This section covers just the basics on traveling in Scotland (for much more information, see Rick Steves Scotland). You’ll find free advice on specific topics at Ricksteves.com/tips.
For currency, Scotland uses the pound sterling (£), also called a “quid”: 1 pound (£1) = about $1.30. One pound is broken into 100 pence (p). To convert prices in pounds to dollars, add about 30 percent: £20 = about $26, £50 = about $65. (Check Oanda.com for the latest exchange rates.)
Like England, Scotland issues its own pound notes. Scottish pounds are technically interchangeable across Great Britain but sometimes are not accepted by businesses in England. Banks in Scotland or England can convert your Scottish pounds into English pounds at no charge.
The standard way for travelers to get pounds is to withdraw money from an ATM (which locals call a “cash point”) using a debit card, ideally with a Visa or MasterCard logo. To keep your cash, cards, and valuables safe, wear a money belt.
Before departing, call your bank or credit-card company: Confirm that your card(s) will work overseas, ask about international transaction fees, and alert them that you’ll be making withdrawals in Europe. Also ask for the PIN number for your credit card—you may need it for Europe’s “chip-and-PIN” payment machines. Allow time for your bank to mail your PIN to you.
European cards use chip-and-PIN technology (most chip cards issued in the US instead have a signature option). Some European card readers may generate a receipt for you to sign, while others may prompt you to enter your PIN (so it’s important to know the code for each of your cards). US credit cards may not work at some self-service payment machines (transit-ticket kiosks, parking, etc.). If your card won’t work, look for a cashier who can process the transaction manually—or pay in cash.
Dynamic Currency Conversion: If merchants or hoteliers offer to convert your purchase price into dollars (called dynamic currency conversion, or DCC), refuse this “service.” You’ll pay more in fees for the expensive convenience of seeing your charge in dollars. If an ATM offers to “lock in” or “guarantee” your conversion rate, choose “proceed without conversion.” Other prompts might state, “You can be charged in dollars: Press YES for dollars, NO for pounds.” Always choose the local currency.
The simplest solution is to bring your own device—mobile phone, tablet, or laptop—and use it just as you would at home (following the money-saving tips below). The following instructions apply in Scotland and across Great Britain.
To call Great Britain from a US or Canadian number: Whether you’re phoning from a landline, your own mobile phone, or a Skype account, you’re making an international call. Dial 011-44 and then the area code (minus its initial zero) and local number. (The 011 is our international access code, and 44 is Great Britain’s country code.) If dialing from a mobile phone, you can enter + in place of the international access code—press and hold the 0 key.
To call Great Britain from a European country: Dial 00-44 followed by the area code (minus its initial zero) and local number. (The 00 is Europe’s international access code.)
To call within Great Britain: If you’re dialing within an area code, just dial the local number; but if you’re calling outside your area code, you have to dial both the area code (which starts with a 0) and the local number.
To call from Great Britain to another country: Dial 00 followed by the country code (for example, 1 for the US or Canada), then the area code and number. If you’re calling European countries whose phone numbers begin with 0, you’ll usually have to omit that 0 when you dial.
Tips: If you bring your own mobile phone, consider signing up for an international plan; most providers offer a global calling plan that cuts the per-minute cost of phone calls and texts, and a flat-fee data plan.
Use Wi-Fi whenever possible. Most hotels and many cafés offer free Wi-Fi, and you’ll likely also find it at tourist information offices (TIs), major museums, and public-transit hubs. With Wi-Fi you can use your phone or tablet to make free or inexpensive domestic and international calls via a calling app such as Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts. When you can’t find Wi-Fi, you can use your cellular network to connect to the internet, send texts, or make voice calls. When you’re done, avoid further charges by manually switching off “data roaming” or “cellular data.”
It’s generally not possible to dial UK toll or toll-free numbers from a US mobile or landline (although you can sometimes get through using Skype). Look for a direct-dial number instead.
Without a mobile device, you can make calls from your hotel and get online using public computers (there’s usually one in your hotel lobby or at local libraries). Most hotels charge a high fee for international calls—ask for rates before you dial.
For more on phoning, see Ricksteves.com/phoning. For a one-hour talk on “Traveling with a Mobile Device,” see Ricksteves.com/travel-talks.
