Grand Tour of Scotland by Train Traveller Reviews

An amazing journey, by train, starting in Glasgow and traveling north along the western side of Scotland up into the Highlands stopping for 1-2 days at various locations. Proceeding east along the Highlands then down the eastern side of Scotland to the capital city of Edinburgh. Again stopping at various locations along the way

From the start to the finish of our journey, Mckinlay Kidd was there. They monitored our progress and were immediately there if there were any disruption, which were next to non existent. They made all arrangements for our tour to include pre and post tour stays.

We had an amazing time exploring Scotland. The scenery was beautiful, the people were charming, the food was delicious. We had a few favourite spots to which we would be particularly eager to return, but we also appreciated the variety of towns and villages we got to see; it really felt like we got to sample a little bit of everything that Scotland had to offer. As soon as we got home, we started daydreaming about our next visit!

McKinlay Kidd handled all of the logistics so that we could focus on enjoying our trip. The accommodations they booked were all wonderful, and they provided a wide range of recommendations for restaurants, points of interest, and activities for each stop along the tour -- we were never at a loss for what to do next! They were also quite helpful with a couple of the questions and requests we had leading up to the holiday, providing great customer service all around.

Everything about this trip met and exceeded expectations. All of the travel arrangements went smoothly, and the written instructions provided were clear and accurate. Each hotel was different, comfortable and unique. Highlights included day trip to Orkney with Neolithic sights, boat trip to Staffa where our boat was surrounded by a huge pod of dolphins, beautiful scenery on and off the train. The suggestions for restaurants, activities in each location were all wonderful. The advice to reserve restaurants in advance was priceless

Mckinlay Kidd put together a wonderful trip by train, ferry, boat and taxi. We were provided clear and thorough information. Having everything on the Vamoos app made it easy to follow as well

Saw the sights around the country by rail, ferry, and tours.

McKinley Kidd did an excellent job planning the self-guided tour. Nice hotels and experiences. Lots of suggestions for each day's adventures.

Grand tour of Scotland by 8 train trips

This was a holiday planned with MK for 2020 when Covid hit and cancelled everything. So we planned again for May-June this year - but our request got lost when an MK employee resigned. It took MK several weeks to get our request back on track and another several weeks to repair the Itinerary - but they acknowledged their problems and gave us a wonderful trip in the end, including ongoing personal advice as we made our way around Scotland.

We had never been to Scotland before and this was a wonderful introductory tour. We covered most of the Western Highlands, from Oban to Mull, Iona and Staffa, Ben Nevis to Isle of Skye, Plockton to Inverness, Thurso to Orkney, and Craingorm National Forest to Pitlochry. Although we only spent a couple of days in each location, it was a great way to find out where we would love to spend more time in the future. We can honestly say each day was better than the day before. The scenery was spectacular, the people friendly and the lodgings were very comfortable. We are considering longer stays next time in some of the places we visited, as well as adding other regions to enhance our next trip to the British Isles.

McKinlay Kidd did an excellent job from first quote to final itinerary with many suggestions of things to do and places to eat at each location. They kept in touch if information needed to be relayed timely, and generally gave us a worry free time during our stay in Scotland.

It was absolutely perfect. Every location, every host or hostess, every accommodation, and every connection exceeded our expectations. It was it was choreographed by a master. We loved every minute of our time in Scotland and as I have said say over and over since we departed - our only regret is we discovered Plockton too late. 😊

They were helpful, had an itinerary that ticked all the boxes and a boxful of amazing accommodation and recommendations. When something went awry, like a train strike, they were right there to make adjustments for us. Honestly, I will seek their services again.

We booked a train tour of Scotland and Skye with McKinlay Kidd, including the Jacobite Express, with taxi and boat trips connecting it all up. It was truly exceptional- the itinerary and accommodation clearly well researched, each with different and sometimes quirky aspects. But always comfortable, sometimes luxurious, fantastic food, always brilliantly chosen locations with welcoming hosts. The most wonderful experience.

Efficient, responsive, helpful, provided a brilliant app full of helpful information and personal insights into where we were going and what we could do. We were welcomed extra enthusiastically with the McKinlay Kidd connection- made us feel very special.

Scotland was visited in a meticulously organised tour that brought us to highly enjoyed places. Cosy guesthouses, windy ferries, talkative taxi drivers and handy train trips made for an unforgettable fortnight on Highland level with the bagpipes still sounding in our ears!

“McKinlay Kidd” worked like a sort of spell that seemed to work like magic in connecting the beads of this journey’s string!

Our bucket list trip was perfect from start to finish. We loved each stop along the way and each hotel/guest house. The accommodations, hosts and food exceeded our expectations. We will cherish our memories of our time in Scotland and hope to return.

The team at McKinlay Kidd team is the best. From our first contact through our 19 day train tour of Scotland, they took care of every detail. This was the most relaxing trip that allowed us to visit Scottish cities, towns and villages. McKinlay Kidd took care of all the details and the travel information was very comprehensive. I have recommended McKinlay Kidd to friends and family and can’t wait for our next visit.