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The Jacobite steam train crossing the curving Glenfinnan Viaduct in golden autumn light.

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Glasgow to Mallaig on the West Highland Line

Loch Lomond, the empty bog of Rannoch Moor, 21 concrete arches at Glenfinnan, then the sea and Skye.

The short answer

The everyday ScotRail train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct too, all year, from £9.20 out of Fort William. Three direct trains a day run from Glasgow Queen Street to Mallaig in the timetable to 12 December 2026 (08:22, 12:22 and 18:24 on weekdays; 12:20 and 18:21 on Sundays), taking 5 hours 13 to 5 hours 24 minutes, with Fort William about 3 hours 45 out. On 19 October 2026 an Advance single for a November weekday train was £30 and the walk-up Off-Peak Return £76.50. The Jacobite steam train, booked separately with West Coast Railways, runs only Fort William to Mallaig and back, from 1 June to 23 October in 2026, at £76 in standard class.

The West Highland Line leaves Glasgow among tenements and ends a little over five hours later at the fishing harbour of Mallaig, where the ferry leaves for Skye. In between it climbs above Loch Lomond, swings round the head of a glen on the Horseshoe Curve, crosses the empty bog of Rannoch Moor and drops to Fort William under Ben Nevis. The last stretch, over the Glenfinnan Viaduct and down to the white sands of Arisaig and Morar, is the one the world knows from the films, and the ordinary ScotRail train runs over it all year.

United Kingdom

Journey time
about 5 h 20 to Mallaig
Direct trains
3 a day (2 on Sundays)
Fare from (November 2026)
£30 Advance single
Glenfinnan Viaduct
21 arches, 380 m, 1901
Highest station
Corrour, 408 m
Jacobite steam train, 2026
1 June to 23 October

Why the West Highland Line is one of the great railway journeys

The line was built in two pushes. The West Highland Railway opened in 1894, from Craigendoran on the Clyde to Fort William. On Rannoch Moor the bog was too soft for foundations, so the track was floated across it on a bed of brushwood, roots, earth and ash. When the money ran out in the summer of 1893, a director, J H Renton, saved the company from bankruptcy; the navvies carved his head in stone, and it still stands at the end of the platform at Rannoch station.

The extension to Mallaig opened on 1 April 1901, and its contractor, Robert McAlpine, built it in mass concrete, which earned him the name Concrete Bob. His Glenfinnan Viaduct, 21 arches and 380 metres long on a curve above the River Finnan, is the longest concrete viaduct in Scotland and is listed Category A. The stations of the first section were designed as a set: island platforms under swept roofs in a Swiss chalet style, and at Rannoch the scalloped shingles are believed to have come from Switzerland.

What makes it great is the order of things. Sea lochs first, then Loch Lomond from high on its western shore, then the mountains close in, then nothing at all: the moor, with Corrour station 408 metres up and no road to it. After Fort William the line turns west for the coast, past the monument where the 1745 rising began, and finishes among the islands. Steam returned to the Mallaig line in 1984, and in summer the Jacobite still runs it, but the ordinary ScotRail train crosses the same viaduct at a fraction of the fare.

Along the way

  1. Glasgow

  2. after Helensburgh Upper, about 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 from Glasgow

    Loch Long and Loch Lomond

    The line climbs out of the Clyde and runs high on the hillside above the Gare Loch and Loch Long, sea water on the left. At Arrochar and Tarbet it crosses to Loch Lomond and follows its western shore to Ardlui, with the loch below on the right. On the 08:22 that is roughly 09:38 to 09:51.

  3. between Upper Tyndrum and Bridge of Orchy

    The Horseshoe Curve

    The line swings round the head of a glen below Beinn Dòrain and doubles back on itself, crossing two lattice steel viaducts on the way. The northern one, Auch, has nine spans and is 175.6 metres long; it opened with the line on 11 August 1894. Watch the track you are about to ride appear across the glen.

