View source for Transport in Scotland

{{short description|Overview of the transport system in Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
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'''Transport in Scotland''' is facilitated by road, rail, air and water networks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Travel in Scotland - Travel Information & Advice |url=https://www.visitscotland.com/travel-planning/getting-around |website=VisitScotland |access-date=11 October 2024 |language=en-gb}}</ref> The [[Scottish Government]] and [[Scottish Parliament]] has control over most elements of [[transport policy]] within [[Scotland]], with the [[Cabinet Secretary for Transport (Scotland)|Cabinet Secretary for Transport]] holding portfolio responsibility within the Scottish Government.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.scot/about/who-runs-government/cabinet-and-ministers/cabinet-secretary-for-transport-infrastructure-and-connectivity/|title=Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity|access-date=1 March 2021|publisher=Scottish Government}}</ref> [[Transport Scotland]] is the [[Executive agencies of the Scottish Government|Executive Agency]] responsible for the Scottish transport network.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/about/|title=About|access-date=1 March 2021|publisher=Transport Scotland}}</ref>

The country has five international airports of which [[Edinburgh Airport]] is the busiest, handling in excess of 12 million passengers annually.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scottish airports |url=https://www.insider.co.uk/all-about/scottish-airports#:~:text=Edinburgh%20Airport%20is%20Scotland's%20busiest,12%20million%20passengers%20every%20year. |website=businessInsider |access-date=11 October 2024 |language=en |date=26 September 2024}}</ref> With over 790 islands lying off the Scottish coast, ferry services are primarily operated by [[Caledonian MacBrayne]], a subsidiary of [[David MacBrayne]] which is owned by the Scottish Government. [[Caledonian Maritime Assets]] is the owner of the [[ferries]], [[port]]s, [[harbours]] and infrastructure for ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland, the [[Firth of Clyde]] and the Northern Isles. In 2022, the country's rail operations were re–nationalised by the Scottish Government who took over the [[ScotRail]] franchise as an [[operator of last resort]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Scottish Government will take over ScotRail services on 1 April 2022 |url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/scottish-government-will-take-over-scotrail-services-on-1st-april/ |website=www.transport.gov.scot |access-date=11 October 2024 |language=en}}</ref> [[Scottish Rail Holdings]] is the executive agency of the Scottish Government which operates the ScotRail and [[Caledonian Sleeper]] services. [[Glasgow Central railway station]] is the country's busiest, with over 15 million passengers in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland's busiest and quietest train stations revealed |url=https://news.stv.tv/scotland/glasgow-central-to-scotscalder-scotlands-busiest-and-quietest-train-stations-revealed |website=STV News |access-date=11 October 2024 |date=24 November 2022}}</ref> 

==Government responsibility==
[[File:Scottish Parliament building - geograph.org.uk - 2469591.jpg|thumb|right|Most aspects of transport in Scotland are the responsibility of the Scottish Government, with legislation on transport passing through the [[Scottish Parliament]] in Edinburgh.]]

The Scottish Government and Transport Scotland are solely responsible for transport in Scotland within the following areas: 

*setting drink and drug-driving limits
*speed limits
*some aspects of railways, including Scottish passenger rail franchises
*concessionary travel schemes
*cycling
*parking
*local road pricing (including congestion charging)
*promotion of road safety
*road signs

Some aspects of transport policy and administration are [[Reserved and excepted matters|reserved]] (i.e.,&nbsp;not devolved), and are therefore the responsibility of the [[Government of the United Kingdom|UK Government]]'s [[Department for Transport]]:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Devolved and Reserved Powers |url=https://www.parliament.scot/about/how-parliament-works/devolved-and-reserved-powers |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.parliament.scot |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Driving in the United Kingdom|Driving and vehicle certification]]
*Some legislation regulating [[Marine transport]] and [[Navigation]] (including most aspects of [[merchant shipping]])
*the [[Highway Code]]  
*Operation of the [[Great Britain road numbering scheme]]
*Transport of radioactive material

== Railways<span class="anchor" id="Rail"></span> ==
[[Image:43124 1T98 Greenhill 24-04-20 (49971405461).jpg|thumb|right| [[Abellio ScotRail|ScotRail]] [[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|Class 43]] High Speed Train at [[Greenhill, Falkirk]]]]
[[File:Stirling - Abellio 383031 and the Wallace Memorial.JPG|thumb|right|ScotRail Class [[British Rail Class 385|385]] makes its way out of [[Stirling]] towards [[Alloa]].]]
===Railway overview===
Scotland has an extensive railway network, with links across the country, connections to England, local commuter links to the major cities (many of which were [[Railway electrification system|electrified]] under [[British Rail]]) and freight. As of 2018, the total route length of the rail network in Scotland is {{convert|2,819|km|mi|abbr=in}}. {{convert|709|km|mi|abbr=in}} of the rail network is electrified, and there are 359 stations.<ref name="2018 stats">{{cite web |url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/scottish-transport-statistics-no-37-2018-edition/sct01193326941-10/ |title=Chapter 7: Rail Services |website=www.transport.gov.scot |publisher=Transport Scotland |access-date=12 March 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190316214718/https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/scottish-transport-statistics-no-37-2018-edition/sct01193326941-10/ |archive-date=16 March 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The railway network is owned by [[Network Rail]], which is responsible for the majority of the railway infrastructure. Rail services are provided under franchises awarded by the government. The current holder of the Scottish franchise is [[ScotRail]]. Intercity services are also operated by [[Avanti West Coast]], [[CrossCountry]], [[Caledonian Sleeper]], [[London North Eastern Railway]] and [[TransPennine Express]].<ref name="NationalRail">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/promotions/toc_index.html|title=National Rail: Companies and coverage guide|website=NationalRail.co.uk|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref>

