How to get to the Cairngorms
Train
Plan all your travel with www.travelinescotland.com
Also see www.visitcairngorms.com/transport
Major rail stations:
Kinguisse and Aviemore
Connections from Inverness, Glasgow, Edinburgh and London's Kings Cross.
10 daily services each way from London's Kings Cross and a sleeper service from London Euston.
- www.scotrail.co.uk
- www.scotrail.co.uk/caledoniansleeper - sleeper service from London Euston to Aviemore and Kingussie
- www.eastcoast.co.uk/our-destinations
- www.nationalrail.co.uk
Local rail stations:
Stations in the west of the National Park are at Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore and Carrbridge.
Aberdeen is the nearest station to the Royal Deeside area in the east of the National Park. There are regular sleeper services from London. There are buses (buy a PLUSBUS ticket for a discount) and even a cycle route (the Deeside Way) to get the National Park from Aberdeen - or it takes roughly an hour by car.
Steam Railway
- www.strathspeyrailway.net - The Strathspey Steam Railway operates between Aviemore, Boat of Garten and Broomhill at Nethy Bridge
Bus
Coaches from London Victoria and other cities to destinations in the west of the National Park and to nearby Aberdeen to the east.
Local buses
- www.travelinescotland.com - Traveline Scotland for local bus information (e.g. buses to Allater and Braemar from Aberdeen)
Tel: 0871 200 22 33 - Local buses are operated by Stagecoach - 01463 239292 / 01343 540298 / 01382 614552 / 01224 597590
Special bus services
Maynes Coaches
01542 831219
Speyside Dial-a-bus
01343 562533
Strathdon A2B Dial-a-bus
01224 665599
use RailBus if travelling by train to Aberdeen: www.scotrail.co.uk/railbus
use PlusBus if travelling by train to Aviemore, Newtonmore, Kingussie or Carrbridge: www.plusbus.info
Dial a bus services are run by several councils:
www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/dialabus
Cycle
National Cycle Network route 7 runs up the west of the Park along the A9 corridor. The route is a combination of on and off-road sections and links up the communities of Badenoch and Strathspey. There are many multi-use paths in the park - and under Scottish Access legislation responsible access is encouraged.
- National Cycle Network route 7
- Deeside Way - long distance route along a disused railway line, from Aberdeen to Ballater in the east of the National Park (off-road link from Dinnet and Ballater in the Royal Deeside area of the park)
- Speyside Way - long distance route along the river Spey, through Grantown-on-Spey and Aviemore
- Dava Way - long distance trail from Forres to Grantown-on-Spey
- Laggan Wolftrax - see website for mountain biking trails
Bike hire
- visitcairngorms.com/onabike - bike hire centres in Ballater and Aviemore and other locations around the park
Walking
There are 932km of so-called 'core paths' - paths that are of particular interest or use - in the Cairngorms National Park. For more information see:
For more information on walking trails, including the 65-mile Speyside Way see:
- www.visitscotland.com/walks/cairngorms - details of short and long distance walking routes, including the 65 mile Speyside Way and 75 mile East Highland Way
- www.visitcairngorms.com/Local-Walking-Routes
- www.walkhighlands.co.uk
- www.walkhighlands.co.uk/speyside-way
- www.cairngorms.co.uk/explore_paths
More information
- www.visitcairngorms.com - a starting point for your research
- www.outdooraccess-scotland.com - for information on the outdoor access code
- www.visitcairngorms.com/walking_providers - long distrance trails etc
- www.visitscotland.com/tourist_information_centres - where to find visitor information centres
Don't forget, you can also download the Cairngorms Explorer PDF (see link below) for detailed information on getting to and getting around the park:
Feedback on getting to and around the Cairngorms National Park is always welcome. Contact John Thorne via email: johnthorne@cairngorms.co.uk or by phone 01479 870520.
