Firebird Tours · Private tour

Scotland Train Explorer

Private 8-day Scotland rail tour featuring the Jacobite steam train

Scotland Train Explorer, a rail journey with Firebird Tours

Firebird Tours runs this 8-day private tour of Scotland, with a private guide and driver for most of the trip and a group excursion on day 6 aboard the Jacobite steam train, the train used in the Harry Potter films. The trip is based in Edinburgh for four nights and Inverness for three, opening with a 4-hour guided walk along the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle before a day trip by train to Glasgow to see its Victorian and art nouveau architecture. From Inverness, day 5 is a self-guided ride on an old steam train through Cairngorms National Park to Aviemore, followed by the guided Jacobite excursion through the Scenic Highlands. Trains link every city on the route, with standard rail service between Edinburgh and Glasgow and a 2nd class seat service to and from Inverness. Firebird describes the pace as moderate, suiting travelers who want Scotland's history and Highland scenery covered by rail with a guide handling logistics rather than an independent, self-planned trip.

What to know before you look closer

  • Day 5's steam train ride to Aviemore is self-guided, unlike the rest of the private, guided itinerary.
  • Day 6's Jacobite steam train excursion is a group tour of up to 34 people, not the private guide and driver used on other days.
  • Rail travel between Edinburgh and Inverness is booked in standard 2nd class seating, not a premium or scenic railcar class.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Apex Waterloo Place Hotel, Edinburgh

    Edinburgh Arrival

    Private airport transfer to the hotel; free day to explore.

  2. Day 2overnight: Apex Waterloo Place Hotel, Edinburgh

    Edinburgh Royal Mile

    4-hour guided tour of the Old Town along the Royal Mile, with Edinburgh Castle entrance included (Honours of Scotland, Mons Meg, One O'Clock Gun).

  3. Day 3railovernight: Apex Waterloo Place Hotel, Edinburgh

    Train Tour to Glasgow

    Short train ride to Glasgow for a guided walking tour of its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, with time to visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery or Burrell Collection, before returning to Edinburgh.

  4. Day 4railovernight: AC Hotel by Marriott Inverness

    Departure to Inverness

    Train from Edinburgh to Inverness (2nd Class Seat, approx. 4h).

  5. Day 5railovernight: AC Hotel by Marriott Inverness

    Old Steam Train Adventures in Aviemore (Self-exploration)

    Self-guided old steam train ride from Inverness through Cairngorms National Park to Aviemore and back, with free time in Aviemore.

  6. Day 6railovernight: AC Hotel by Marriott Inverness

    Group Harry Potter Train & The Scenic Highlands

    Group tour of Highland sites plus a ride on the iconic Jacobite steam train, up to 34 people.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Apex Waterloo Place Hotel, Edinburgh

    Departure to Edinburgh

    Train from Inverness back to Edinburgh (2nd Class Seat, approx. 4h).

  8. Day 8

    Edinburgh Departure

    Private airport transfer for departure.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2A 4-hour guided tour of the Old Town along the Royal Mile, with Edinburgh Castle entrance included, taking in the Honours of Scotland, Mons Meg and the One O'Clock Gun.
  • Day 3A short train ride to Glasgow for a guided walking tour of its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, with time at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery or Burrell Collection.
  • Day 5A self-guided old steam train ride from Inverness through Cairngorms National Park to Aviemore.
  • Day 6Rides the Jacobite steam train, the Harry Potter Train, through the Scenic Highlands on a group tour of up to 34 people.

Included

  • Exceptional downtown hotel accommodations
  • Guided sightseeing tours with expert English-speaking guides
  • Delicious breakfasts at your hotels
  • Entrances to Scott Monument, Edinburgh Castle and more
  • Tickets and intercity transportation as per itinerary
  • Professional meeting services at the airport
  • Dedicated support team before and during your trip

Questions travellers ask

Is this a private tour?
Yes, Firebird Tours provides a private guide and driver throughout, except for the Harry Potter Train day, which is a group tour of up to 34 people.
Which trains are included?
Standard rail service between Edinburgh and Glasgow, a 2nd class seat train from Edinburgh to Inverness, a self-guided old steam train from Inverness to Aviemore, and the Jacobite steam train through the Scenic Highlands.
What hotels are used?
Four nights at the Apex Waterloo Place Hotel in Edinburgh and three nights at the AC Hotel by Marriott in Inverness.
How much walking is involved?
The operator describes the pace as moderate, and day 2 includes a 4-hour guided walking tour of Edinburgh's Royal Mile.
What is the price?
The tour starts at 3228 USD, about 404 USD per day.
Is the Aviemore steam train ride guided?
No, day 5's old steam train ride to Aviemore is self-guided free time.

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