The [[East Coast Main Line|East]] and [[West Coast Main Line]]s are the two cross-border railways that connect the networks of Scotland and England. [[London North Eastern Railway]] (LNER) provides inter-city rail journeys on the former between [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]], [[Aberdeen railway station|Aberdeen]] and [[Edinburgh]] to [[London King's Cross railway station|London King's Cross]] via [[York railway station|York]], while [[Avanti West Coast]] runs services on the latter from either [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]] or [[Glasgow Central station|Glasgow Central]] to [[Euston railway station|London Euston]] with some services serving [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]]. [[TransPennine Express]], [[Lumo (train operating company)|Lumo]], [[CrossCountry]], [[Caledonian Sleeper]] and [[ScotRail]] also operate services to England. Domestic rail services within Scotland are operated by ScotRail. Glasgow's [[Glasgow Subway|Subway]] is one of the four underground urban rail networks in the UK (the others being in [[London Underground|London]], [[Tyne and Wear Metro|Newcastle]] and [[Merseyrail|Liverpool]]). Edinburgh has a [[Edinburgh Trams|tramway]] to and from the airport.

On 1 January 2006, [[Transport Scotland]] was established, which would oversee the regulation of railways in Scotland and administer major rail projects.<ref name="TransportSco">{{cite web |url=http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/corporate/freedom-information-publication-scheme/freedom-information-publication-scheme |title=Corporate: Freedom of Information Publication Scheme |publisher=Transport in Scotland |access-date=24 September 2014}}</ref>
Since April 2022, Transport Scotland has taken ScotRail back into public ownership via its [[operator of last resort]], [[Scottish Rail Holdings]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-60842268 | newspaper = [[BBC News]] | date = 1 April 2022 | access-date = 1 April 2022 | title = ScotRail goes back into public ownership}}</ref> It will do the same with the Caledonian Sleeper service in June 2023.<ref name = ts323 >{{cite web | url = https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/caledonian-sleeper-to-be-delivered-by-the-scottish-government/ | title = Caledonian Sleeper to be delivered by the Scottish Government | date = 2 March 2023 | access-date = 3 March 2023 | publisher = [[Transport Scotland]]}}</ref>

===Cross border services===
[[File:Caledonian Sleeper - 50080141738.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Caledonian Sleeper]], an overnight [[sleeper train]], is operated by [[Scottish Rail Holdings]] and travels between Scotland and London.]]  
The main cross border services in Scotland are:
* The [[West Coast Main Line]] – operated by [[Avanti West Coast]] and [[TransPennine Express]]
** Services from [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh Waverley]], [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central]]) and [[Motherwell railway station|Motherwell]] to [[Manchester Airport railway station|Manchester Airport]], [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] and [[Euston railway station|London Euston]]
* [[East Coast Main Line]] – operated by [[London North Eastern Railway]]
** Services from [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]], [[Aberdeen railway station|Aberdeen]], [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central]] and [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh Waverley]] to [[London King's Cross railway station|London King's Cross]]<ref name="NExp">{{cite web|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/icecf1/nxecawardedcontract|title=National Express awarded contract for growth on InterCity East Coast|publisher=[[Department for Transport]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219165508/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/icecf1/nxecawardedcontract|archive-date=19 December 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* [[Cross Country Route]] – operated by [[CrossCountry]]
** Services from [[Aberdeen railway station|Aberdeen]], [[Dundee railway station|Dundee]], [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central]] and [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh Waverley]] to [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]], [[Sheffield railway station|Sheffield]], [[Derby railway station|Derby]], [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]], [[Bristol Temple Meads railway station|Bristol Temple Meads]], [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter St Davids]], [[Plymouth railway station|Plymouth]] and [[Penzance railway station|Penzance]]
* [[Caledonian Sleeper]] – overnight sleeper services
** Services from [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]], [[Aberdeen railway station|Aberdeen]], [[Fort William railway station|Fort William]], [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central]] and [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh Waverley]] to [[Euston railway station|London Euston]]
* [[Glasgow South Western Line]] – operated by [[ScotRail]]
** Services linking [[Carlisle railway station|Carlisle]], [[Dumfries railway station|Dumfries]], [[Kilmarnock railway station|Kilmarnock]], [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central]], [[Paisley Gilmour Street railway station|Paisley]], [[Troon railway station|Troon]] (for [[P&O Ferries]] to [[Larne Harbour railway station|Larne]]), [[Ayr railway station|Ayr]] and [[Stranraer railway station|Stranraer]] (with links by bus from the two latter stations to [[Cairnryan]], for [[P&O Ferries]] to [[Larne Harbour railway station|Larne]] or [[Stena Line]] to [[Port of Belfast|Belfast]]).

===Scottish services===
[[File:Rail map scotland.png|thumb|Map of railways in Scotland]]
Within Scotland, 94% of passenger service trains are operated by [[ScotRail]], with the remaining 6% being cross border.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/41863/scottish-transport-statistics-2017-with-correction-to-table-214.pdf  |title=Scottish Transport Statistics |id=No. 36 |date=2017 |website=[[Transport Scotland]]}}</ref> Up until 2005, services within the former [[Strathclyde|Strathclyde Regional Council area]] were provided by  [[Strathclyde Partnership for Transport|SPT]] in partnership with [[ScotRail (British Rail)|British Rail]] and after the [[Privatisation of British Rail]] the ScotRail franchise holder. However after the implementation of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, SPT is no longer involved in the running of the rail network.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/all-scotland-s-trains-to-get-saltire-livery-1-1083147 | title=All Scotland's trains to get Saltire livery |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |location=Edinburgh }}</ref>

===History of Scottish railways===
The first railway in Scotland was the [[Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway]], opened in 1826. The first passenger railway was the [[Kilmarnock & Troon Railway]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18725887 | title=Plaque marks pioneering railway |work=[[BBC News]] |date=2012-07-06}}</ref> The first railways in Scotland were operated using horse traction. By 1850, Scotland's major cities were linked to each other and to the rest of the British railway network. The second half of the nineteenth century saw a rapid expansion of the network, and by 1900; virtually every town with a population greater than 2,000 on the Scottish mainland had a railway station. At the same time, trains became more comfortable, faster and more frequent whilst the cost of travel declined relative to wages.

