guide will have talked about on the tour.

Optional meal in Edinburgh inn or Ghosts & Ghouls evening tour

In the evening you can choose to join your guide in one of Edinburgh's historic pubs to try local whiskies and maybe some haggis.

Alternatively you can spend a spine tingling evening with ghoulish tales on the ever-popular ghost tour around the great city.

Day 2: Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train - what to expect

Scottish Highlands
Enjoy a guided visit of the Scottish Highlands

Edinburgh free time

Enjoy a full free day in Edinburgh to visit one of the many amazing attractions on offer. You could take a walk down the Royal Mile, or a trip to Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. There will be an opportunity to visit Edinburgh Castle on day three.

 

Or optional guided Scottish Highlands visit

If you have chosen our upgrade option to the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness prepare to see some amazing scenery.

Entry to the stunning Urquhart Castle & the beautiful Cruise on the Loch Ness are both included in the upgrade price.

This tour is a full day out into Scotland's wild and rugged landscape leaving city life far behind as we head into the mountains and moors.

Full details of this tour are on the tour detail and booking page linked from the price banner at the foot of this page.

Day 3: Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train - what to expect

Monument of Scotland, Scotland
Monument of Scotland

Free morning in Edinburgh to explore

Our final day in Edinburgh begins with a free morning after breakfast. Popular choices include the National Museum of Scotland (entry is free) or Edinburgh Castle (approx £20 per person). 

Your departure transfer coach will collect you from your accommodation in time for the 2.30pm departure from Edinburgh Waverley station to London.

Your hotel accommodation - a choice of options

Leonardo Hotel, Edinburgh
Leonardo Hotel, Edinburgh

There are various grades of accommodation on offer to suit your pocket.

The standard package uses a minimum of 3-star rated accommodation with upgrade options upon request for 4- or 5-star properties.

Edinburgh is a very seasonal destination, during the peak summer months, the best deal accommodation is soon sold out.

Prices & tour reservations

Prices displayed on the banner link are the current prices for this tour. Sometimes on special occasions there may be slight changes to the tour, dates or price so do check on the booking page linked below. Extra dates are often put on around long holiday weekends, notably Easter and New Year.

Prices vary depending on departure date reflecting the seasonal accommodation rates in Edinburgh.

You will be emailed a confirmation with a booking reference after reservation. The booking reference and the name of the person ordering is all that you need to quote when joining the tour, there are no paper tickets.

On the tour detail page from the link below, there is a date drop-down at the top right of the page, which depicts which dates still have availability. By selecting your required date you start the reservation process. Once we list a date for operation it is guaranteed to run, there are no minimum numbers.

edinburgh skyline

3-DAY SCOTLAND BREAK WITH 3 OR 4* HOTEL

Edinburgh skyline

(Tour currently unavailable in 2024)

3-Day Scotland excursion from London by high speed train

• Travel by high speed train • 2 nights 3* hotel in Edinburgh city centre with breakfast • Panoramic coach tour on arrival with a local professional guide • Full day of sightseeing • Optional tours to Loch Ness & Scottish Highlands and Ghosts & Ghouls guided walk • Arrival and departure transfer to and from your hotel


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