ScotRail

The chances are you have been on one of these trains or at least seen one. Now I know that Ciao call the trains Scot rail but they have since changed names and are now known as First Scot Rail. **About First Scot Rail** As I have said that they are previously known as Scot rail until the 17th of October 2004 when they became First Scot Rail. Since they merged back on the 17th of October First Scot Rail have promised that they will improve services, stations and much more. They have a huge budget to spend on the services that will hopefully see more people using the services. First Rail aim to ... more

I have to travel quite a lot in my job all over Scotland, North of England, Ireland & sometimes the south of England. Just like any other company I have a strict budget to keep to for traveling & for accommodation & I have to find the most cost effective methods. Around 80% of my traveling is by car with the remaining 20% by train, plane or ferry. Travelling in modern day Britain is no fun, by car it isn't long before your stuck in a traffic jam, travelling from one town to another means jam after jam. I can't even remember that last time I completed a journey of more than 50 miles without ... more

Well, recently, myself and my partner Steve took a trip to Scotland, and travelled around using the trains. First Scotrail in particular. We stayed at a lovely hotel in Inverness where we stayed for a week. Our journey there was quite uneventful, we used the National Express East Coast service, which was direct from London Kings Cross to Inverness. But- enough about that, I'm reviewing First Scotrail here. Our plan was to stay in Inverness and then go out for the day using the local train services. We ended up travelling to Kyle Of Lochalsh, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aviemore and Perth. I'll tell ... more

Let’s set the scene. It is a bank holiday weekend. My girlfriend and I have left the safety of the city to travel up to the Highlands and visit my parents, always a daunting experience. We get there and the weather is fantastic, the sun beating down on us for three whole days. As they live beside the sea we even manage to go to the beach and bask in the May Day holiday sun. Life could not get any better. (Well it probably could but I have very little imagination) Suddenly a dark cloud spoils the day. Not a rain cloud but the metaphorical cloud of Scotrail. How could I enjoy a day that ... more

Its amazing how underused these lines are during the winter. The West Highland Lines are perhaps the most scenic avaliable in the UK as well as probably the most unique and quirky and provide plenty of scope of the day tripper or visitor alike. Let me set the scene. Operating from Glasgow Queen Street, you set off to one of three main destinations - Oban, Fort William and Mallaig. The train to Mallaig is actually via Fort William. I have done both lines and feel they show Scotrail at its best - supporting remote local communities in some pretty remote terrain. The first line - Glasgow to Oban ... more