Nevertheless, there were probably never more than 100 million or so journeys made per year within Scotland, little more than 20 per head of population, illustrating how most people had little need, financial means or desire to travel long distances. Railways did, though, play an important part in moving freight, especially heavy loads such as coal, iron and steel, and played a vital role in the [[First World War]]. After World War I, the [[Railways Act 1921]] also known as the '''Grouping Act''', merged the [[Caledonian Railway]] and its rival, the [[North British Railway]] into the newly created [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] and [[London and North Eastern Railway]] companies. After World War II, the railways were nationalised by the [[Transport Act 1947]] into [[British Rail]]ways. The Scottish network was reorganised as the [[Scottish Region of British Railways|Scottish Region (ScR)]], one of six new regions of British Railways.

By the late-1950s, the railways were operating at a loss. In 1963, the Government appointed [[Richard Beeching]] as Chairman of the [[British Transport Commission]]. He commissioned a report called The Reshaping of British Railways also known as the Beeching Report that intended to reorganise the railways to become more profitable. This led to the infamous [[Beeching cuts]], resulting in 650 miles of track and associated stations being closed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/450-miles-of-scots-railway-dodged-beeching-axe-1-2848941 | title=450 miles of Scots railway 'dodged Beeching axe'}}</ref> The closures were deeply unpopular by many people affected and resulted in protests, most notably the [[Waverley Route]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-21859794|title=What was Beeching's worst railway cut?|first=Steven|last=Brocklehurst|work=BBC News|date=27 March 2013|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref> The closure programme slowed down after the [[Transport Act 1968]] made it possible for the Government to directly subsidise loss-making lines and the last major closures in the 1970s, were the direct Edinburgh–Perth [[Glenfarg Line (NBR)|Glenfarg line]] and the [[Formartine and Buchan Railway]] which connected Peterhead and Fraserburgh to Aberdeen. In the 1980s, British Railways (by that point renamed "British Rail") rebranded the Scottish Region as [[ScotRail (British Rail)|ScotRail]].

[[British Rail]] was privatised in March 1997 by the outgoing Conservative Government. The Scotland franchise was won by [[National Express]] who decided to retain the [[ScotRail (National Express)|ScotRail]] brand and operated the franchise until 2004. The Scotland franchise was then operated by [[First ScotRail]] until 2015 when [[Abellio ScotRail]] was awarded the franchise by the devolved [[Scottish Government]]. The [[Caledonian Sleeper]] service, which had previously been operated by the Scotland franchise holder from 1997, was separated as a new franchise in 2015. It is currently operated by [[Scottish Rail Holdings]] after being taken into public ownership by the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transport Scotland {{!}} Caledonian Sleeper Franchise |url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/rail/caledonian-sleeper-franchise/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.transport.gov.scot |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Glasgow2024-Stadler-MetCam-Trains-VideoStill.png|thumb|The Glasgow Subway]]
[[File:Trams_at_St_Andrew_Square,_Edinburgh_(geograph_3996542).jpg|thumb|alt=Edinburgh trams at stop|[[Edinburgh Trams]] at St Andrews Square]]

Since 1997, rail usage has risen, which has resulted in the reopening of former railway lines and stations closed under the Beeching Axe. Major reopenings include:
* [[Airdrie–Bathgate rail link]] – reopened a fourth link between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
* [[Stirling–Alloa–Kincardine rail link]] - reconnected [[Clackmannanshire]] to the rail network.
* [[Borders Railway]] – partial reopening of the [[Waverley Route]]
In 2008, the Scottish Government announced that £200 million would be spent to reduce journey times between Aberdeen and both Edinburgh and Glasgow. The funds would shorten the journey time between Aberdeen and Edinburgh by 24 minutes. However, in 2021, it was stated that only £1.68 million had been spent.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Jamie|title=Concerns as rail improvement works 'no further forward' 13 years on|url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/concerns-as-rail-improvement-works-no-further-forward-13-years-on/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Evening Express|date=16 November 2016 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Jamie|title=North-east rail upgrades on track for 2026 completion|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/3128629/north-east-rail-upgrades-on-track-for-2026-completion/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Press and Journal|date=11 May 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Glasgow Subway===
{{main|Glasgow Subway}}

The [[Glasgow Subway]] is the only [[Rapid transit|underground system]] in Scotland. It opened on 14 December 1896, making it the third-oldest underground network in the world after the [[Budapest Metro]] and the [[London Underground]]. It is owned and operated by [[Strathclyde Partnership for Transport]].

===Trams and light rail===
{{See also|List of town tramway systems in Scotland}}

[[Edinburgh Trams]] opened on 31 May 2014. It is the only system currently in operation in Scotland, although [[Aberdeen Corporation Tramways|Aberdeen]], [[Dundee Corporation Tramways|Dundee]], [[Dunfermline]], [[Edinburgh Corporation Tramways|Edinburgh]] and [[Glasgow Corporation Tramways|Glasgow]] formerly had extensive networks.