  4. Bridge of Orchy to Corrour, about 2 h 30 to 3 h from Glasgow

    Rannoch Moor

    The railway crosses the moor on its floating bed of brushwood and ash. Just south of Rannoch station, Rannoch Viaduct carries it over an old river bed on nine steel spans set on granite piers, 209 metres long. The 1894 chalet building and its signal box survive, and Renton's stone portrait stands at the north end of the platform.

  5. the next stop after Rannoch, about 3 hours from Glasgow

    Corrour

    At 408 metres Corrour is the highest station on Britain's national rail network, and it has no public road: you arrive by train or on foot. The Caledonian Sleeper stops here too. Beyond it the line drops along Loch Treig into Glen Spean and runs into Fort William beneath Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain.

  6. a minute or two before Glenfinnan station, about 35 minutes west of Fort William

    The Glenfinnan Viaduct

    Twenty-one concrete arches, 380 metres long, curve about 30 metres above the River Finnan. From the left-hand side, heading west, you see the train bend ahead of you and, down the glen, Loch Shiel and the Glenfinnan Monument, raised in 1815 where Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard on 19 August 1745. It is the viaduct the Hogwarts Express crosses in the Harry Potter films.

  7. the last half hour before Mallaig

    Arisaig, Morar and the Small Isles

    After the eight concrete arches of the Loch nan Uamh viaduct the sea opens on the left. Arisaig is the most westerly railway station on mainland Britain; past it and Morar the line runs above white sands and turquoise shallows with Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna out to sea and the southern tip of Skye beyond.

  8. the end of the line

    Mallaig

    Mallaig is a working fishing port, where the boats still land their catch. CalMac's ferry crosses from here to Armadale on Skye in 45 minutes, and boats also go to the Small Isles and to Knoydart, which has no road from the rest of Britain.

  9. Mallaig

Which side to sit

From Glasgow to Fort William the best single view, Loch Lomond, is on the right; the Gare Loch, Loch Long, Loch Treig and, on the run into Fort William, Ben Nevis are on the left, and Rannoch Moor fills both sides. From Fort William to Mallaig sit on the left: Loch Eil, the curve of the Glenfinnan Viaduct with Loch Shiel and the monument, Loch nan Uamh and the islands off Arisaig and Morar are all on that side. Coming back, swap. If you board in Glasgow and want one side all the way, take the left, which wins the more famous second half. The train divides at Crianlarich, half for Oban and half for Fort William and Mallaig, so check the signs on the carriage before you choose your seat.

Ways to do it

When to go

Tickets, fares and booking

How much is the train from Glasgow to Mallaig, and do I need to book?

All the ScotRail trains on the line are standard class only; there is no first class. Fares read on 19 October 2026 for a weekday train in November 2026: an Advance single from Glasgow to Mallaig was £30, valid only on the train you book, and walk-up tickets are a £47.40 Anytime Day Single, a £50.90 Off-Peak Day Return and a £76.50 Off-Peak Return. Glasgow to Fort William was £25.40 Advance and £65.10 Off-Peak Return; Fort William to Mallaig £9.20 Advance and £19 Off-Peak Day Return. On these routes the Off-Peak fares cost the same as the Anytime ones. Advance fares are limited, so book them as soon as your dates are firm; walk-up tickets are always on sale. Fares may change in 2027.

The Jacobite is a separate train with its own tickets from West Coast Railways. It sells same-day returns only. Its 2026 fares were £76 standard and £116 first class for an adult, £43 for a child of 16 or under in standard, and £252 for a private table for two, plus a booking fee of at least £3.75. Book it well ahead: the guard may sell a few seats for cash at Fort William on the day, but they are never guaranteed.

