Queen of Scots 2026

Duration

8 Days

Departure Dates

5th June 2026, 17th July 2026, 25th September 2026

Prices from

£2,285 Per person

Experience a truly magical circular tour of the Scottish Highlands discovering some of the most stunning scenery and landscapes. Enjoy spectacular rail journeys including the magnificent Jacobite Steam Train and the nostalgic Strathspey Steam Railway plus Scotland's "Great Railway Journey of the World". Cruise to the Isles of Mull and Iona, indulge in a whisky distillery tasting, and enjoy free time to explore the picturesque city of Inverness.

Overview
Itinerary
Further Information
Departure Dates
Helpful Links

Oban ©Shutterstock

8 days from £2,285

DEPARTS

Friday 5 June 2026

Friday 17 July 2026

Friday 25 September 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Journey by train on the stunning West Highland Line
Take a cruise on Loch Katrine aboard the 'Lady of the Lake'
Indulge in a tour and tasting at a local whisky distillery
Steam on the famous "Harry Potter" Jacobite train to Mallaig
See the Bonnie Prince Charlie monument at the head of Loch Shiel
Cross the magnificent Glenfinnan Viaduct
Take in the lovely scenery through the Great Glen alongside Loch Ness
Experience the "Great Railway Journey of the World" to Kyle of Lochalsh
Steam on the nostalgic Strathspey Steam Railway
Visit the remarkable Ballindalloch Castle & Gardens
Enjoy free time to explore Inverness, the capital of the Highlands

Also included in your Tour Fare:

7 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal plus 1 lunch
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 1

For those on our rail inclusive package, we travel by train to Glasgow where we meet the Tour Manager before our first Great Railway Journey along the West Highland Line along the shores of the Clyde and past Loch Lomond to Crianlarich where our hotel, for three nights, is the Crianlarich Hotel, just a short walk from the train station.

DAY 2

Today, a day of lochs, glens, and islands awaits as we take our second spectacular Great Railway Journey on the western branch of the West Highland Line to Oban where we cruise to the Isle of Mull and onto Iona with time to view Iona's famous abbey. On return to Oban, we have some free time before making the rail journey back to our hotel in Crianlarich in time for our evening meal.

B, D

DAY 3

After breakfast today, we explore the Trossachs National Park and enjoy a cruise on Loch Katrine on board the 'Lady of the Lake', named after the famous poem by Sir Walter Scott. When we are back on dry land, we head to a local distillery for a tour and tasting of Scotland's biggest export - whisky - before returning to the hotel for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 4

Today, we transfer to Fort William to continue our adventure aboard the magnificent Jacobite Steam Train to Mallaig journeying over the impressive Glenfinnan Viaduct, capturing views of Bonnie Prince Charlie's monument, Loch Eilt, and Loch Shiel. There is time to explore the picturesque harbour town of Mallaig, with its majestic views across to the Isle of Skye, before we return to Fort William and board our private coach to Inverness. We travel through the dramatic Great Glen alongside the serene Loch Ness to our hotel for the next four nights, The Palace Hotel & Spa, where we enjoy our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 5

Today, we take the amazing Kyle Line train, Scotland's original 'Great Railway Journey of the World', coast-to-coast through stunning scenery and across mountain plateau. Look out for wild deer, eagles, and the palm trees of Plockton Village, before dramatic sea vistas are revealed as we arrive at Kyle of Lochalsh. Here we enjoy a light lunch in the renowned Kyle Hotel, overlooking the Isle of Skye, before retracing our steps to Inverness.

B, L, D

DAY 6

After breakfast this morning, we begin a wonderful circular trip commencing with a steam excursion on the preserved section of the Highland Line known as the Strathspey Steam Railway passing through woods and alongside the meandering River Spey on a nostalgic journey. We continue by coach to Ballindalloch Castle & Gardens, a remarkable Highland Estate where we can explore 500-years of history, acres of beautiful gardens, and riverside walks before continuing by road through fantastic Highland scenery to Inverness in time for our evening meal.