==Road network==
[[File:Kingston Bridge in Glasgow.jpg|thumb|right|The [[M8 motorway (Scotland)|M8]] is the busiest motorway in Scotland.]]
[[File:Queensferry Bridge 2 (36766036234).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Queensferry Crossing]] carries the [[M90 motorway]] across the [[Firth of Forth]].]] 
[[File:Isle Of Skye A863 The Cuillins.jpg|thumb|right|The [[A863 road]] on the [[Isle of Skye]]]] 
===Motorways===
Scotland has an extensive road network throughout the country. The motorway network is concentrated in the [[Central belt]], with [[trunk road]]s ([[A roads in Great Britain|A roads]]) connecting the rest of the country.

Major routes in Scotland include:
*[[M74 motorway]] and A74(M) motorway between Glasgow and the [[M6 Motorway|M6]] at Carlisle
*[[M77 motorway]]/[[A77 road]] between Glasgow, Kilmarnock, Ayr and Stranraer
*[[M9 motorway (Scotland)|M9 motorway]] between Edinburgh and Bridge of Allan
*[[M8 motorway (Scotland)|M8 motorway]] between Edinburgh, Glasgow and Greenock
*[[M80 motorway]] between Glasgow and Stirling
*[[M90 motorway]] between Edinburgh, Kinross and Perth
*[[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1 road]] between Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Haddington, Dunbar, Berwick and London
*[[A82 road]] between Glasgow, Crianlarich, Fort William and Inverness via [[Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park|Loch Lomond and The Trossachs]] and [[Loch Ness]]
*[[A9 road (Great Britain)|A9 road]] between Falkirk, Stirling, Perth, Pitlochry, Aviemore, Inverness, Golspie, Thurso and Scrabster ferry terminal, (connecting to the [[NorthLink Ferries]] ferry to [[Stromness]], Orkney) via [[Cairngorms National Park|The Cairngorms]]
*[[A90 road (Great Britain)|A90 road]] between Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Forfar, Stonehaven, Aberdeen, Peterhead and Fraserburgh

=== Traffic ===

Within the large cities, roads become congested in peak hours. The M8 and M77 motorways become heavily congested in peak hours, especially around Glasgow where it travels through the heart of the city. The main congestion hotspots are in Glasgow City Centre around the [[Kingston Bridge, Glasgow|Kingston Bridge]] where a large amount of traffic leaves and enter the road. Also further down the road traffic joining at [[Hillington, Glasgow|Hillington]] Estate and [[Braehead]] Shopping Centre near [[Glasgow Airport]] can cause hold-ups. Traffic is also extremely heavy between Glasgow and Edinburgh at all times, however rarely comes to a standstill.

=== Road construction ===

An extension to the M9 spur to link with the A90 at the Forth Bridge recently opened, as did the new [[Clackmannanshire Bridge]] over the Firth of Forth. A controversial extension to the M74 motorway through the southside of Glasgow was also completed in 2011. The road, first proposed in the 1960s, was due to be open in 2008. However, legal action against the road was brought by environmental group [[Friends of the Earth]]. The action ultimately failed; however, the motorway has widespread opposition after ministers over-ruled the Local Public Inquiry held into the project which recommended that the road not be built, as it would be unable to substantially reduce congestion and would lead to more vehicles and pollution in the area. The Scottish Ministers voted for the road, believing that it would regenerate the inner city of Glasgow's Southside and bring economic benefits to Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and the Southside of Glasgow. Construction cost was estimated at £575&nbsp;million, and it was Scotland's biggest roads project to date, as well as being the first motorway to be built in a British urban area for decades.

{| class="toccolours" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" style="text-align:center; margin:0 auto; width:65%;"
|- style="background: #efefef;"
| [[Image:UK motorway symbol.svg|40px|Motorway symbol]]
| style="font-size: 150%" | Motorways of [[Scotland]]
|-
| colspan="3" |[[M73 motorway|M73]] – [[M74 motorway|M74]] – [[M77 motorway|M77]] – '''[[M8 motorway (Scotland)|M8]]''' – [[M80 motorway|M80]] – [[M876 motorway|M876]] – [[M898 motorway|M898]] – '''[[M9 motorway (Scotland)|M9]]''' – [[M90 motorway|M90]]
|- style="background: #efefef;"
! colspan="3" | A-roads with motorway restrictions
|-
| colspan="3" |[[M74 motorway|A74(M)]] – [[A823(M) motorway|A823(M)]]
|}

== Bus travel ==
[[File:Edinburgh castle (49736353732).jpg|thumb|right|Buses in [[Edinburgh]] city centre, passing [[Edinburgh Castle]]]]
[[File:Kilmarnock Bus Station.jpg|thumb|right|Buses, operated by Stagecoach, at [[Kilmarnock]] bus station]] 
Scotland is covered by a large bus network throughout many towns, cities and rural areas. It is estimated that 95% of the population live within 5 minutes walk of a bus stop. National and international buses often operate out of main bus stations in the cities, such as [[Buchanan bus station]] in Glasgow and [[Edinburgh bus station]].

[[Scottish Citylink]] and [[Megabus (Europe)|Megabus]] are the two principal long-distance coach operators within Scotland, and currently operating together as a joint venture. However, the deal is being monitored by the competition commission to ensure that it does not unfairly damage long-distance bus travel in Scotland. [[National Express Coaches|National Express]] provide coach links with cities in England and Wales.

[[FirstGroup]] and [[Stagecoach Group]] are two large public transport companies which are based in Scotland at [[Aberdeen]] and [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]], respectively, and both operate a number of local and regional services.