Glasgow to Mallaig, Advance single
£30 (November 2026)
Glasgow to Mallaig, Off-Peak Day Return
£50.90
Glasgow to Mallaig, Off-Peak Return
£76.50
Glasgow to Fort William, Advance single
£25.40
Fort William to Mallaig, Off-Peak Day Return
£19
Jacobite day return, standard / first
£76 / £116 (2026)
Class on ScotRail trains
standard only

Timetable: departures and journey times

How many trains a day go from Glasgow to Fort William and Mallaig?

In the national timetable valid from 17 May to 12 December 2026, direct trains leave Glasgow Queen Street for Mallaig at 08:22, 12:22 and 18:24 from Monday to Friday, at 08:21, 12:22 and 18:23 on Saturdays, and at 12:20 and 18:21 on Sundays, reaching Fort William after 3 hours 42 to 3 hours 50 minutes and Mallaig after 5 hours 13 to 5 hours 24. The winter timetable that ran until May 2026 had the same pattern, and the national journey planner already shows the 08:22, 12:22 and 18:24 for January 2027. The Caledonian Sleeper also calls at the West Highland stations on its way to Fort William every morning except Sunday.

Back from Mallaig, direct trains leave at 06:03, 10:09 and 16:05 from Monday to Saturday, taking 5 hours 25 to 5 hours 40 to Glasgow, plus an 18:15 to Fort William only; on Sundays they leave at 10:05 and 16:05. Between Fort William and Mallaig there is an extra 08:15 from Fort William on Mondays to Saturdays and a 12:13 on Sundays.

Glenfinnan station times, for those who want to see a train on the viaduct: on weekdays westbound ScotRail trains call at 08:49, 12:51, 16:55 and about 22:45, the Jacobite at 11:21, and eastbound ScotRail trains at 06:56, 11:01, 16:54 and 19:06. The viaduct is just east of the station.

Glasgow Queen Street to Mallaig
08:22, 12:22, 18:24 (Mon to Fri); 12:20, 18:21 (Sun)
Glasgow to Fort William
3 h 42 to 3 h 50
Glasgow to Mallaig
5 h 13 to 5 h 24
Fort William to Mallaig
1 h 22 to 1 h 25; 4 trains Mon to Sat
Mallaig to Glasgow
06:03, 10:09, 16:05 (Mon to Sat)
Jacobite morning train (2026)
Fort William 10:15, Mallaig 12:25; back 14:10, 16:03
Jacobite afternoon train (2026)
Fort William 12:50, Mallaig 15:06; back 17:00, 18:52

Stations and connections

Where does the West Highland Line start, and how do I connect from London or to Skye?

Trains start from Glasgow Queen Street, not Glasgow Central. The train divides at Crianlarich, half for Oban and half for Fort William and Mallaig: board the right portion in Glasgow and stay in it.

From London, the Caledonian Sleeper runs straight to Fort William, arriving at 10:00, in time for the 12:18 to Mallaig (12:13 on Saturdays), and has a guest lounge at Fort William. By day, change in Glasgow from Central to Queen Street. At Mallaig the CalMac ferry for Armadale on Skye takes 45 minutes, which makes the line a road-free way to Skye; Fort William is also the start of the Jacobite, if you want steam for the last leg.

Glasgow terminus
Queen Street
Train divides
at Crianlarich (Oban and Mallaig portions)
London Euston to Fort William by sleeper
21:15 (Sundays 21:00) to 10:00 in 2026; no Saturday night train
Mallaig to Armadale, Skye
CalMac ferry, 45 minutes

Worth knowing before you go

Where to stay at either end

The Caledonian Sleeper leaves London Euston in the evening and wakes you on Rannoch Moor; end a London stay with it and you are in Fort William by 10:00, and in Mallaig at 13:40.

The journey in pictures

A steel viaduct on the Horseshoe Curve of the West Highland Line, seen across the green glen of the Allt Kinglass.
The view from a train window as it rounds a viaduct on the Horseshoe Curve beneath a grassy mountainside.
The green steel Gaur Viaduct carrying the West Highland Line across a river on Rannoch Moor under a clear blue sky.
A ScotRail train at Rannoch station, with its chalet style station building and the open moor behind.
Mallaig harbour with fishing boats and a CalMac ferry at the pier, and the hills of Skye across the sound.
The Jacobite steam locomotive and its maroon carriages beside the platform at Mallaig station.

