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0330 440 3999, monday - friday 9am to 5pm, caledonian travel.

Caledonian Travel Departs From : Glasgow, Tyneside, Teesside, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire

Caledonian Travel is one of the UK’s leading coach holiday companies, offering sensational value short breaks & holidays throughout the UK, Ireland, and Europe, with 1000’s of breaks under £100. The company operates over 70 high-quality, environmentally friendly coaches along with an industry-leading team of trusted drivers and representatives, priding itself on providing fantastic value holidays whilst delivering an outstanding level of customer service as a Feefo Platinum Service Provider. They’ve also been voted for by their customers as ‘Best Large Travel Company for Coach Holidays’ in the British Travel Awards 2022!

With convenient pick-up points in Scotland, the North East and Yorkshire, holidays are easier and more accessible than ever. There’s a range of short breaks and holidays with exciting itineraries included, from day breaks and family attractions to box office breaks and 15-day European tours – there’s something for everyone! You can enjoy a hassle-free holiday with reserved coach seating, inclusive excursions, inclusive admission to most events, and half board with evening entertainment included on most breaks.

• Box Office Breaks – West End Shows , Headliner Concerts, Regional Theatre and Tribute Acts
• Special Events – Flower Shows, Air Shows, Horse Shows and more
• Family Fun – Harry Potter Studios, Theme Parks, Zoos and more
• Weekend and City Breaks
• Seaside Breaks
• Sporting Event Breaks
• Explore Europe and Discover Ireland
• Mystery Surprise Breaks

Low £20 Deposit Your place on most of Caledonian Travel’s short breaks and holidays can be secured with just a £20 deposit per person!

Price Match Promise Caledonian Travel promises to match the price of any exact short break or holiday if you find it cheaper elsewhere, so you always know you’re getting the best price – plus, get a £10 holiday voucher thrown in for good measure!

The Coaches All of Caledonian Travel’s coaches have air-conditioning, individually reclining seats, on-board toilet facilities and experienced drivers who can help make your holiday as enjoyable as possible!

Trust Caledonian You can book with confidence with Caledonian Travel. When you book, your money goes straight into an independent Trust, where it is held until after your break is finished before being released to Caledonian Travel. This means that if your break cannot go ahead due to any government restrictions and advice, your money is 100% safe and is guaranteed to be refunded to you within 7 days. The Gold Standard of Customer Protection!

Office Address:   The Travel Centre, Unit C Millshaw Business Park, Global Avenue, Leeds, England, LS11 8PR

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Coach / Bus Tours in Scotland 2024/2025

Take in the picturesque landscapes and remarkable sights on a guided Coach / Bus adventure of Scotland. There are 74 vacation packages to choose from, that range in length from 2 days up to 17 days. The most popular month for these tours is August.

74 Coach / Bus trips around Scotland with 3,978 reviews

• Coach / Bus

3 Day Loch Ness & Skye

"The accommodations were cozy, with exceptional staff who organize unforgettable activities. The transportation was also very comfortable, punctual, and safe." D, traveled in April 2024

3 Day Isle of Skye

"She was incredibly personable and was always engaging when sharing stories and talking about the history of Scotland." Brittany, traveled in April 2024

• In-depth Cultural

Bonnie Scotland

"The location was beautiful and the trip well organized. Loved the experience!!" Marta, traveled in September 2023

Country Roads of Scotland (Classic, 9 Days)

"Well done. I would recommend the trip to one and all." Robert, traveled in July 2022

Scottish Royal

"The coach was very comfortable and the sites we visited were great. The tour was well organized and well executed." Shon, traveled in May 2023

Hebridean Escape

"Very comprehensive & enjoyable tour." Simon, traveled in September 2023

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

3-Day Orkney Explorer Small-Group Small-Group Tour from Inverness

"He had a lot of historical details and great stories that added to an exceptional experience." Scott, traveled in October 2023

4-Day Islay & the Whisky Coast Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh Including Admissions

"Well organised, interesting and entertaining tour. Pete was a great guide." Andreas, traveled in August 2022

