Glasgow without a car: the 5 best day trips by train, bus and ferry
Glasgow without a car
A simple guide to Scotland’s best car free day trips
For many visitors, Scotland begins with excitement and ends with the sudden panic of driving on the left. The good news is that you do not need a car. Glasgow is one of the UK’s most connected cities, with trains, buses and ferries sending you directly to mountains, castles, islands and coastal cliffs.
This guide highlights five day trips that work perfectly without a rental car. Each destination feels big and cinematic, yet requires almost no planning. Think Highland landscapes, Victorian castles, quiet islands, and lochs that look like they belong on a whisky label.
Travel light, tap your train ticket, and let Scotland do the rest.
Loch Lomond
Scotland’s most famous loch, 50 minutes by train
Loch Lomond is the easiest escape from Glasgow and one of the most rewarding. The train to Balloch drops you beside the water, where the loch opens wide and calm, especially in winter. From here, you can take a shoreline walk, board a short cruise, or hop on a local bus to Luss, a postcard village with straight-to-camera views of the mountains.
Why go without a car:
- The train leaves you steps from the loch
- Luss is accessible by bus year round
- Winter light makes the water look glassy and still
How to get there:
- 🚆 Train: Glasgow Queen Street ➜ Balloch (50 min)
- 🚌 Bus to Luss: 305 or 926 (30 min)
Best for: easy walks, loch views, relaxed days
Stirling and Doune
Castles, royal history and Outlander filming sites
Stirling Castle rises over the landscape like a stone crown. It is one of Scotland’s most important royal sites, and you can reach it faster than most people finish a coffee. From Stirling, local buses continue to Doune Castle, instantly recognisable to Outlander fans.
What makes it special:
- Stirling Castle offers panoramic views of the Highlands’ edge
- Doune Castle is one of Scotland’s most filmed historic sites
- Both are walkable once you arrive (Stirling is uphill)
How to get there:
- 🚆 Train: Glasgow Queen Street ➜ Stirling (35–40 min)
- 🚌 Bus: 59 to Doune
Best for: castle lovers, Outlander fans, photographers
Isle of Arran
An island that feels like a miniature Scotland
Arran looks far away on a map but is surprisingly simple without a car. Take the train to Troon, walk to the ferry and sail across to Brodick with Goatfell rising like a Highland peak behind the harbour.
On arrival, a ring of island buses connects the coast. You can visit Brodick Castle, walk the bay, or simply enjoy the quiet rhythm of island life. Arran is sometimes called “Scotland in miniature” because it has a little of everything: mountains, castles, distilleries and beaches.
How to get there:
- 🚆 Train: Glasgow Central ➜ Troon (40 min)
- ⛴️ Ferry: Troon ➜ Brodick (55 min)
Best for: variety, scenic ferries, full-day adventures
Glencoe
Highland drama by coach
Glencoe is the most dramatic destination on this list. Mountains open suddenly from the road, carved by volcanic collapse and centuries of weather. Snow in winter makes it feel even more otherworldly.
You do not need a car to experience any of this. Coaches from Glasgow take you directly into the glen. Once there, you can walk short trails from the Visitor Centre or simply wander along the valley floor, watching the light shift across the Three Sisters.
How to get there:
- 🚌 Coach: Buchanan Bus Station ➜ Glencoe (2 hr 45 min)
Best for: cinematic scenery, stormy skies, Highland scale
Culzean Castle
A clifftop castle overlooking the sea
Culzean Castle is the coastal opposite of Glencoe. Instead of mountains, you get dramatic sea cliffs and an eighteenth century mansion perched above them. The castle sits inside a huge estate with gardens, woodland paths and long views across the water.
The train to Ayr and a short bus ride bring you directly to the entrance. Once inside the grounds, everything is walkable and peaceful, even in winter.
How to get there:
- 🚆 Train: Glasgow Central ➜ Ayr (50 min)
- 🚌 Bus: 60 or 361 to Culzean Country Park
Best for: coastal walks, architecture, quieter days
How to plan your car free day trips
Simple tips for winter and early 2026
Travel beyond Glasgow is more structured than it appears. Trains to Loch Lomond and Stirling are frequent. The Arran ferry syncs neatly with train times at Troon. Coaches to Glencoe depart early and return late enough for a full day. Buses at each destination cover the last short distances.
If you are planning ahead, late spring and early autumn offer the best balance of daylight, mild weather and lighter crowds. Winter works surprisingly well for castles, islands and lochs because the landscapes look atmospheric and the days guide your pacing naturally.
Quick seasonal notes:
- 🌼 Late spring: soft light, festivals, long days
- 🍂 Early autumn: warm parks, manageable crowds
- ❄️ Winter: dramatic scenery, shorter itineraries
- ☀️ Summer: high energy, high density of visitors
Walk with Ciceru
A warm up before the Highlands
Before heading out of the city, you can explore Glasgow itself with our self guided walking tour. It gives you an easy route through the city’s historic heart, from the Cathedral and the Necropolis to Buchanan Street and the river. You move at your own pace and the audio stories follow your steps.
It is the simplest way to start your Scottish trip and the perfect warm up before a day among lochs, glens or island ferries.
