How to travel from Edinburgh to Inverness

Sun, Jul 12
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Travel by train, bus, flight with
Scotrail
Megabus
FlixBus
London North Eastern Railway
London North Eastern Railway Limited (LNER)
1,000+ more
Scotrail
Megabus
FlixBus
London North Eastern Railway
London North Eastern Railway Limited (LNER)
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare train, bus, and flight for Edinburgh to Inverness

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Edinburgh to Inverness among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $13. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 3h 47m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.2kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $13, and a train costs an average of $35.

Distance: 112 miles (181 km)

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus
Driving

$70

Average price

$21

Average price

Cheapest

$99

Average price

(fuel + tolls)

4h 17m

Average total duration

Fastest

3h 47m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

4h 22m

Average total duration

3h 52m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

3h 12m

Average total duration

(door-to-door)

0.1 - 0.2kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

0.2 - 0.5kg

CO2 emissions

-

CO2 emissions

Scotrail

Most popular train company

Megabus

Most popular bus company

Your own car or car rental

Direct Options

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

The cheapest way to travel from Edinburgh to Inverness is a bus with an average price of $21 (€17).

This is compared to other travel options from Edinburgh to Inverness:

A bus is $49 (€41) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Edinburgh to Inverness costing on average $70 (€57).

A bus is $468 (€385) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Edinburgh to Inverness costing on average $489 (€402).

The fastest way to travel from Edinburgh to Inverness is by train with an average journey time of 3h 47m.

Other travel options to Inverness take longer:

Bus takes on average 3h 52m.

Flight takes on average 5h 37m.

It's helpful to compare your options as there are 3 ways to travel between Edinburgh and Inverness including taking a train, bus, and flight.
We recommend using the train as it is the most popular way to get from Edinburgh to Inverness among Omio's users.

Travel options
from Edinburgh to Inverness

How to get from Edinburgh to Inverness by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

bus

The best way to travel from Edinburgh to Inverness is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    6:40 AM4h05
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    10:45 AMInverness, Bus Station
    $231One-way
    0 transfers

Cheapest

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    6:40 AM4h05
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    10:45 AMInverness, Bus Station
    $231One-way
    0 transfers

Fastest

  • ScotrailC14692
    3:52 PM3h18
    Edinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    7:10 PMInverness station (INV)
    $901One-way
    0 transfers

Other options

  • London North Eastern RailwayG80229
    4:32 PM3h38
    Edinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    8:10 PMInverness station (INV)
    $441One-way
    0 transfers
  • ScotrailL87579 · L87273
    5:50 PM3h36
    Edinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    9:26 PMInverness station (INV)
    $451One-way
    1 transfer
  • ScotrailC14691
    1:53 PM3h32
    Edinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    5:25 PMInverness station (INV)
    $901One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    3:10 PM4h10
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    7:20 PMInverness, Bus Station
    $231One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    9:10 AM4h10
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    1:20 PMInverness, Bus Station
    $231One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
    6:35 AM4h15
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    10:50 AMInverness, Bus Station
    $251One-way
    1 transfer

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights

Compare train, bus, and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.

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Travel from Edinburgh to Inverness: Journey Details

Inverness, the transport hub of the Highlands, is around 250 kilometers north of the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Trains and buses are the easiest way for travelers in the UK to make the journey. Train travel is usually the faster option, although some express buses can offer similar journey times. ScotRail and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) provide rail services between the two cities, with most journeys taking around 3 hours and 30 minutes. Scottish Citylink buses offer regular connections from Edinburgh to Inverness with travel times ranging from 3.5 to 4.5 hours.

Return trips from Inverness to Edinburgh are also available.

How to get from Edinburgh to Inverness

The Best Way According to our Users

Whether it is for business or leisure, in order to travel from Edinburgh to Inverness, 95,74% of our customers choose the train as their preferred mode of transportation. By traveling by train on this route, you can enjoy the comfort of spacious seats, spectacular views—and in some cases free Wi-Fi—in both second and first class. Our customers have decided that the train is the best way to get from Edinburgh to Inverness and have chosen to enjoy this fast, safe and efficient way to arrive at their destination. Taking the train also avoids long lines or potential expenses for transfers to/from the station—especially since most main railway stations are located in the city center. Train companies in Europe vary from country to country, but most of them offer high-speed train routes, therefore when you add up at the end-to-end journey time, the train is often also the fastest way to get to your destination.

Search on Omio to find cheap tickets from Edinburgh to Inverness. It’s easy to find the most attractive prices and choose your preferred route for your journey. Book on web or app, and travel with your mobile ticket —without the stress of printing your ticket.

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Trenitalia
Easyjet
Deutsche Bahn
SNCF

FAQs: Travel from Edinburgh to Inverness

Travel to Inverness easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Edinburgh to Inverness.

FAQs
There are 3 options to travel between Edinburgh and Inverness including taking a train, bus, and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Edinburgh to Inverness is a bus with an average price of $21 (€17).

This is compared to other travel options from Edinburgh to Inverness:

A bus is $49 (€41) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Edinburgh to Inverness costing on average $70 (€57).

A bus is $468 (€385) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Edinburgh to Inverness costing on average $489 (€402).

The fastest way to travel from Edinburgh to Inverness is by train with an average journey time of 3h 47m.

Other travel options to Inverness take longer:

Bus takes on average 3h 52m.

Flight takes on average 5h 37m.

The distance from Edinburgh to Inverness is approximately 112 miles (181 km).
The average frequency per day from Edinburgh to Inverness is:
  • Around 25 buses per day.
  • Around 6 trains per day.
  • Around 5 flights per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Edinburgh and Inverness as scheduled services by train, bus, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Edinburgh to Inverness:
  • Flights mostly depart from Edinburgh Airport and arrive in Inverness Airport.
  • Trains mostly depart from Edinburgh Waverley (EDB) and arrive in Inverness station (INV).
  • Buses mostly depart from Edinburgh, Bus Station and arrive in Inverness, Bus Station.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Edinburgh to Inverness, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with Megabus, FlixBus, Park's of Hamilton, Ember, Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd to go to Inverness by bus.
  • Travel with Scotrail, London North Eastern Railway, London North Eastern Railway Limited (LNER), Caledonian Sleeper, ScotRail to go to Inverness by train.
Yes, there are direct services available from Edinburgh to Inverness with the following travel companies:
  • 6 direct buses per day with Megabus, FlixBus, Park's of Hamilton, Ember, Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd.
  • 3 direct trains per day with Scotrail, London North Eastern Railway, London North Eastern Railway Limited (LNER), Caledonian Sleeper, ScotRail.
Omio customers who travel from Edinburgh to Inverness often also extend their vacation to go to London, Glasgow, Fort William, Aberdeen, Portree. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Inverness and these popular destinations at a great price.
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