Numerous local independent operators also run bus services throughout Scotland as well as [[Lothian Buses]], Edinburgh's largest bus operator and Scotland's last council-run bus company.

Scotland's bus network, like that of Great Britain outside London, is [[Bus deregulation in the United Kingdom|deregulated]] following an act of UK Parliament in 1986. This broke up the former national and city bus companies, formerly run by the local authorities since the 1930s, into private companies. The act also allowed buses to be operated by private companies and individuals for profit, provided they met the financial, background and maintenance requirements to qualify for a licence, set down by [[Vehicle & Operator Services Agency]] who administrate the system. A Public Service Vehicle Licence is then granted to allow a specified number of vehicles to be operated. Using this licence firms can then register their routes with the Local [[Traffic Commissioner]] for the area, in this case Scotland, indicating the exact route to be operated as well as the times and dates their buses will run. No requirements are set as to when and what routes buses can run, their age and what fares can be charged-this is decided by companies, often by the profitability of the route. Currently only one bus company, [[Lothian Buses]] in Edinburgh, remains under ownership and control of local councils in Lothian and Edinburgh.

On 31 January 2022, free bus travel was introduced across Scotland for everyone aged under 22.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-01-31 |title=Free bus travel for under-22s in Scotland begins |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-60087004 |access-date=2022-06-22}}</ref>

== Water ==
=== Ferries ===
[[File:Scotland ferries map.png|thumb|Map of ferry services in Scotland]]
[[File:Calmac ferry MV Isle of Mull - geograph.org.uk - 4360319.jpg|thumb|right|{{MV|Isle of Mull}}, operated by [[Caledonian MacBrayne]], serves the [[Craignure]]–[[Oban]] route.]]
As Scotland is made up of several hundred islands, water has always been an important transport route for passengers and freight, particularly in the remote communities of the [[Hebrides]].

[[Caledonian MacBrayne]], a subsidiary of [[David MacBrayne]], is owned by the [[Scottish Government]]. A fleet of 31 ferries serve a 52 ports and 49 routes on the ferry network in Scotland, with 5.3 million passengers travelling on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry network in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/45420/action-plan-calmac-ferries-communication-paper-august-2019.pdf | title=Action Plan – CalMac Ferries Communication Paper | website=www.transport.gov.scot}}</ref> The ferry network in Scotland is faced with issues, in part due to the ageing fleet of the Caledonian MacBrayne network.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2022-04-22 |title=The problem with CalMac's ageing ferries |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-61161932 |access-date=2024-01-11 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> The average age of a Caledonian MacBrayne vessel in 2023 was 40 years old, with {{MV|Isle of Arran}} having been built in 1983, and serves the busiest route ([[Ardrossan]]–[[Brodick]]) in Scotland's ferry network.<ref name=":0" /> 

The ferry network is often met with criticism by those living and working in Scotland's island communities, citing delays and cancellations as a reason for loss of earnings and impacting island communities local economies.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-30 |title=Anger grows at latest CalMac ferry disruption |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65122952 |access-date=2024-01-11 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> Construction of two replacement vessels, {{MV|Glen Sannox|2017}} and "[[Hull 802]]" were awarded to [[Ferguson Marine]] in 2015, however, have faced major delays and budget overspending, trebling to £293 million.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-14 |title=£87,000 bonus for Ferguson bosses branded 'unacceptable' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-64954744 |access-date=2024-01-11 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> 

In an attempt to deal with the [[political scandal]] arising from the [[Scottish ferry fiasco|ferry fiasco]], the Scottish Government nationalised the Ferguson Marine shipyard, which, at the time of Scottish Government nationalisation, had debts of £70 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-16 |title=Jobs safeguarded as SNP ministers nationalise Ferguson shipyard |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17841805.snp-ministers-nationalise-clyde-shipyard/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=The Herald |language=en}}</ref>

There are several ferry companies operating in Scotland including:
* [[Caledonian MacBrayne]], a publicly owned ferry company with routes linking the mainland to all the major islands of the West Coast
* [[NorthLink Ferries]], currently run by [[Serco]], provides the lifeline and [[Scottish Government]] subsidised services to the [[Orkney Islands]] and [[Shetland Islands]], linking them with [[Aberdeen]] and [[Scrabster]]
* [[Pentland Ferries]], car and passenger ferries from Gills Bay (Scottish Mainland) to St. Margaret's Hope (Orkney).
* [[Stena Line]] link [[Cairnryan]] to the [[Port of Belfast|Belfast]] in Northern Ireland
* [[P&O (company)|P&O]] provide a link to [[Larne Harbour railway station|Larne]] in Northern Ireland from [[Cairnryan]]
* [[Western Ferries]] based in [[Hunters Quay]], [[Argyll]], operates on the [[Firth of Clyde]], providing a frequent vehicle link between [[Hunters Quay]], [[Cowal]] and McInroy's Point, [[Gourock]], [[Inverclyde]].
* [[SIC Ferries]], owned by the [[Shetland Islands Council]] provide inter-island services in [[Shetland]]
* [[Orkney Islands Council]] own [[Orkney Ferries]], which provides inter-island services in [[Orkney]]

The [[Strathclyde Partnership for Transport]], formerly Strathclyde Passenger Transport, the only regional passenger executive in Scotland also subsidises the [[Renfrew Ferry]].