B, D

DAY 7

Today, we spend the day at leisure to relax at the hotel or discover Inverness at your own pace. You may wish to make use of the hotel's spa facilities, explore the iconic castles of Inverness, visit the magnificent cathedral church, or take an excursion to spot the Loch Ness Monster. This evening, we reconvene at the hotel for our final evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 8

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Inverness and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

HOTEL

Crianlarich Hotel, Crianlarich

Set in the Scottish Highlands, the Crianlarich Hotel is a family-run hotel with an award-winning restaurant serving fresh, delicious cuisine, and a cosy bar. The comfortable bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

Palace Hotel & Spa, Inverness

Nestled on the banks of the River Ness, opposite Inverness Castle, the Palace Hotel & Spa offers an elegant bar and restaurant, a relaxing lounge, and a superb leisure club with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and gymnasium. The individually styled bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with a hairdryer, a flat-screen TV, ironing facilities, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Out - Euston, Rtn - Kings Cross	£2,769	£2,565
Greater London	£2,805	£2,579
South of England	£2,865	£2,615
East Anglia	£2,869	£2,615
South West	£3,049	£2,729
Heart of England	£2,859	£2,615
Midlands	£2,789	£2,569
Yorkshire	£2,705	£2,525
North East	£2,619	£2,479
North West	£2,729	£2,519
South Wales	£2,929	£2,649
North Wales	£2,835	£2,585
Scotland	£2,405	£2,359
Join & Leave at Hotels	£2,310
Single Traveller Supplement	£800
Deposit	£230

*Please Note: Some local and regional train services are Standard Class seating only and First Class ticket holders will travel in standard class accommodation for these sections of their journey.

£25 tour discount for holders of National Railcards

July Departure Supplement £130

September Departure Supplement £170

7 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal plus 1 lunch

Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class)

Rail & coach travel, with transfers as described

All excursions & admissions as detailed

Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

Important – Please select the number of passengers before proceeding to ‘Book Now’

Number of passengers:

Date	From Price	Book Now	Callback
5th June 2026	£2,285 Per person	Book Now	Callback
17th July 2026	£2,415 Per person	Book Now	Callback
25th September 2026	£2,455 Per person	Book Now	Callback

Can't see a date that suits you? Please register your interest for additional departures on this tour.

Register interest

Enter your details to receive updates on upcoming departure dates for the Queen of Scots 2026 rail tour.

Crianlarich Hotel, Crianlarich

Palace Hotel & Spa, Inverness

Ballindalloch Castle & Gardens

Visit Inverness

Isle of Mull ©Shutterstock

Isle of Iona ©Shutterstock

Loch Katrine ©Shutterstock

Lady of the Lake ©Loch Katrine

Jacobite on Glenfinnan ©Shutterstock

Ballindalloch Castle & Gardens ©Shutterstock

What our customers say

Sounds like the holiday for you?

View Dates and Book

Why Book with Railtrail

Railtrail Tours is a family firm with an ethos of honesty and integrity. Our passion for delivering quality escorted holidays by rail at great value fares along with consistently excellent customer service has stood us in good stead for over 40 years – Big on Quality, Small Enough to Care

Unique Experiences

Our tours are unique to us, created by our team of rail travel experts who each have a lifetime of knowledge and experience in the rail holiday industry

Financial Protection

Railtrail Tours are members of ABTOT and ATOL, meaning you can relax knowing that you are fully protected when booking any holiday with us.

Loyalty Rewards

For every pound spent you will receive Loyalty Points on return from your holiday, which can then be used as a discount on future bookings.

Award Winning Team

We were proudly awarded Silver at the British Travel Awards for ‘Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays’ in 2024.

More about us

Destinations

Tour Types

Queen of Scots 2026

Register interest

What our customers say

Sounds like the holiday for you?

Why Book with Railtrail

Unique Experiences

Financial Protection

Loyalty Rewards

Award Winning Team