I’ve categorized my recommended accommodations based on price, indicated with a dollar-sign rating (see sidebar). I recommend reserving rooms in advance, particularly during peak season. Once your dates are set, check the specific price for your preferred stay at several hotels. You can do this either by comparing prices on booking sites such as Hotels.com or Booking.com, or the hotels’ own websites. After you’ve zeroed in on your choice, book directly with the hotel itself. Contact small family-run hotels directly by phone or email: When you go direct, the owner avoids any third-party commission, giving them wiggle room to offer you a discount, a nicer room, or free breakfast. If you prefer to book online or are considering a hotel chain, it’s to your advantage to use the hotel’s website.
For complicated requests, send an email with the following information: number and type of rooms; number of nights; arrival date; departure date; and any special requests. Use the European style for writing dates: day/month/year. Hoteliers typically ask for your credit-card number as a deposit.
Know the terminology: An “en suite” room has a bathroom (toilet and shower/tub) actually inside the room; a room with a “private bathroom” can mean that the bathroom is all yours, but it’s across the hall. If you want your own bathroom inside the room, request “en suite.” A “standard” room could have two meanings. Big hotels in the UK sometimes call a basic en-suite room a “standard” room to differentiate it from a fancier “superior” or “deluxe” room. At small hotels and B&Bs, guests in a “standard” room have access to a bathroom that’s shared with other rooms and down the hall.
Some hotels extend a discount to those who pay cash or stay longer than three nights. And some accommodations offer a special discount for Rick Steves readers, indicated in this guidebook by the abbreviation “RS%.”
Compared to hotels, bed-and-breakfast places give you double the cultural intimacy for half the price. Many B&Bs take credit cards but may add the card service fee to your bill (about 3 percent). If you’ll need to pay cash for your room, plan ahead.
A short-term rental—whether an apartment, house, or room in a local’s home—is an increasingly popular alternative, especially if you plan to settle in one location for several nights. Websites such as Airbnb, FlipKey, Booking.com, and the HomeAway family of sites (HomeAway, VRBO, and VacationRentals) let you browse a wide range of properties.
I’ve categorized my recommended eateries based on price, indicated with a dollar-sign rating (see sidebar).
The traditional fry-up or full Scottish breakfast comes with your choice of eggs, Canadian-style bacon and/or sausage, a grilled tomato, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, and often haggis, black pudding, or a dense potato scone. If it’s too much for you, only order the items you want.
To dine affordably at classier restaurants, look for “early-bird specials” (offered about 17:30–19:00, last order by 19:00, sometimes on weekdays only).
Smart travelers use pubs (short for “public houses”) to eat, drink, and make new friends. Pub grub is Scotland’s best eating value. For about $15–20, you’ll get a basic hot lunch or dinner. The menu is hearty and traditional: stews, soups, fish-and-chips, meat, cabbage, and potatoes, plus often a few Italian or Indian-style dishes. Meals are usually served from 12:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00, not throughout the day. Order drinks and meals at the bar, and pay at the bar (sometimes when you order, sometimes after you eat). Pubs that are attached to restaurants, advertise their food, and are crowded with locals are more likely to have fresh food and a chef—and less likely to sell only lousy microwaved snacks.
Most pubs have lagers (cold, refreshing, American-style beer), ales (amber-colored, cellar-temperature beer), bitters (hop-flavored ale, perhaps the most typical British beer), and stouts (dark and somewhat bitter, like Guinness).
While bar-hopping tourists generally think in terms of beer, many Scottish pubs are just as enthusiastic about serving whisky. If you are unfamiliar with whisky (what Americans call “Scotch” and the Irish call “whiskey”), it’s a great conversation starter. Pubs often have dozens of whiskies available.
Tipping: If a service charge is included in the bill, it’s not necessary to tip—but this is rare in Scotland. Otherwise, it’s appropriate to tip about 10-12 percent for good service. At pubs where you order food at the counter, you don’t have to tip.
By Train: Great Britain’s 100-mph train system is one of Europe’s best...and most expensive. To see if a rail pass could save you money—as it often does in Britain—check Ricksteves.com/rail. If you’re buying point-to-point tickets, you’ll get the best deals if you book in advance, leave after rush hour (after 9:30 weekdays), or ride the bus. Train reservations are recommended for long journeys or any trip on Sundays (reserve at any train station, by phone, or online). For train schedules, see Nationalrail.co.uk or Germany’s excellent all-Europe website, Bahn.com.