Questions people ask

Good questions about The West Highland Line

How long is the train from Glasgow to Mallaig?

Between 5 hours 13 and 5 hours 24 minutes on the direct ScotRail trains in the 2026 timetable, which leave Glasgow Queen Street at 08:22, 12:22 and 18:24 on weekdays (08:21 and 18:23 on Saturdays) and at 12:20 and 18:21 on Sundays. Fort William is about 3 hours 45 minutes out, and the last leg on to Mallaig takes about 1 hour 25. There is no faster train and no change: you stay in your seat from Glasgow to the sea.

Does the normal ScotRail train go over the Glenfinnan Viaduct?

Yes. Every ScotRail train between Fort William and Mallaig crosses the viaduct, all year, just east of Glenfinnan station: westbound trains call there at 08:49, 12:51, 16:55 and 22:45 on weekdays. A Fort William to Mallaig Off-Peak Day Return was £19 for November 2026, against £76 for a standard return on the Jacobite steam train in 2026. Sit on the left heading for Mallaig to see the curve, Loch Shiel and the monument.

Which side should I sit on the West Highland Line?

From Glasgow, the right-hand side has Loch Lomond; the left has the Gare Loch, Loch Long, Loch Treig and Ben Nevis on the run into Fort William. From Fort William to Mallaig sit on the left for Loch Eil, the Glenfinnan Viaduct, Loch Shiel and the islands off Arisaig and Morar. Coming back, reverse it. Rannoch Moor is open on both sides, and if you must choose one side for the whole trip, choose the left.

Is there first class on the Glasgow to Mallaig train?

No. ScotRail's trains on the West Highland Line are standard class only. First class on this line means the Jacobite steam train between Fort William and Mallaig, at £116 for an adult day return at a table for four in 2026, or the Caledonian Sleeper's Club and Caledonian Double rooms from London to Fort William.

How do I book the Jacobite steam train, and when does it run?

Book directly with West Coast Railways at westcoastrailways.co.uk; Jacobite tickets are not sold with ordinary rail tickets, and they are same-day returns only. In 2026 the morning train ran daily from 1 June to 23 October, leaving Fort William at 10:15, and an afternoon train ran from 10 June to 25 September. Standard returns were £76. Dates for 2027 had not been announced on 19 October 2026.

Can you do Glasgow to Mallaig and back in a day?

Yes, from Monday to Saturday. Take the 08:22 from Glasgow Queen Street (08:21 on Saturdays), arrive in Mallaig at about 13:40, and catch the 16:05 back, which reaches Glasgow at 21:43; that gives you nearly two and a half hours by the harbour. An Off-Peak Day Return covers it, at £50.90 for November 2026, only £3.50 more than an Anytime Day Single. On Sundays the timings do not allow it.

Can I take the sleeper train from London to Fort William?

Yes. The Caledonian Sleeper leaves London Euston at 21:15 from Monday to Friday and 21:00 on Sundays in the timetable to 12 December 2026 (21:10 on weeknights in January 2027) and arrives in Fort William at 10:00, stopping at Rannoch and Corrour on the way; it does not run on Saturday nights. Listed fares for 20 January 2027 were £59 to £100 for a seat and £190 to £305 for a Classic solo room. Seated passengers change coaches at Edinburgh.

The West Highland Line

Loch Lomond, the empty bog of Rannoch Moor, 21 concrete arches at Glenfinnan, then the sea and Skye.

Glasgow → Mallaig

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Image credits: Daniel Kraft (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Jo and Steve Turner (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Gareth James (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Leslie Barrie (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Rosser1954 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Robert W Watt (CC BY-SA 2.0) · JoachimKohler-HB (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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