• Christmas & New Year

Isle Of Skye And The Highlands

"A very good organised route & service! Great tour leader Sophie did her best to make the group happy all the time." INEZ, traveled in January 2024

• €75 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Loch Ness, Inverness & The Highlands - from Edinburgh

"Excellent driver/tour guide in Garry. Very knowledgeabke" Tania, traveled in October 2023

Scottish Highlands & Islands

"The tour occasionally strenuous; bus rides whole day. Bus quite confortable; Wi-Fi appreciated." Edith, traveled in May 2017

Best of Scotland (Winter, 7 Days)

"The tour guide Kate was extremely knowledgeable!" Tammy, traveled in February 2020

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• Sightseeing

Scotland and Ireland ( 12 days )

Premium Scotland

4 Day Islay Whisky Tour

"The stay at the Bowmore bed and breakfast was delightful. The food was excellent and the room was clean, cozy and very comfortable." Ashley, traveled in July 2023

Scotland Coach / Bus Tour Reviews

Me and my friend took the 3 day Isle of Skye tour and it exceeded all our expectations. We were lucky to have sunny weather and see the aurora lights but more than that we got really lucky with our tour guide Branka. She had such a positive energy, there was no problem she wouldn’t be able to solve and she had an interesting story to tell about all locations we went to ( plus the whole playlist of music we listen was carefully selected just for the trip). I wouldn’t usually go for a bus tour while on holiday but this one exceeded all my expectations. It’s a great way to see Scotland and learn about the history and culture. Thank you Branka, you’re the best :-) I’ll definitely join your tour again when I’m in Scotland.

Neil was an amazing tour guide, he was always ready with some good and really well coordinated conversation. He able to adapt easily to the needs of the group and knew the sites really well.

The tour started fine; more time in Glasgow would have been better. All we had was a ten-minute bus tour through Glasgow without any information about what was there. At the end of the day, all we got from the tour guide was restaurant suggestions. The travel packet states that we stopped at Loch Ness, but we did not. The tour guide stopped off the road at a parking lot, and we had to walk up a road to look through some bushes and trees and see a partial castle, apparently on Loch Ness. If you were short, you wouldn’t get to see anything. That does not stop at Loch Ness, and the stop at Loch Ness is also listed as a tour highlight for the day, which didn’t happen. There were so many stops we could have made but didn’t. When we stopped at Glenfinnan, the tour guide only talked about the Harry Potter reference, no mention of the Jacobite monument. The tour was constantly filled with Harry Potter references, the guide’s political opinions, and insufficient historical references. No one cares what the tour guide’s political views are; just do your job. Also, at the same stop, it was the only stop with food available, and there was only a little café where several people did not get their orders after they paid, and the tour guide did not care. Some of the people on the tour also missed the monument because the tour guide did not mention it. The Aberdeen Altens Hotel was a complete disaster. The hotel was out in the middle of nowhere. If you didn’t go on the optional excursion, then you were stranded at the hotel with minimal options, such as a pool, where you had to make an appointment to use. It was not available, the hotel had an escape room in the basement which sounds like to beginning of a horror movie, but thankfully it was not open that day, or you could take a taxi where the closet place was a ten minute drive. Still, everything was closed that day, and the taxis don’t drive around the city, so you must remember to take down the number to get back to the hotel. Also, the dinner at this hotel was a disaster; it took over three hours to get through a substandard dinner. The chicken was dry, the potatoes were terrible, the fishcakes were overcooked, and even the dessert was awful. The tour guide didn’t even stay for dinner, and then the following day, she explained that Globus knew about the problem with the amount of time it takes to get dinner and that there was nothing they could do about it. Yes, there is; use a different hotel, location, etc. The fact that this is a known problem and Globus does nothing is despicable. This hotel and location are terrible choices by Globus. The tour of The Royal Yacht Britannia was a waste of time. It seems like it was just a time waster until dinner. Overall, this tour was below satisfactory and not worth the money.

Top operators

"Absolutely recommend!! great oportunity for people interested in beautiful landscapes and history. There are people from different countries and that makes the experience way more fun. The guide was really good, telling stories and showing scottish music!

