How to Get to Loch Ness from Edinburgh

The north of Scotland has an enormous natural wealth that makes it one of the most acclaimed destinations for all tourists. Among all the wonderful places to see, the Loch Ness region is the one that takes much of the limelight.

If you are spending a few days touring all there is to see in Edinburgh, but you do not want to leave the country without knowing closely this famous lake, I'll tell you all the possibilities you have to get to the Highland region and to search in first person the mythical monster that inhabits Loch Ness.

The best option

Loch Ness and The Highlands Day Trip from Edinburgh

Book a tour to Loch Ness and the Highlands from Edinburgh

Perfect for getting to know all the secrets of Loch Ness and discovering the Highlands, making stops at Stirling Castle and Glencoe Nature Reserve in comfort and with free time to explore at your leisure.

From $72 at Hellotickets

In this 12-hour tour you will have time to explore the Scottish countryside and learn more about this area, as you will be accompanied by an expert local guide. During the day you will be able to take beautiful photographs of the breathtaking views of the Highlands and visit the cinematic Stirling Castle, known for being the place where Mel Gibson fought for in the movie "Braveheart".

Later, you will take an hour-long cruise on Loch Ness, where, if you are lucky, you may see Nessie, the famous monster. In addition, at some of the stops you will have free time to discover some of the typical Scottish pubs.

Recommended if... you want to know first hand and comfortably the wonders that the Scottish Highlands have to offer.

I'm not going to lie to you; Loch Ness is not exactly close to Edinburgh. Specifically, it is 270 kilometers north of the city, so if you don't know the area, it can be difficult to get there. That is why one of the best recommendations to go to this enigmatic lake is to hire an organized tour.

With this type of activity, you are sure to go with a person who will act as a specialized guide at all times and will be responsible for taking you and pick you up, showing you all the sights and using the most expeditious routes.

Edinburgh has a lot to see, but I assure you that dedicating a space of your vacation to know these natural places will be worth it. With this type of excursion, it will take you about 3 hours to arrive and you will have the whole day to explore and discover the area and take the opportunity to visit the famous Highland Mountains.

Day trip to Loch Ness

Among all the tours available to visit Loch Ness, the most popular are those that occupy a full day, with an extension of between 9 and 12 hours and in which the price includes not only the transfer to the area, but a guided tour and various stops in areas of interest such as the Glencoe Valley or the Highland Mountains.

2 or 3 day trips to the north of Scotland

If you come with more time and, in addition to Edinburgh, you want to know in depth the northern Scottish environment, you can find other types of organized tours in which you will invest between 2 to 3 days to get to know the area.

With this type of excursion, you will be able to take it easy and spend as much time as you wish to get to know the whole area of the lake and Inverness, the capital of the region. In addition, you will be able to visit other areas such as the Isle of Skye.

Practical information

• Price: The average price of a day trip is usually 60 €, while the two or three-day trip is around 200 €.
• Time: It takes approximately 3 hours to get to Loch Ness from Edinburgh.
• Recommended if... You want to know in depth the area and let yourself be guided by a guide.

If you want to go to Loch Ness from Edinburgh in an independent way and without organized tours, one of the fastest options to do it is probably by train, as you will avoid all kinds of traffic jams or detours on the road.

However, you must keep in mind that Loch Ness is in a natural environment and the train only reaches the nearest city, which is Inverness, so from there you will have to take a regional bus. Therefore, if you are planning to spend the day at the lake, I recommend you to take the first train in the morning and return on the last one in the afternoon, as the journey is usually 3 hours plus half an hour bus ride between Inverness and the lake, and you should plan to give you time to see everything.

Trains to the Highland region are taken at Edinburgh's Edinburgh-Waverley station, located in the center of the city, and usually have several departures a day so you can choose the schedule that suits you best.

Practical Information

• Price: Around 30 € (60 € round trip) plus about 5 € for the bus to the lake.
• Time: 3 and a half hours between train and bus.
• Companies: The national company is Scotrail.
• Recommended if... You want a fast way to travel and you want to do it independently.