By Car: A car is useful for scouring the remote rural sights, but it’s an expensive headache in big cities. It’s cheaper to arrange most car rentals from the US. For tips on your insurance options, see Ricksteves.com/cdw, and for route planning, consult Viamichelin.com [URL inactive]. Bring your driver’s license. Speedy motorways (comparable to our freeways) let you cover long distances in a snap. Remember that the Scottish drive on the left side of the road (and the driver sits on the right side of the car). You’ll quickly master Scotland’s many roundabouts: Traffic moves clockwise, cars inside the roundabout have the right-of-way, and entering traffic yields (look to your right as you merge). Note that “camera cops” strictly enforce speed limits by automatically snapping photos of speeders’ license plates, then mailing them a ticket. Your US credit and debit cards may not work at self-service gas pumps and automated parking garages, but if you know your PIN, try it anyway. The easiest solution is to carry sufficient cash.
Local road etiquette is similar to that in the US. Ask your car-rental company about the rules of the road, read the UK Department for Transport’s Highway Code (www.gov.uk/highway-code), or check the US State Department website (www.travel.state.gov, select “International Travel,” then search for your country in the “Learn about your destination” box, then click “Travel and Transportation”).
By Bus: Long-distance buses (called “coaches” in Scotland) are about a third slower than trains, but they’re also much cheaper. Most long-haul domestic routes in Scotland are operated by Scottish Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk). Some regional routes are operated by Citylink’s Stagecoach service (www.stagecoachbus.com). Longer-distance routes (especially those to England) are operated by National Express (www.nationalexpress.com) or Megabus (www.megabus.com).
Emergency Help: For any emergency service—ambulance, police, or fire—call 112 or 999 from a mobile phone or landline. For passport problems, call the US Consulate in Edinburgh (tel. 0131/556-8315, https://uk.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/edinburgh) or the Canadian Consulate in Edinburgh (tel. 01250/870-831, www.unitedkingdom.gc.ca). For other concerns, get advice from your hotel.
Theft or Loss: To replace a passport, you’ll need to go in person to an embassy or consulate (see above). Cancel and replace your credit and debit cards by calling these 24-hour US numbers with a mobile phone: Visa (tel. +1-303-967-1096), MasterCard (tel. +1-636-722-7111), and American Express (tel. +1-336-393-1111). From a landline, you can call these US numbers collect by going through a local operator. File a police report either on the spot or within a day or two; you’ll need it to submit an insurance claim for lost or stolen rail passes or travel gear, and it can help with replacing your passport or credit and debit cards. For more information, see Ricksteves.com/help.
Time: Scotland uses the 24-hour clock. It’s the same through 12:00 noon, then keep going: 13:00, 14:00, and so on. Scotland, like the rest of Great Britain, is five/eight hours ahead of the East/West Coasts of the US (and one hour earlier than most of continental Europe).
Holidays and Festivals: Great Britain celebrates many holidays, which can close sights and attract crowds (book hotel rooms ahead). For information on holidays and festivals, check Scotland’s tourism website: Visitscotland.com. For a simple list showing major—though not all—events, see Ricksteves.com/festivals.
Numbers and Stumblers: What Americans call the second floor of a building is the first floor in Europe. Europeans write dates as day/month/year, so Christmas 2021 is 25/12/21. For most measurements, Great Britain uses the metric system: A kilogram is 2.2 pounds, and a liter is about a quart. For driving distances, they use miles.
This Snapshot guide is excerpted from my latest edition of Rick Steves Scotland, one of many titles in my ever-expanding series of guidebooks on European travel. I also produce a public television series, Rick Steves’ Europe, and a public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves. My website, Ricksteves.com, offers free travel information, a forum for travelers’ comments, guidebook updates, my travel blog, an online travel store, and information on European rail passes and our tours of Europe. If you’re bringing a mobile device on your trip, you can download my free Rick Steves Audio Europe app, featuring podcasts of my radio shows, my Edinburgh Royal Mile Walk audio tour, and travel interviews about Scotland. For more information, see Ricksteves.com/audioeurope.
Tourist Information: www.visitscotland.com
Passports and Red Tape: www.travel.state.gov
Packing List: www.ricksteves.com/packing
Travel Insurance: www.ricksteves.com/insurance
Cheap Flights: www.kayak.com or www.google.com/flights
Airplane Carry-on Restrictions: www.tsa.gov
Updates for This Book: www.ricksteves.com/update
To share your tips, concerns, and discoveries after using this book, please fill out the survey at Ricksteves.com/feedback. Thanks in advance—it helps a lot.