Scotland Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Handshaking is customary when introduced to someone for the first time. Normal social courtesies should be observed when visiting someone's home and a small present such as flowers or chocolates is appreciated. It is polite to wait until everyone has been served before eating.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

Continental Airlines (www.continental.com) flies to Edinburgh and Glasgow from the USA. Delta Airlines flies from the USA to Edinburgh (www.delta.com). British Airways (www.britishairways.com) flies from England to Edinburgh and Glasgow; other airlines flying between Scotland and European cities include easyJet (www.easyjet.com) and bmi (www.flybmi.com).

Departure Tax

None.

Main Airports

Edinburgh (EDI) (www.edinburghairport.com) is 12km (8 miles) west of the city center. To/from the airport: Lothian Buses (www.lothianbuses.co.uk) runs a bus between the airport and the city center, and there is a night bus. Taxis are available (journey time - 25 minutes).

Glasgow (GLA) (www.glasgowairport.com) is 14km (9 miles) west of the city center. To/from the airport: Paisley's Gilmour Street station is 3km (2 miles) from the airport. It is easily reached by taxi or bus. All buses depart from outside the main airport terminal. Scottish Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) runs regular services to the city center and other destinations in Scotland. Taxis are available (journey time - to city center 20 minutes; to Paisley station 5 minutes).

Facilities: Edinburgh and Glasgow airports are both of a high international standard and include bank/bureau de change, duty-free shops, car hire, restaurants and bars.

Aberdeen (ABZ) (www.aberdeenairport.com) is 11km (7 miles) northwest of the city center. To/from the airport: Aberdeen and Inverness trains stop at Dyce station, which is a short taxi ride from the airport. There are frequent bus services from the city center to the airport. For details, contact First (tel: (www.firstgroup.com). Stagecoach Bluebird services also run to the airport (tel: (www.stagecoachbus.com/bluebird). Taxis are available (journey time - to city center 20 minutes).

Inverness (INV) (www.invernessairport.com) is the major airport serving the Highlands, with transfer connections available to airports in the north of Scotland. It is 14km (9 miles) east of the city center. To/from the airport: Taxis and buses run. Facilities: ATM, bar/restaurant and bookshop.

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Aberdeen, Cairnryan, Lerwick, Oban, Rosyth and Stranraer.

Routes include P&O Irish Sea ferry service between Cairnryan and Larne (journey time – 1 hour) (tel: 0871 1664 4999; www.poirishsea.com); and Stena Line’s service between Stranraer and Belfast (journey time – 1 hour 45 minutes) (tel: 01776 802 165; www.stenaline.com).

Smyril Lines (www.smyril-line.com) runs a service between Hanstholm (Denmark) and Lerwick, continuing to the Faroe Islands and Iceland. The ferry goes via Bergen (Norway) in the summer. Superfast Ferries (www.superfast.com) operates services between Rosyth (just outside Edinburgh) and Zeebrugge (Belgium).

Getting There By Rail

There are two mainline routes into Scotland from England: from London Euston up the west coast to Glasgow Central and beyond to Perth and Inverness; and from London Kings Cross up the east coast to Edinburgh and beyond to Dundee and Aberdeen. For details, contact National Rail Enquiries (www.nationalrail.co.uk).

Getting There By Road

Scotland is connected to the main UK road network by good trunk roads, and has several internal motorways. Main access from England is via the A74/M74 (Carlisle to Glasgow), the A696/A68 (Newcastle to Edinburgh via the Cheviots) and the A1 (Newcastle to Edinburgh via the coast).

Duty Free

Overview

The following items may be imported into the UK without incurring customs duty by travelers aged 17 years and over arriving from non-EU countries:

• 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco. These can be combined provided travelers do not exceed their total tobacco allowance.
• 4L of still wine.
• 1L of alcoholic beverages stronger than 22% or 2L of fortified or sparkling wine or other liqueurs. These can be combined provided travelers do not exceed their total alcohol allowance.
• 16L of beer.
• Other goods including souvenirs up to the value of £340.

Note: Goods obtained duty and tax paid in the EU are unlimited.

Traveling with pets
To bring animals and birds into the UK, an import license must be obtained at least six months in advance. Some animals may now qualify for the PET Travel Scheme (PETS) and can be brought into the UK without being put into quarantine. At present, this is limited to certain travel carriers and animals. Severe penalties are imposed on persons attempting to smuggle domestic animals into the country. An illegally imported animal is liable to be destroyed. For further information about importing animals, contact the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (www.defra.gov.uk), or the nearest British mission abroad.

Prohibited Imports

Prohibited items include unlicensed drugs, offensive weapons, indecent and obscene material featuring children, counterfeit and pirated goods, meat, dairy and other animal products, and pornography.

Restricted items include firearms, explosives and ammunition, live animals, endangered species, certain plants and their produce and radio transmitters.

Prohibited Exports

It's illegal to take any meat, meat products, milk, and milk and dairy products abroad from animals that are susceptible to foot and mouth disease. This ban includes sandwiches, packed lunches, and food for self-catering holidays, and includes fresh, chilled, frozen, tinned, preserved and processed products.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

There are several small airports in the north of Scotland that are served by flights from Glasgow and, in some cases, from Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh as well. These include Barra, Benbecula, Kirkwall (Orkney), Sumburgh (Shetland), Stornoway and Tiree. For further information, contact Glasgow Airport (see Getting There).

Getting Around By Water

Ferry services operate between the mainland and all the Scottish islands. Caledonian MacBrayne (www.calmac.co.uk) operates the largest network of ferries on the River Clyde and west coast, serving many islands, including the Inner and Outer Hebrides. Northlink Ferries (www.northlinkferries.co.uk) operates services to Orkney and Shetland; from Aberdeen to Lerwick; and from Scrabster to Stromness (journey time - 1 hour 30 minutes).

Getting Around By Rail

There are good services connecting all the main towns, particularly in the Edinburgh-Glasgow area. Many of the routes that pass through the Highlands (such as: Perth-Inverness; Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh; Glasgow-Fort William-Mallaig) are spectacular. The network extends right up to Thurso and Wick in the extreme north of the country. Overnight services are available on First Scotrail's Caledonian Sleeper connecting London Euston with Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William (www.firstscotrail.com).

Getting Around By Road

The main motorways within Scotland connect Edinburgh with Glasgow (M8), Edinburgh with Stirling (M9) and the Forth Bridge, near Edinburgh, with Perth (M90).

In general, the internal trunk road network is better and more direct on the east coast, and roads north of Inverness tend to be slower and often single track. Snow is common in winter, especially in the Highlands, and motorists are advised to follow local advice concerning weather conditions. The main cross-country road, the A9, connects Perth with Inverness and Thurso.

Car hire: Self-drive cars are widely available in the major centers.

Regulations: Speed limits are 48kph (30mph) in urban areas, 113kph (70mph) on motorways and dual carriageways, elsewhere 80kph (50mph) or 97kph (60mph) as marked. Seat belts must be worn by the driver and front seat passenger. Where rear seat belts have been fitted, they must also be worn. It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving. The minimum driving age is 17.

Emergency breakdown services: The AA (www.theaa.com) and RAC (www.rac.co.uk) are able to provide a full range of services to UK members touring the UK. These organizations can also assist people who are traveling from abroad with maps, tourist information and specially marked routes to major events or places of interest.

Documentation: National driving licenses are valid for one year. Drivers must have Third Party insurance and vehicle registration documents.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

All the major towns and cities have bus services. Glasgow also has an underground and a suburban train network.