Inverness to Portree

Hi, donaldsoncjt,

There is no train service from Inverness to Portree. The train terminates at Kyle of Lochalsh. You'd need to take the bus from there to Portree. There is direct bus service from Inverness to Portree. The service is operated by CityLink. The bus drops you off at Somerled Square in Portree, which is convenient for most of the town.

As the bus schedule in February may not mesh with the train schedule (you'd be catching the same CityLink bus from Kyle that you'd be taking from Inverness), you'd probably be better off taking the bus the entire way. True, the train journey is more scenic, but the bus journey is no' hauf bad, as they say in Scotland! The morning departure will allow you to maximize your time in Portree, but you should check with your lodging to determine if they can accommodate you before normal afternoon arrival.

The early train would arrive in Kyle after the early bus has already passed through. However, there is a later bus which comes from Invergarry, stopping in Kyle, which would give you enough time to walk from the train station.

All things considered, you'd be best off by taking the train/bus combination westbound, and the bus eastbound.

All of this depends on any schedule changes between now and February, and it also depends on the weather. Our resident travel guru, Stuart (isn31c) will be able to provide you with much more information than I can.

Safe travels, and dress warmly!

Mike (Auchterless)

That morning train arrives at the Kyle of Lochalsh at 1131.

The connecting Citylink bus (which is the 0640 from Glasgow) leaves the Kyle at 1202, arriving at Portree at 1305. There is also a Stagecoach service #55 at 1150 which only runs as far as Broadford (as it continues to Elgol).

So it's a pretty safe transfer time.

If that is too early for check in time you could do a return run on the #56 to Dunvegan at 1`320, back at 1510. That gives you about 20 minutes in Dunvegan.

There is also a 1056 train from Imverness, arrives at the Kyle at 1335, there is a 1559 (another bus from Glasgow) arrives at Portree at 1659 (which will be very last light). In February two hours at the Kyle is a long time unless you hole up in a cafe, although there is also a 1455 bus to Elgol, which would get you as far as Broadford- so an hour at the Kyle and another at Broadford?

Inbound the bus from Portree is at 0900 via Loch Ness, arrive Inverness 1225.

There is also the 1015 Glasgow bound bus from Portree, arrives at Kyle at 1116 for the 1206 train to Inverness.

So if you did the 0830 bus outbound to Portree then the bus/train combo back that's another potential.

Those Citylink buses from the Kyle also connect at Invergarry with Citylnk buses #919 from Inverness at 0910 and 1310 respectively, although I personally think a 10 minute connection at Invergarry is a little bit tight.