The [[Rosyth – Zeebrugge ferry service]] (freight only since 2010), formerly operated by [[DFDS]], [[Superfast Ferries]] and [[Norfolkline]], ceased operation in 2018. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/02/27/fancy-a-ferry-from-scotland-to-france-project-brave-wants-to-take-you-there-in-2025|title=Fancy a ferry from Scotland to France? ‘Project Brave’ wants to take you there in 2025|publisher=EuroNews|date=27 February 2025|access-date=28 February 2025|author=Joanna Bailey}}</ref> The ferry to [[Gothenburg]], [[Sweden]], from [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] (actually [[North Shields]]) in northern England (currently run by the Danish company [[DFDS|DFDS Seaways]]), ceased at the end of October 2006.<ref>[http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=4805&date=20060906 "DFDS scraps Newcastle-Gothenburg line"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070828100914/http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=4805&date=20060906 |date=28 August 2007 }}, The Local, 7 September 2006: "Danish shipping company DFDS Seaways is to scrap the only passenger ferry route between Sweden and Britain, with the axing of the Gothenburg-Newcastle route at the end of October."</ref> This service was a key route for Scottish [[Tourism in Scotland|tourist]] traffic from Sweden and [[Norway]]. The company cited high [[fuel price]]s and new competition from [[low-cost air services]], especially [[Ryanair]] (which now flies to [[Glasgow Prestwick Airport|Glasgow Prestwick]] and [[Stansted Airport|London Stansted]] from [[Gothenburg City Airport]]), as being the cause. DFDS Seaways' sister company, DFDS Tor Line, will continue to run scheduled [[freight]] ships between Gothenburg and several English ports, including Newcastle, and these have limited capacity for passengers, but not private vehicles. The Newcastle–[[Kristiansand]], Norway, route has however recently been cancelled.

=== Waterways ===
{{See also|Canals of the United Kingdom#Canals in Scotland|l1=Canals in Scotland}}

Scotland never had an extensive canal network. The [[Forth and Clyde Canal]], [[Union Canal (Scotland)|Union Canal]] and the [[Caledonian Canal]] were some of the most important, but went into decline after the growth of the railways. They are now being reopened and restored primarily for leisure use.

== Air transport ==
[[File:Edinburgh Airport from the air - geograph.org.uk - 6228580.jpg|thumb|right|[[Edinburgh Airport]] is Scotland's busiest airport by passenger numbers, with over 14.4 million passengers in 2023.<ref name="auto2">{{cite web |title=Facts and figures {{!}} Edinburgh Airport |url=https://corporate.edinburghairport.com/about-us/facts-and-figures |website=www.corporate.edinburghairport.com |publisher=Edinburgh Airport |access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref>]] 
[[File:Twin Otter at Barra Airport.JPG|thumb|right|[[Barra Airport]] is the only airport in the world to use a tidal beach as its runway.]] 
[[File:GDN G-SAJF 4.jpg|thumb|right|[[Loganair]] is branded as ''Scotland's Airline''.]]

Air transport in Scotland is responsible for 0.3% of Scottish Gross Value Added (GVA) (roughly £400 million).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Context {{!}} Transport Scotland |url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/disability-and-transport-findings-from-the-scottish-household-survey-1/context/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.transport.gov.scot}}</ref> In 2019, 3.5 million international inbound visits to Scotland occurred, with a total visitor spending being estimated £2.5 billion. Of the 3.5 million inbound visits, 1.9 million used Scottish airports.<ref name=":1" /> The Scottish Government has passed a bill in the Scottish Parliament to replace the UK-wide [[Air Passenger Duty]] with a [[Air Departure Tax]] which would apply fully and solely to Scotland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Air Departure Tax |url=http://www.gov.scot/policies/taxes/air-departure-tax/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.gov.scot |language=en}}</ref>

[[Edinburgh Airport]] is the busiest airport in Scotland by passenger numbers, and is a major transatlantic gateway for Scotland. In 2023, Edinburgh Airport handled in excess of 14 million passengers, a 28% increase from recorded passenger numbers in 2022. Thirty-five airlines fly to 152 international destinations from Edinburgh Airport, with the airport handling 115,000 aircraft movements in 2023.<ref name="auto2"/> The countries second largest airport by passenger numbers is [[Glasgow Airport]], which handles over 7 million passengers on an annual basis. A total of 20 airlines serve Glasgow Airport, flying to over 100 international destinations.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us {{!}} Glasgow Airport |url=https://www.glasgowairport.com/about-us/ |website=www.glasgowairport.com |publisher=Glasgow Airport |access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref>

[[Glasgow Prestwick Airport]] in [[Prestwick]], [[South Ayrshire]], was the only airport in Scotland to operate a transatlantic link for a considerable period of time before the establishment of Scotland's other larger airports, such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. [[Aberdeen Airport]] is one of Europe's busiest commercial heliports due to its proximity to the [[North Sea]] and its role in supporting the [[North Sea oil|North Sea oil and gas industry]]. The [[Freedoms of the air|open skies policy]] (1990) allowed Scots to fly direct to international countries without the need to change flights at airports such as [[Heathrow Airport|London Heathrow]] or [[Gatwick Airport|London Gatwick]].<ref name="auto">{{cite book |last1=Jarvie |first1=Frances and Gordon |title=Flight in Scotland |date=2009 |publisher=NMS Enterprises Limited - Publishing |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-905267-24-8 |pages=32–33}}</ref> [[British Airways]], [[EasyJet]], [[Jet2]] and [[Ryanair]] operate the majority of flights between Scotland and other major UK and European airports.

