The West Highland Line
Lāsma Artmane
Scotland’s West Highland Line, a meandering single-track railway line spanning around 164 miles, is often celebrated as one of the most scenic rail routes in the world. Known as the Iron Road to the Isles (or Rathad Iarainn nan Eilean in Gaelic), the line cuts through some of Scotland’s wildest landscapes.
Within the West Highland Line are two separate branches, stretching to the West Coast port towns of Oban on one, and Mallaig on the other.
A number of different train services run along the line:
The Caledonian Sleeper train, from England (London, Crewe and Preston) to Fort William
The ScotRail service from Glasgow to all stops on both branches
The Jacobite steam train, a private service along a smaller section of the line from Fort William to Mallaig
But, with all those choices, which train service should you take to discover this railway line?
Igor Savelev
Corrour Station.
Train services on the West Highland Line
The Caledonian Sleeper
The Caledonian sleeper runs from England (London, Crewe and Preston) to multiple places in Scotland. The service that travels to Fort William is affectionately known as The Deerstalker, taking 12h 45m and stopping at 15 places along the West Highland Line (on request from passengers). With room prices starting at £170 for a Classic Twin (not-ensuite), it’s the most expensive option. However, the sleeper service doubles up as accommodation and transport, and when you wake, you’ll be treated to views of the Highlands from your room (or the dining car if you go for an upgraded cabin).
The Jacobite Steam Train
Made famous as the Hogwarts Express, the heritage Jacobite steam train travels from Fort William to Mallaig in high season only (April to October). Day return tickets are the only available ticket option on the Jacobite, so it’s not possible to break the journey for longer than the scheduled stop in Mallaig or overnight (the return section of the ticket is lost if not taken at the correct time). It takes approximately two hours to travel along this stretch of the line , with a few hours in Mallaig between journeys - so about six hours in total. This service is most popular with tourists, with over 700 passengers boarding a Jacobite service per day in peak season. Prices vary from £69 for a standard adult ticket, or £105 for a first-class adult ticket (which includes a complimentary cup of tea or coffee, the chance to pre-order High Tea and more legroom).
The local ScotRail train
In the face of the novelty of the Hogwarts Express or a ‘hotel on rails’, the local ScotRail service is often overlooked but is a trusty favourite amongst those in-the-know for discovering the West Highland Line. The ScotRail service travels to Oban and also Mallaig (via Fort William) from Glasgow. A regional, no-frills train, it shuttles back and forth along the narrow-gauge tracks three times a day (twice on Sundays), all year round. It’s the cheapest of the three options with flexible ticket prices starting from £32.20 for a single from Glasgow to Oban, and £45.70 per person for a single from Glasgow to Mallaig. A flexible Anytime Day return from Fort William to Mallaig only costs £25.40 per person, ideal for a day trip with no time restrictions in Mallaig (or one of the other stops along the line).
So, which one’s the best?
The Caledonian Sleeper is a great way to cover distance while you sleep and the Jacobite offers a heritage experience for the day. However, the local ScotRail service offers more freedom to explore the whole of the West Highland Line, with more daily services, fewer crowds, and a better price.
The regional train provides a glimpse into local life, often filled with Highland commuters, students, and families going about their day, while supporting the infrastructure of rural Scottish communities and serving as lifelines for residents - all with the same striking views.
The local train also gives you the opportunity to discover both branches of the West Highland Line, rather than just one stretch, with the flexibility to hop on and off the train at stops along the way (if you’re travelling light). This offers the chance to explore lesser-known towns and villages, beyond the crowds of more popular stops like Glenfinnan. You can travel from Glasgow to Oban, to Fort William, and onto Mallaig for the most famous section. Read on for a rundown of what you’ll see on each branch of the West Highland Line.
Map by OpenStreetMap contributors - openstreetmap.org, CC BY 3.0.
The West Highland Line branches
From Glasgow to Crianlarich
Both branches of the West Highland Line follow the same route to Crianlarich for the first 1h 50m (approx.) of the journey, with both the ScotRail train and the Caledonian Sleeper passing along this section.
The line was built to serve the rural communities of the Highlands and West Coast, and to transport goods to and from these areas. It was built in stages, with the section to Crianlarich (and onwards to Fort William) opened in 1894, and the extension to Mallaig opening in 1901. The branch to Oban opened in stages from 1866 to 1880, and was connected to the West Highland Line in Crianlarich in 1897.
