Day trip from Edinburgh Loch Lomond
The largest loch in Britain by surface area, north-west of Glasgow, reached by train to Balloch in about 1 hour 42 minutes with one change.
Is Loch Lomond worth a day trip from Edinburgh?
Better with the tour.
Take the tour, or go from Glasgow instead. On your own you need two trains, Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street and then the low-level line to Balloch, 1 hour 42 minutes at best and often more. Balloch is the least interesting corner of the loch, and the villages people come for, Luss and Balmaha, need another bus or boat. A 1-hour cruise from Balloch costs £ 18.50. That adds up to nearly four hours of travel for a boat ride. The coach tour reaches the loch, the Trossachs and Stirling Castle in one 10-hour loop, which is a better use of the day.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 1 h 42fastest connection, 1 change in Glasgow · one way · Trainline (ScotRail services)
- Transport
- Train, 1 change
- Self-guided cost
- Not verified yet
- Tour price
- From € 65.99Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 8–10 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- Not verified yet
- Best time
- May-Sep, on a dry dayDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Only with a tourDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Loch Lomond
- 01
Loch cruise from Balloch
A 1-hour circuit of the southern end of the loch, past wooded islands and Balloch Castle, for £ 18.50. Boats leave from the pier near the station.
- 02
Luss
A village of low stone cottages on the west shore with a pier, a small beach and a view of Ben Lomond. An hour is enough. The boat from Balloch costs £ 28 return.
- 03
Balloch Castle Country Park
Lawns and woodland on the east bank at Balloch, ten minutes' walk from the station, with open views up the loch. Free. The 19th-century castle itself is closed.
- 04
The Trossachs
Wooded hills and smaller lochs east of Loch Lomond, crossed by the tour over the Duke's Pass. You see it mostly from the coach, with a lunch stop in a village.
- 05
The Kelpies
Two steel horse heads 30 metres high beside the motorway near Falkirk, the tour's first stop. Twenty minutes for photos. Walking around them is free.
How to spend the day
By tour: be at Castle Terrace 15 minutes early. The coach stops at the Kelpies, then reaches Loch Lomond in late morning, with time for the optional 1-hour cruise. Lunch is in a Trossachs village, and the last stop is Stirling Castle in mid-afternoon. You are back in Edinburgh about 10 hours after leaving. By train: leave Waverley by 08:30, change at Glasgow Queen Street, reach Balloch around 10:30, take a midday cruise and head back by 15:00.
Loch Lomond in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustThe season for this trip. Highs of 17-19°C, light until 22:00, and every cruise and waterbus is running. Balloch and Luss get very busy on sunny weekends, with full car parks and queues for boats around midday. Midges appear on the shore at dusk. Book the tour a few days ahead in July and August.
Winter
December to FebruaryThe loch is quiet and can be beautiful under snow-topped hills, but there is little to do. Cruises run a reduced timetable and the Luss boat service is seasonal, so check before going. Daylight ends before 16:00 in December. The tour still works because Stirling Castle fills the afternoon. Skip the train option.
How crowded it gets
Busy- Busiest
- Sunny weekends from June to August, 11:00-16:00 at Balloch and Luss
- Quietest
- Weekdays, and October to April
The crowd here is mostly local, from Glasgow, and it follows the weather. Go midweek. If you travel alone on a fine Saturday, take the first cruise of the day and leave Balloch by early afternoon.
How do you get to Loch Lomond from Edinburgh?
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 10 hours door to door
- Frequency
- Daily
- Cost
- From € 66
- Departs from
- Castle Terrace, outside the NCP car park
The same coach covers the Kelpies, Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and Stirling Castle. The loch cruise, castle entry and meals are paid separately. The order of stops is sometimes reversed, starting at Stirling and ending at the loch.
Train
- Travel time
- 1 h 42 min at best, 1 change
- Frequency
- About 40 trains a day from Glasgow to Balloch
- Departs from
- Edinburgh Waverley
Ride to Glasgow Queen Street, then go down to the low-level platforms for the Balloch train, 47 to 51 minutes. Balloch station is a short walk from the pier, where Sweeney's runs 1-hour cruises for £ 18.50 and a boat to Luss for £ 28 return.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
A waterproof and a warm layer for the open deck of the boat, where it is always colder than on shore. Trainers are fine for Balloch and Luss. Bring midge repellent in summer.
What to eat
On the tour, lunch is in a Trossachs village with a couple of cafes and a short stop, so a packed lunch saves time. At Balloch, the shopping centre by the pier has cafes. The country park has benches with a loch view for a picnic.
What you will spend
The tour, from € 66, covers the coach and guide only. The 1-hour cruise is £ 18.50 and Stirling Castle entry is also extra. Alone, you pay two train fares plus the boat. The parks and the shore are free.
How to get the most out of the day
- The tour gives limited time at Stirling Castle. Decide in advance if you will pay to go in or just walk the esplanade and old town.
- At Glasgow Queen Street the Balloch trains use the low-level platforms 8 and 9, down the escalators. Allow five minutes for the change.
- Sit outside on the cruise if it is dry. The commentary is the same and the windows inside are often steamed up.
- If you sleep in Glasgow at any point on your trip, do Loch Lomond from there. Balloch is under an hour away.
How long do you need in Loch Lomond?
Plan 8–10 h on site, plus 1 h 42 of travel each way from Edinburgh.