My husband and i are planning a trip, thinking of flying into Glasgow, then taking a 3 day Skye tour with Discover Scotland tours. From there, we will take the train to Oban, then ferry, bus, ferry to Iona and spend two nights. I think we can do the trip from Glasgow to Iona in one day. Do you agree? From there we will take a train from Oban to Windermere in the English Lake District. Does this sound reasonable? We have done Edinburgh and the east coast before, so want to share Iona with my husband before going south to England.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
1851 posts
Glasgow to Oban in a day is doable but do check out train times to Oban and ferry sailings from Oban to Craignure. The bus service from Craignure to Fionnphort isn't brilliant - either 13.30 or 17.00 from Craignure. The last ferry sailing from Fionnphort is 18.10 but does wait for the 17.00 bus to arrive.
Posted by
Lake District, England
5811 posts
Glasgow Queen Street depart 0812 Oban arrive 1127, depart 1215 Craignure arrive 1305. Bus depart 1330 to the Iona ferry
or GQS d 1222 Oban arrive 1528, depart 1555 Craignure arrive 1645, Bus depart 1700 to the Iona ferry.
I'd want to be on the 1st train.
You should again be able to buy a through Rail Sail ticket to Craignure- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/tickets/combined-tickets-travel-passes/rail-and-sail#tbi-buy-rail-sail-tickets.
They are not available to be purchased on line, only in person at a station.
You can do Iona to Windermere in a day
Iona depart 0850, Fionphort d 0920, Craignure arrive 1035, depart by ferry at 1105, Oban arrive 1155, depart by train 1211 Glasgow QS arrive 1534, Glasgow Central 1640 Oxenholme arrive 1830, (or 1707 arrive 1912), depart 1922 Windermere arrive 1942 (both trains also have a bus connection from Penrith over Kirkstone Pass, arrive 2051, or one via Keswick arrive 2043)
Or-
Iona depart 1045, Fionphort d 1120, Craignure arrive 1235 depart 1250 Oban arrive 1350, Oban depart 1441 GQS arrive 1744, Glasgow Central 1840 Oxenholme arrive 2023, depart 2120 Windermere arrive 2139.
The 1840 extends to London so you can even do Iona to London south or northbound in a day.