MacBackpackers is an expert in:

Intrepid Premium is an expert in:

"The Edinburgh to London tour was great! It was an amazing experience. The Globus representatives in Edinburgh and London were very helpful and nice.

Globus is an expert in:

Regions in Scotland

• Northern Scotland (18)
• Scottish Highlands (11)
• Isle Of Skye (8)

Travel Styles

• 10 Best Coach & Bus Companies (with Reviews)
• Scotland Travel Guide | All You Need to Know
• Best 7 Day Scotland Itineraries 2024/2025 (with Reviews)

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Stornoway Bus Station

© VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Explore Scotland Via Bus & Coach Tours

Forget planning a route or worrying about a parking space. A bus or coach tour in Scotland lets you sit back and admire the beautiful landscapes and scenery. We've got everything from week-long guided bus tours of our islands to city bus tours around Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Travelling by Coach & Bus in Scotland

Bus passing Marischal College in Aberdeen

Coach Operators

Most of the inter-city and longer distance coach services around Scotland are provided by: 

• Scottish Citylink
• National Express

Scotland bus tickets can be bought in advance by phone, online, in stations and often on board. For busy routes and when travelling at peak times, such as weekends or national holidays, it's a good idea to book as early as possible to guarantee a seat.

Coach discount fare options

If you plan to do a lot of travelling by coach, save money with multi-journey tickets, such as:

• Explorer Pass  - offers unlimited travel on Scottish Citylink network
• Megarider  - offered by Stagecoach and provides unlimited travel within certain areas
• National Express offers - explore ways to save money on coach travel with National Express

A First bus for Jedburgh in the centre of Kelso, Scottish Borders

© VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins

When travelling by coach, make sure that you check the baggage allowance restrictions. Coaches often have limited space for larger items such as prams, charge for other extra baggage, and have rules on transporting items such as bicycles.

Find more private hire bus and coach companies

Local services

Four main operators, First, Stagecoach, Lothian Buses and National Express, and a number of independent operators, run local bus services in Scotland between the main cities, towns and villages.

Services in cities and towns are usually frequent, while in rural areas there is a reduced service, with more buses running around school times (approximately 8:30am and 3:30pm).

For information on all services in and around Scotland's towns and cities, contact   Traveline Scotland   on 0871 200 22 33.

City Sightseeing bus in Rothesay

MINIBUS AND COACH TOURS

Coach tours of Scotland range from small private day trips and weekend minibus tours to longer coach excursions in more remote places. It's a great way to meet fellow travellers and you can find trips to suit every budget and itinerary.

Find your perfect:

• Minibus tour
• Small coach tour

Coach tour itineraries can be themed by specific interests. Maybe you'd like a tour to historic attractions or you're keen to visit our whisky distilleries and sample a dram? You can choose a tour company who'll create a tailored trip just for you.

CITY BUS TOURS  

Taking a city bus tour in Scotland is an excellent way of finding your feet on the first day of your holiday or squeezing in a last burst of sightseeing. Most of Scotland's cities have guided bus trips which provide a whirlwind tour of the main attractions and in multiple languages. Join themed bus tours such as royal connections or famous ghost stories.

Hop-on/hop-off tours are popular because they get you around the city with interesting information on the way. Some tickets are valid for more than one day, so you can take your time and board the bus as many times as you like.

Find a city tour

The Forth Bridge seen from North Queensferry

© VisitScotland/ Kenny Lam

SELF-DRIVING BUS ROUTE

Sit back and take in the views across the Firth of Forth on a self-driving bus! It’s the most ambitious and complex autonomous bus pilot in the world!

Find out more and book your journey

Find a Coach or Bus Tour

Photography tours by bus or coach.

You can also set off on special photography tours which take you to some of our most stunning Scottish locations.

Princes Street seen from the Scott Monument in Edinburgh

Accessible bus and coach travel

Find out more about accessible travel in Scotland with these partners.

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THE CALEDONIAN EXPRESS

Join us for a real rail adventure as we travel along the West Coast main line to Scotland from the West Midlands. This journey will see Tornado take on some impressive inclines, with stunning scenery en route to Edinburgh.

