Getting Around, Inverness Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Inverness, Scotland, UK)

Most visitors to Inverness travel here by coach or use train transport from Edinburgh or Glasgow. Inverness boasts its own small domestic airport with regular flights from a few cities around the UK, like London, Glasgow and Edinburgh, suiting those wishing to travel to the city in a hurry.

The city is easily compact enough to walk around the downtown core, where most of the shopping, dining and tourist attractions are located. If you need transport around town, a taxi is your best bet, with transportation to surrounding towns and attractions being easiest managed with a rental car. With all the amazing scenery in this part of the Scottish Highlands, you will certainly want to get out and about if you have the time.

Inverness Airport (INV) / Arriving by Air

Address: Dalcross, Inverness, Scotland, UK
Tel: +44 01667 464 000
Located just 16 km / 10 miles to the east of the city, Inverness Airport isn't a major hub for air travel in and out of Scotland, but it does service a decent selection of flights from around the UK. This is only a domestic airport, so it is more likely you will fly into Glasgow or Edinburgh if you arriving from an international destination. Frequent flights arrive from London's Gatwick, Belfast, Birmingham, Orkney, Shetland and a few other destinations, with the main airlines including EasyJet and Flybe. A number of seasonal summer flights are also available, connecting Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Jersey, Palma de Mallorca and Southampton.

The small but pleasant terminal has car hire offices and other expected amenities. Being so nearby, the easiest way to get into the city from the airport is by taxi, via the A96.

Car Rental

While it is not necessary to rent a car to get around the city of Inverness, if you plan to explore the Highlands and in particular travel to the Cairngorms National Park (which is a very good idea), then you will definitely want your own set of wheels. This can be arranged at the airport, where you will find a couple of the leading UK car hire firms, or in the city itself. Stop by the tourist office and check out their useful car hire brochure dedicated to renting a car in this region of Scotland.

Book your Inverness Car Rental here.

Buses and Coaches

Several coach companies run regular buses to Inverness from around the UK. National Express is the main player in this arena and a reliable choice. A popular route with National Express is the direct overnight London to Inverness bus, which runs once a day and takes approximately 13 hours. The long-distance bus terminal is located just off Academy Street at Farraline Park.

Scottish Citylink provides bus transport to other cities and towns around Scotland, with frequent services every day between Edinburgh (four hours), Fort William (two hours), Glasgow (four hours), the Isle of Skye (three hours and 30 minutes), Thurso (three hours and 30 minutes) and Ullapool (one hour and 30 minutes). There are some 50 different bus routes within the city itself, operated mainly by Stagecoach Inverness or Rapsons Highland. They cover the metropolitan area as well as neighbouring towns such as Nairn.

Trains

The Scottish rail service makes its way to Inverness every day from Glasgow (three hours and 30 minutes) and Edinburgh (three hours and 15 minutes). You can expect several daily trains travelling to these destinations from the city's train station, which is located at Station Square, just off Academy Street. Other long-distance trains travel between Aberdeen (two hours and 15 minutes), London (eight hours), Thurso (four hours) and Wick (four hours). Those using train transport to reach the village of Kyle of Lochalsh will find this journey to be exceptionally scenic.

Also available is the Inverness rail network, which runs commuter trains to surrounding towns like Dingwall, Tain, Beauly, Nairn and others in all directions. These local trains are a great way to get to nearby destinations.

Taxis

Taxis are by far the most efficient way to get around Inverness, especially after hours. Most bus transport stops or becomes very low-frequency after 19:00, meaning that a taxi is likely your only option after dark. The fares to popular spots around the area are relatively cheap when compared to places like London, and while you may spot a classic black cab once in a while, the majority of taxis here are just licensed minicabs.

Boats and Ferries

Travelling to Inverness by boat is not a common mode of travel. However, the Caledonian Canal provides an excellent leisure cruise if you are a fan of getting out on the water. This historic canal links Fort William with Beauly Firth by passing through Loch Ness. This is a fantastic trip and takes in some extremely scenic Highland countryside.