Scottish Life Magazine: Train Travel In Scotland

The easiest way to book your train travel is through Rail Europe, which serves more than 1.2 million North American travelers annually. Their Web site describes the full range of European rail products available, and features award-winning interactive rail maps, lists of money-saving promotions and special offers, as well as providing train tickets for trips throughout Scotland, Britain and Europe. Whether you want a Britrail Pass good for unlimited travel in Scotland, a reservation on the Edinburgh-to-Glasgow train or a ticket on the Eurostar train to Paris via the "Chunnel," Rail Europe can provide it all in one easy stop.

The Web sites listed below for individual train operators are less user friendly, and in some cases are frustrating to use, but they may provide you with useful information on train schedules and the like:

You are most likely to be taking First Scotrail's trains if you are just traveling within Scotland, especially if you are traveling to the more rural destinations in the Scottish Highlands. The company also offers a convenient route between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The Great North Eastern Railway, or GNER, has trains running every hour between Edinburgh and London, as well as offering services up to Aberdeen and Inverness.

National Rail can help you plan your train trip by integrating the timetables of different railway companies and routes.

The Trainline offers help to travelers by searching out the cheapest fares for any journey in Britain...and letting you buy your train ticket online.

Virgin Trains' Web site offers online booking and news about this company's U.K.-wide service. And if you're interested in going to Paris and beyond via the Chunnel, go to Eurostar.