If you are looking for a cheap way to get to Loch Ness, one of the best options is to go by bus. I warn you that it will not be the fastest, as there is no direct line from the center of Edinburgh to Loch Ness, so you will have to make a transfer. However, if you have time and you are willing to spend the night in Inverness, it can be an economical option that allows you to know better the northern part of the country.

To take the buses that take you to Highland you must go to New Town, in a central area of Edinburgh, where the bus station of the city is located and that has several departures every day. From here, the journey will take about 5 hours, as you will be making stops along the way and taking slightly slower regional roads.

Once you arrive in Inverness, you must go to Queensferry Street, a few steps from the station, to take the second bus that will leave you in less than 30 minutes at the coveted lake.

Practical information

• Price: With the two buses it is approximately 25 € (50 round trip).
• Time: In total it will take you about 6 hours to get there.
• Companies: The main companies are First, Stagecoach and National Express.
• Recommended if... You want to go without haste and spend the night in the capital at a very economical price.

If you like adventures and you want to visit Scotland in a much freer way and without timetables or group plans, one of the best options is to rent a car and drive yourself to Loch Ness. I warn you, however, that this option is not the cheapest because, in addition to the rental costs, you will have to pay for gasoline and tolls.

However, it is a good option, for example, if you are traveling with friends or family and want to move in a private and flexible way. In this way, you can make the stops you want and discover not only the Loch Ness area, but the whole route in general.

In addition, there are several companies that make rentals so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. All you need to do is bring your approved driving license and get behind the wheel.

Practical Information

• Price: With the car rental and gasoline and tolls included, it can cost approximately 60 € (120 € round trip).
• Time: Following the fastest routes you can arrive in 4 hours.
• Companies: The main car rental companies are Sixt, Europcar and Hertz.
• Recommended if... You are looking to travel with your group in a private and flexible way.

The best ways to get to Loch Ness from Edinburgh are through an organized tour and then you can choose between train, bus and private car. However, I'm sure at some point you will have thought about the possibility of going by other means of transport such as plane or private transport.

However, neither of these two options are very convenient due to their routes or their high prices and, below, I will detail why I do not recommend them.

By cab, an expensive option

Sometimes, if you are traveling in a group, it may be convenient to hire a private car service such as cabs for transfers to other cities. However, in addition to the fact that cabs in Scotland are already expensive, due to the fact that they are more than 200 kilometers long, no matter how much you can divide the expenses among the rest of your group, the total cost of the trip will not be less than 400€.

By plane, nothing connected

The plane is not the best option either. Of course, a plane can get to a place before anyone else, however, in the case of Loch Ness there is no direct combination that can get you close and most flights will have stopovers.

Thus, to get there, you should go from Edinburgh to Inverness airport taking up to 6 hours and, from there, get by bus to the city center and then take a bus that will leave you in half an hour at the lake. In total, more than 6 hours spent and almost 300 euros invested.

Scotland is an amazing place to see and well worth visiting. However, if we head north, where its most spectacular natural parks are, such as Loch Ness and the Highlands, I have to warn you that winter is not one of its best times.

Although it is tempting to see all the snowy landscapes, if you are not well prepared it can be a very cold weather that will make you not enjoy the experience.

Ideally, you should take advantage of the summer vacations, during the months of June, July and August, when the weather is warmer and there is less chance of rain and strong winds. If you are coming in winter, I recommend that you choose to stay in Edinburgh, where, at Christmas you can find plans much more adapted to the cold.

You've already got a general idea of all the ways to get to Loch Ness from Edinburgh. However, so that you can decide more clearly which is the most convenient for your next vacation to Scotland, I leave you below a comparative table with all the transports and their main characteristics:

Whichever way you decide to come to the north of Scotland, I assure you that you will not regret it. If Edinburgh has already left you open-mouthed with its impressive castle and its narrow streets taken from a medieval movie, getting to know a wilder and more natural environment will make you fall in love with it.

From economical and flexible options to fast and comfortable options, through more intimate and exclusive transportation, Scotland offers many ways to enjoy it in depth. If you have the idea of making a trip of this kind in your head, don't think twice and go for the adventure of getting to know unique Scottish landscapes.