FRIDAY 12TH JULY

Join us from:

Birmingham New Street

Tame Bridge Parkway

Wolverhampton

Book Online Below

Call Our Booking Office on 01325488215

Every seat on board our mid-century train is situated at a table and is adjacent to a large picture window, ideal for admiring the view along the way!

Tourist Class - Take a seat at a table for four and re-live the joys of the golden age of travel! £125 per person.

First Class Private Compartment  - Book a whole compartment for up to 6 passengers in First Class. Relax in luxury surroundings, with regular hot drinks served through the journey. £1000 for up to 6 people.

Premier Dining  - Travel in the luxury of mid-century First Class carriages, freshly cooked meals served at your table including a Great British breakfast and sumptuous four course supper. £315 per person, option to add guaranteed table for two at £50.

No matter how you choose to travel, you're assured of a memorable day out on 'The Caledonian Express'!

Your Journey

Stopping for passengers between Birmingham and Crewe, the train speeds north and the countryside unfolds as we leave the industrial heartlands of the north west behind. Glimpse the coast at Morecambe before views across to the Lakes herald the start of the steeper climbs along this route. The overall climb from sea level to Shap Summit takes over 30 miles, with the last four miles at 1-in-75 on Shap Bank itself being particularly challenging – it's a hard slog for the locomotive and its crew! Over the top, it’s on to Carlisle and beyond to the Scottish border near Gretna, but no time to pause and get married on this train!

Our journey then takes us racing through the Scottish Lowlands, with their breath-taking wilderness as we traverse pine forests and rugged heathland, before tackling the formidable climb to Beattock Summit. Not content with one notable climb on this journey, Beattock’s formidable fifteen mile climb to the summit required a banker locomotive in the days of steam as its challenging gradient is as steep as 1-in-69. We must hope that Tornado has what it takes to climb it solo on our tour! Incidentally, Beattock’s 1016ft above sea level is over 100ft higher than its counterpart at Shap and marks the highest point on the West Coast Main line. As we pass the summit, we can celebrate by reflecting on a famous moment of railways within the arts. The well-known 1936 GPO film Night Mail featured the route of the northbound postal service along the West Coast Main Line in LMS days and Beattock gets a special mention in the sequence where the poetry of W H Auden is recited to scenes of the Mail train climbing the incline.

'Over the top', and hopefully on time, it’s an easier run for the locomotive as we make our way from Carstairs to Haymarket and into Edinburgh. Arriving via the route adjacent to Princes Street Gardens, it’s possible to catch a view of the imposing castle before arrival at Waverley.

Passengers have just under 3 hours to explore Edinburgh, with its many historic and gastronomical attractions, before the return journey, hauled by modern traction to speed us home.

Edinburgh is Scotland’s compact, hilly capital. Packed with medieval tenements, narrow wynds of the Old Town and the sweeping elegance of the Georgian New Town, there’s no question that Edinburgh deserves its reputation as one of the most stunning and enthralling cities in the world. With a plethora of world-class visitor attractions, sightseeing in Edinburgh is pretty easy.

The locale around Princes Street is the main shopping area in the city centre, with souvenir shops and larger chain stores. George Street, north of Princes Street, is the preferred location for some upmarket shops and independent stores.

Looming over the city is Edinburgh Castle, (pre-booking required) home to Scotland’s crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny, used in the coronation of Scottish rulers. This most famous of Scottish castles has a complex building history. 

Head to the bottom of the famous Royal Mile and you’ll find the 17th century Palace of  Holyroodhouse, the modern parliament building and the prehistoric extinct volcano famously known as Arthur’s Seat standing proudly next to each other. 

One of the best ways to take in the whole city is to hop on one of the City Sightseeing bus tours where you can explore both Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns. Their specially trained Guides and audio tours will delight you with interesting tales of Edinburgh, past and present.

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Important notice.

We are moving to our new works this week and our office will be closed during this time and we will not be available to answer any calls or emails. Online donations and bookings will be unaffected.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Caledonian Travel - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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