[[Highlands and Islands Airports]] operates eleven airports across the [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]], [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]] and the [[Western Isles]], which are primarily used for short distance, public service operations, although [[Inverness Airport]] has a number of scheduled flights to destinations across the UK and mainland Europe. Inverness Airport is largely considered as the "air gateway" for the [[Scottish Highland]] area and Scotland's [[List of islands of Scotland|islands]].<ref name="auto"/> It is the largest of the ten airports serving the Highlands and Islands region, handling more than 330 flights per week to both Scottish and UK-wide destinations in 2009.<ref name="auto1">{{cite book |last1=Jarvie |first1=Frances and Gordon |title=Flight in Scotland |date=2009 |publisher=NMS Enterprises Limited - Publishing |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-905267-24-8 |pages=24–25}}</ref>

A number of smaller airports across Scotland provide a mixture of commercial and military flights. Smaller airports of the country include [[Barra Airport]], [[Benbecula Airport]], [[Campbeltown Airport]], [[Coll Airport]], [[Colonsay Airport]], [[Dundee Airport]], [[Eday Airport]], [[Fair Isle Airport]], [[Foula Airport]], [[Islay Airport]], [[Tingwall Airport]], [[North Ronaldsay Airport]], [[Oban Airport]], [[Papa Stour Airstrip]], [[Papa Westray Airport]], [[Sanday Airport]], [[Stornoway Airport]], [[Stronsay Airport]], [[Sumburgh Airport]], [[Tiree Airport]], [[Westray Airport]] and  [[Wick Airport]]. Islay Airport is known as the "Queen of the Hebrides" and is connected to the Scottish mainland with flights to Glasgow operated by British Airways.<ref name="auto1"/> 

Scotland has five international airports – [[Aberdeen Airport|Aberdeen]], [[Edinburgh Airport|Edinburgh]], [[Glasgow Airport|Glasgow]], [[Glasgow Prestwick Airport|Glagow Prestwick]] and [[Inverness Airport|Inverness]] – with scheduled services, operating to Europe, North America and Asia, as well domestic services to England, Northern Ireland and Wales. There are currently four Scottish-based airlines:

* [[Directflight]]
* [[Hebridean Air Services]]
* [[Loch Lomond Seaplanes]]
* [[Loganair]]

