Coach and Minibus Hire in the United Kingdom

Inverness Coach Hire for Highland Tours

Inverness is where many Highland coach tours start and finish. The town part is simple. The long days to Skye, Glencoe or the far north are where drivers' hours and road width shape the plan.

Stopping in town

Each season from 1 April to 31 October, the council marks out coach bays on Ardross Street, by the cathedral, for setting down and collecting. Read the signs on the day for the hours and the longest stay. Outside that season, agree a set-down point with the operator.

For a longer wait, Torvean Park & Ride offers five coach bays. With only five, a busy summer day can fill them, so ask where the coach will wait.

Setra high-capacity coach, exterior
Setra high-capacity coach, exterior

Airport arrivals

Out at Dalcross, the airport is roughly 9 miles and 20 minutes from Inverness Castle. A coach meeting a flight waits in a restricted-access lane outside the terminal, for less than two hours, and a charge per coach is paid beforehand or on the day. Minibuses cannot use that lane and wait in the car parks instead.

Airports serving Inverness

Stadiums and arenas

  • Caledonian Stadium — Inverness Caledonian Thistle (Scottish Championship); about 7,500, at the Longman by the Moray Firth
  • Eden Court — Theatre, concerts and the Inverness Film Festival

Day trips and transfers from Inverness

  • Culloden Battlefield — about 6 miles, about 12 min
  • Drumnadrochit and Urquhart Castle (Loch Ness) — about 16 miles, about 25 min
  • Aviemore and the Cairngorms — about 30 miles, about 35 min
  • Dornoch — about 49 miles, about 55 min
  • Ullapool — about 58 miles, about 1.25 h
  • Fort William (via Loch Ness and Fort Augustus) — about 66 miles, about 1.5 h
  • Glencoe — about 80 miles, about 1.75 h
  • Portree, Isle of Skye (via Eilean Donan and the Skye Bridge) — about 110 miles, about 2.75 h
  • John o' Groats — about 112 miles, about 2.5 h

Coach rules in Inverness

  • Inverness Airport (INV) is at Dalcross, about 9 miles by road north-east of Inverness Castle, about 20 min in light traffic; Inverness Airport railway station opened in February 2023, about a 20-minute walk from the terminal.
  • Highland Council provides seasonal coach drop-off and pick-up bays on the south side of Ardross Street, near the cathedral, from 1 April to 31 October; check the current signs for hours and maximum stay.
  • Torvean Park & Ride, on the south-west edge of the city, has five coach parking bays.
  • Urquhart Castle: coach parking is reserved for trade partners, who must book a space through a Historic Environment Scotland trade account; entry cannot be guaranteed without a coach space booking, even with admission tickets.
  • A return day trip to Skye is about 220 miles with some 5.5 h of driving before stops. A coach or minibus with more than 8 passenger seats on a private hire tour falls under the assimilated (formerly EU) drivers' hours rules: no more than 9 hours' driving a day (10 hours twice a week) and at least 45 minutes' break after 4.5 hours' driving. Very long itineraries may need a second driver or an overnight stop.
  • Much of Skye away from the A87 is single-track road with passing places. The single-track road and car park at the Fairy Pools (Glenbrittle) are unsuitable for large coaches, so plan Skye stops that suit the vehicle size.
  • Skye Bridge tolls were abolished on 21 December 2004; the bridge links Kyle of Lochalsh with Kyleakin free of charge.

Long days and drivers' hours

Private hire tours in any vehicle above eight passenger seats come under the assimilated (formerly EU) drivers' hours rules. In short: nine hours' driving in a day, stretched to ten twice a week, and 45 minutes off after every four and a half hours at the wheel.

A return day to Skye is about 220 miles and some five and a half hours of driving before any stops. That fits, but it leaves little room for a long lunch and several photo stops. John o' Groats is about 2 h 30 min each way. For a full loop of the west, a second driver or an overnight stay is often the better plan.

Loch Ness, Skye and the smaller roads

At Urquhart Castle, coach spaces go only to trade partners holding a Historic Environment Scotland trade account, and each space is booked ahead. Without a space, entry is not assured even with tickets, so tell the operator early. Eilean Donan has coach spaces at the visitor centre, and the Skye Bridge is free.

Away from the A87, much of Skye is single-track with passing places. The Fairy Pools road and car park do not suit large coaches, so match the stops to the vehicle, or choose a midi coach for a small group.

Questions

Can we just turn up at Urquhart Castle by coach?

No. Coach spaces there are booked in advance through a trade account, and a coach without a booked space may not get in, even with tickets.

Is Skye a realistic day trip from Inverness?

Yes, with an early start. It is about 2 h 45 min each way to Portree, so keep the number of stops modest or stay a night on the island.

Does a minibus get the airport's coach lane too?

No. The lane is for coaches only. A minibus meets the group from one of the airport car parks at the normal charges.

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