Leaving Glasgow, the train sidles alongside the vast Firth of Clyde before turning north into the Highlands. It then travels along the edge of Loch Lomond past the Arrochar Alps, and Ardlui, then onto Crianlarich. This is where the line splits off to Oban on one branch, with Fort William and Mallaig on the other.
Adrienne Salmon
Arrochar.
The Fort William and Mallaig branch
The original branch of the West Highland Line runs from Glasgow to Fort William, and onto Mallaig. The journey takes 3h 50m to Fort William, and 5h 30m to Mallaig (if you’re staying in Fort William, you can split the journey over different days).
If you stay on this route after Crianlarich, you’ll pass Tyndrum, with two stations for each branch of the West Highland Line, making it the smallest UK settlement to be served by more than one railway station. You’ll then travel through Auch Glen, where the train track enters and swings around the horseshoe-curved glen under the watchful eye of the impressive Beinn Dorain (a viaduct here would have been too expensive and treacherous). Next up is the desolate Rannoch Moor, a vast expanse of windswept boggy moorland that feels somewhat untouched, where the track is floated without solid foundations.
Adrienne Salmon
Rannoch Moor.
The train then arrives at Corrour Station, a remote outpost accessible only by foot or train. The perfect place for a hike to experience its moody landscape, or enjoy the view from the comfort of the Station House restaurant, the UK’s most remote restaurant. You’ll then continue on, snaking by lochs and through mountains to Fort William (the biggest town on this section).
If you stay on the train after Fort William, you’ll see some of the most well-known sights of the West Highland Line. Once you’ve left the town, you’ll inch alongside the large saltwater Loch Eil, and through the hills. Next, the train crosses the famed Glenfinnan Viaduct, a 21-arch bridge (the world’s first mass concrete structure), curving around Loch Shiel with the Glenfinnan Monument below. Both the viaduct and the loch’s small, tree-covered island featured in the Harry Potter films.
Adrienne Salmon
Glenfinnan Viaduct.
After you pass more lochs of varying sizes shielded by the hills, you’ll pass Our Lady of the Braes, a solitary white church on a hill featured in the movie Local Hero. You’ll then stop at Arisaig, Britain’s westernmost railway station, where you could explore quiet beaches and enjoy coastal walks if you’re bag-free. Morar, known for its silvery sands (also featured in Local Hero), provides a chance to wander along beautiful beaches with views of the Small Isles (Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna).
Finally, you’ll arrive in the small port of Mallaig where you can stop for a few hours to have lunch, walk the Mallaig circuit for views of the harbour, or take a boat trip to Inverie on the Knoydart Peninsula and visit the Old Forge (Britain’s most remote pub). You could also stay overnight if you want to relax after your train journey, spending the night enjoying fresh-caught seafood and a dram by the fire at The Chlachain Inn.
Adrienne Salmon
Mallaig.
The Oban branch
If you choose to head west to Oban after Crianlarich, on the younger and significantly quieter branch, your train will trundle through beautiful scenery, with views of steep-sided lochs and the rugged peaks of the Highlands..
The journey from Glasgow takes 3h 13m and follows the same route as the Fort William and Mallaig branch until Crianlarich. It then veers off towards the coast passing small villages like Dalmally, perfect for riverside walks and a slice of Highland life. Afterwards, the line twists around Loch Awe, passing by the ruins of the 15th-century Kilchurn Castle, one of Scotland’s most photographed castles. Sitting on a rocky peninsula jutting into the loch, Kilchurn’s silhouette against a backdrop of hills and the loch is quintessentially Scottish.
Adrienne Salmon
Kilchurn Castle.
You’ll then travel through Taynuilt and onto the penultimate stop, Connel Ferry, on the banks of Loch Etive with the impressive Connel Ferry Bridge in view, before arriving in Oban. Oban itself, often called the ‘Gateway to the Isles’, is a lively seaside town, known for its vibrant waterfront, seafood restaurants and views of the Inner Hebrides. From here, you can visit a variety of islands from the Isle of Mull to Barra, Easdale to the Isle of Iona.
Adrienne Salmon
Oban.
Whichever service or route you choose, the joy of the West Highland Line is being transported through dramatic Highland scenery, accompanied by the comforting clickety-clack of the train that comes from the unique jointed tracks.
The ScotRail service gives you the opportunity to see more of this celebrated line, without the crowds and with more freedom to explore. It’s less about rushing to see the sights and more about enjoying the true stars of this journey, the Scottish Highlands and the West Highland Line itself - and the local train puts them both centre stage.