===Airports in Scotland===

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
|-
! rowspan=2 | Location
! rowspan=2 | [[Counties of England|County]]
! rowspan=2 | [[International Civil Aviation Organization airport code|ICAO]]
! rowspan=2 | [[International Air Transport Association airport code|IATA]]
! rowspan=2 | Airport name
! rowspan=2 | Usage
! colspan=2 | [[Runway|Rwy Length]]
! rowspan=2 | Surface 
! rowspan=2 | Elevation (m)
|-
! (m)
! (ft)
|- valign=top
| [[Aberdeen]] || [[Aberdeen]] || EGPD || ABZ || '''''[[Aberdeen Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,953 || 6,407 || Asphalt || 66
|- valign=top
| [[Ardchattan and Muckairn]] || [[Argyll and Bute]] || EGEO || OBN || '''''[[Oban Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,240 || 4,068 || Asphalt || 7
|- valign=top
| [[Baltasound]] || [[Shetland]] || EGPW || UNT || ''[[Unst Airport]]'' || Public || 640 || 2,100 || Asphalt || 
|- valign=top
| [[Benbecula]] || [[Outer Hebrides|Na h-Eileanan Siar]] || EGPL || BEB || '''''[[Benbecula Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,836 || 6,023 || Asphalt || 6
|- valign=top
| [[Barra]] || [[Outer Hebrides|Na h-Eileanan Siar]] || EGPR || BRR || '''''[[Barra Airport]]''''' || Public || 846 || 2,776 || Sand || 2
|- valign=top
| [[Campbeltown]] || [[Argyll and Bute]] || EGEC || CAL || '''''[[Campbeltown Airport]]''''' ''([[RAF Machrihanish]]'') || Public || 3,049 || 10,003 || Asphalt || 13
|- valign=top
| [[Coll]] || [[Argyll and Bute]] || EGEL || COL || '''''[[Coll Airport]]''''' || Public || 500 || 1,640 || Asphalt || 6
|- valign=top
| [[Colonsay|Colonsay and Oronsay]] || [[Argyll and Bute]] || EGEY || CSA || '''''[[Colonsay Airport]]''''' || Public || 501 || 1,644 || Asphalt || 13
|- valign=top
| [[North Ronaldsay]] || [[Orkney]] || EGEN || NRL || '''''[[North Ronaldsay Airport]]''''' || Public || 467 || 1,532 || Graded hardcore || 17
|- valign=top
| [[Cumbernauld]] || [[North Lanarkshire]] || EGPG || &nbsp; || ''[[Cumbernauld Airport]]'' || Public || 820 || 2,690 || Asphalt || 107
|- valign=top
| [[Dalcross]] || [[Highland (council area)|Highland]] || EGPE || INV || '''''[[Inverness Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,887 || 6,191 || Asphalt || 9
|- valign=top
| [[Dundee]] || [[Dundee]] || EGPN || DND || '''''[[Dundee Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,400 || 4,593 || Asphalt || 5
|- valign=top
| [[Dunrossness]] || [[Shetland]] || EGPB || LSI || '''''[[Sumburgh Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,426 || 4,678 || Asphalt || 6
|- valign=top
| [[Eday]] || [[Orkney]] || EGED || EOI || '''''[[Eday Airport]]''''' || Public || 467 || 1,532 || Graded hardcore || 6
|- valign=top
| [[Edinburgh]] || [[Edinburgh]] || EGPH || EDI || '''''[[Edinburgh Airport]]''''' || Public || 2,560 || 8,399 || Asphalt || 41
|- valign=top
| [[Fair Isle]] || [[Shetland]] || EGEF || FIE || '''''[[Fair Isle Airport]]''''' || Private || 486 || 1,594 || Gravel || 68
|- valign=top
| [[Foula]] || [[Shetland]] || || FOA || '''[[Foula Airfield]]''' ||  || 457 || 1,500 || Gravel ||
|- valign=top
| [[Islay]] || [[Argyll and Bute]] || EGPI || ILY || '''''[[Islay Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,545 || 5,068 || Asphalt || 17
|- valign=top
| [[Kinglassie]] || [[Fife]] || EGPJ || &nbsp; || [[Fife Airport]] || Public || 700 || 2,297 || Asphalt || 
|- valign=top
| [[Kinloss Barracks|Kinloss]] || [[Moray]] || EGQK || FSS || [[Kinloss Barracks]] || Military || 2,311 || 7,582 || Asphalt ||
|- valign=top
| [[Sanday, Orkney|Sanday]] || [[Orkney]] || EGES || NDY || '''''[[Sanday Airport]]''''' || Public || 467 || 1,532 || Graded hardcore || 20
|- valign=top
| [[Leuchars]] || [[Fife]] || EGQL || ADX || [[Leuchars Station]] || Military || 2,588 || 8,491 || Asphalt ||
|- valign=top
| [[Lossiemouth]] || [[Moray]] || EGQS || LMO || [[RAF Lossiemouth]] || Military || 2,749 || 9,019 || Asphalt ||
|- valign=top
| [[Out Skerries]] || [[Shetland]] || || OUK || Out Skerries Airport || || || || || 
|- valign=top
| [[Papa Stour]] || [[Shetland]] || || PSV || [[Papa Stour Airstrip|Papa Stour Airport]] || Public || 442 || 1,450 || Gravel ||
|- valign=top
| [[Papa Westray]] || [[Orkney]] || EGEP || PPW || '''''[[Papa Westray Airport]]''''' || Public || 469 || 1,532 || Graded hardcore || 28
|- valign=top
| [[Paisley, Renfrewshire|Paisley]] || [[Renfrewshire]] || EGPF || GLA || '''''[[Glasgow Airport]]''''' || Public || 2,658 || 8,720 || Asphalt || 8
|- valign=top
| [[Prestwick]] || [[South Ayrshire]] || EGPK || PIK || '''''[[Glasgow Prestwick Airport]]''''' || Public || 2,987 || 9,799 || Concrete/asphalt || 20
|- valign=top
| [[Mainland, Orkney]] || [[Orkney]] || EGPA || KOI || '''''[[Kirkwall Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,428 || 4,685 || Asphalt || 18
|- valign=top
| [[Scone, Scotland|Scone]] || [[Perth and Kinross]] || EGPT || PSL || ''[[Perth Airport, Scotland|Perth Airport]]'' || Public || 853 || 2,799 || Asphalt ||
|- valign=top
| [[Stornoway]] || [[Outer Hebrides|Na h-Eileanan Siar]] || EGPO || SYY || '''''[[Stornoway Airport]]''''' || Public || 2,200 || 7,218 || Asphalt || 8
|- valign=top
| [[Ashaig]] || [[Highland (council area)|Highland]] || EGEI || SKL || [[Broadford Airfield]]|| Public || 793 || 2,602 || Grass ||
|- valign=top
| [[Stronsay]] || [[Orkney]] || EGER || SOY || '''''[[Stronsay Airport]]''''' || Public || 515 || 1,690 || Graded hardcore || 12
|- valign=top
| [[Tingwall, Shetland|Tingwall]] || [[Shetland]] || EGET || LWK || '''''[[Tingwall Airport]]''''' || Public || 764 || 2,507 || Asphalt || 14
|- valign=top
| [[Tiree]] || [[Argyll and Bute]] || EGPU || TRE || '''''[[Tiree Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,472 || 4,829 || Asphalt ||
|- valign=top
| [[Westray]] || [[Orkney]] || EGEW || WRY || '''''[[Westray Airport]]''''' || Public || 467 || 1,532 || Gravel || 9
|- valign=top
| [[Whalsay]] || [[Shetland]] || EGEH || WHS || [[Whalsay Airstrip]] || Public || 457 || 1,499 || Asphalt ||
|- valign=top
| [[Wick, Highland|Wick]] || [[Highland (council area)|Highland]] || EGPC || WIC || '''''[[Wick Airport]]''''' || Public || 1,825 || 5,988 || Asphalt ||
|}

== See also ==
* [[List of Tramways in Scotland]]
* [[NaPTAN]]
* [[Rail transport in Great Britain]]
* [[Scotch gauge]]
* [[Transport in Aberdeen]] 
* [[Transport in Edinburgh]] 
* [[Transport in Glasgow]]
* [[Transport in the United Kingdom]]
** [[Transport in England]]
** [[Transport in Wales]]
** [[Transport in Northern Ireland]]
* [[Transport Scotland]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last1=Cowsill|first1=Miles|last2=Hendy|first2=John|title=Ferries of Scotland|date=1992|publisher=Ferry Publications|location=Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire|isbn=978-0951309346}}
* {{cite book|last1=Hendy|first1=John|title=Ferries of Scotland. Vol. 2|date=2010|publisher=Ferry Publications|location=Narberth, Pembrokeshire|isbn=9781906608194|edition=new}}
{{refend}}{{Transport in Scotland}}{{Scotland topics}}
{{Railway lines in Scotland}}
{{Bus operators in Scotland}}
{{Scottish Ferry Operators}}
{{Transportation in Europe}}
{{Airports in Scotland}}
{{Economy of Scotland}}{{Tourism in Scotland}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Scotland}}
[[Category:Transport in Scotland| ]]