[4K] The West Highland line Fort William To Glasgow

The World's Best Train Ride?

A few years ago, the Wanderlust Travel Awards included a new category, Best Rail Journey. So who won? The train to Machu Picchu in Peru? A train through the Swiss Alps? A ride through the Canadian Rockies? No. Readers of Wanderlust Magazine voted for the wonderful West Highland line from Glasgow to Fort William & Mallaig as the world's best train journey. Rightly so in my opinion, as the West Highland Line is not only the most scenic train route in Britain, it's one of my favourite journeys anywhere. You can also travel on the West Highland line on a daily summer steam train, or even on a luxury cruise train.

The West Highland Line runs from Glasgow to Fort William (the largest town in the West Highlands) and on to Mallaig, a tiny fishing port and terminal for the ferry to Armadale on the Isle of Skye. Most of the line is a twisting single track railway through fabulous Highland scenery, often miles from the nearest road. There's also a branch to Oban, the ferry terminal for several other Scottish islands. Just 3 ScotRail sprinter trains a day link Glasgow Queen Street with Fort William & Mallaig, fewer on Sundays, in addition to the London-Fort William sleeper, see www.nationalrail.co.uk for times & fares. It's not fast, taking 3h45 for the 123 miles from Glasgow to Fort William or 5h15 for the 164 miles from Glasgow to Mallaig, stopping at all wayside stations.



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