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A QUITE IMPOSSIBLE PROPOSAL
The Highland Railway Company FAQs and Contact Details
Here at the Highland Railway Company, we try to make everything as simple and stress-free as possible for you. Whether you're wanting to get out to the islands for a well-deserved break, or meeting business contacts in our many beautiful towns and villages, the last thing you need is stress and uncertainty.
So, if you have any questions at all, get in touch! It's good to talk, they say. Our contact details are over on the right-hand side of this page.
But before you send that email or dial the operator or send that telegraph, check out our list of FAQs below: we may already have the answer !
Turus mhath leat ! (Have a great journey!)
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| Can I access wifi on the train? | ⌄
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| All of our trains are, of course, fitted with a free wifi service, to allow you to catch up on whatever matters to you most. But perhaps you should look out of the windows instead, and be stunned by the breathtaking landscapes?
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| How have the fares and tariffs been set? | ⌄
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| All our fares and goods tariffs were set by central government. In the case of the Ullapool line, the relevant Act of 1890 laid out the fares and tariffs which could be set. The same applies to the Aultbea line (Act of 1893). For the Lochinver, Laxford and Skye lines, the Light Railways Act of 1896 determined the fares. And on Lewis, where the railways have been taken into community ownership by the People’s Revolutionary Council for the Western Isles (Sluagh-chomhairle Rèabhlaideach nan Eilean Siar), the fares are set annually by popular vote.
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| Are there any concessionary fares? | ⌄
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| Yes, indeed, we do offer concessionary fares. These are set at one half of the standard fare: thus, a fare normally 2/6d will be 1/3d for concessions. Six types of concession are currently available:
- for persons under the age of 18 (note that minors under 5 years of age will travel free, as long as accompanied by an adult)
- for persons over the age of 60 - proof of age is required
- for people in full-time education - student ID required
- for medical reasons - medical certificate to be shown
- for those unfortunate enough to be unemployed - benefits letter required
- for toffs, swells, nobs, yahoos, land-owners and other people with an inalienable sense of entitlement. As of Easter, 2020. these individuals will be charged double the normal fare, rather than a half.
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| Do I receive a discount for booking my ticket in advance? | ⌄
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| Starting from the Easter weekend of 2020, we are please to be able to offer you a discount of one-twelfth, in respect of any ticket or goods consigment purchased 28 days or more in advance. This amazing offer represents a penny in every shilling!
For example, if your ticket costs -/6d, then you will save ½d by booking four weeks in advance - enough for a cup of coffee from our on-train buffet!
For goods where the tariff might be (as an example) £3 4/6d, then you will save 5/4½d - that would buy you a 1st Class champagne breakfast in our restaurant car!!
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| How do I pay for my tickets? | ⌄
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| Although we have written a long letter to PayPal, requesting dialogue, we have not yet had an answer. Thus, we do not yet have any facilities for paying fares or tariffs on-line.
All you need do, though, is print off your ticket and present it to one of our friendly staff at the station of departure. You can then pay in promissory notes or cash.
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| Why can't I buy tickets on trainline.com | ⌄
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| Unfortunately, we have not yet entered the 20th century, let alone the 21st. But why would you want to use another website, when you can so easily use ours? Purchase your tickets here, and we can guarantee that you will have no problems at all! Your satisfaction is ours!
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| Why are there no through-fares from Edinburgh, Selkirk or Pittenweem? | ⌄
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| The Highland Railway Company operates as a strong and independent transportation company, and will have no truck with other companies such as LNER, LMS, Scotrail or whatever they like to call themselves. Upstarts of recent years, they will not endure.
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| I want to send some goods, but can't find the correct tariff | ⌄
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| When you choose to send some goods, the second page of the online form will ask you for the type of goods. These should be self-explanatory. But if you have any doubts, click on each of the types in turn. New lists will then appear, with many of the more common goods and items shown. If what you want to send is not shown on the relevant list, then click on the 'Other' option at the end of the list. And simply type in a short description of the goods.
For example, if you wanted to send a boll of oats, look under 'Bulk items', click on 'Other' and type in 'Oats'. Or should you have a hearse to send to a funeral in Tolsta, select 'Conveyances, then 'Other conveyances' and type in 'Hearse' (and then its weight, inclusive of coffin and passenger). Simple!
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| I want to send some goods, but they weigh less than a ton. What do I do? | ⌄
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| The tariffs for goods and freight are set per ton, per mile. For any given journey between two stations, the total tariff per ton will be shown on our table of fares/tariffs, calculated according to the mileage. But we will charge to the nearest - and next highest - hundredweight (cwt). So, if your guano weighs between 14 cwts 3 stones and 7 lbs, then we will charge for 15 cwt at only ¾ of the tonnage rate; or if your ironwork weighs 6 tons and 3 cwts, then we will charge at 6 and 3/20ths times the rate per ton.
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| How long does a 'Prudent Servant' Season Ticket last? | ⌄
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| A Season Ticket will allow you to travel between two named stations - both outward and return journeys.
It can be used for your daily commute, or getting to and from school or college.
You can combine a Season Ticket with a concessionary discount.
The ticket can be purchased for one, three, six or twelve months, and can start on any date that suits you.
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| How long does a 'Merry Idler' Travel Pass last? | ⌄
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| A 'Merry Idler' Travel Pass will allow you to travel on any of the Highland Railway Company's trains, at any time.
It can be used for your annual holiday, a week's exploration of mountain and sea, or just to get you to and from the hills during hunting season.
You can combine a Season Ticket with a concessionary discount.
The ticket can be purchased for one, two or four weeks, and can start on any date that suits you.
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| The fare for my journey is not listed | ⌄
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| Fares between any two stations are listed only once, in one of the two possible directions. So, if you want to see the fare from (say) Oykell Bridge to Lochinver, then simply look at the reverse journey - Lochinver to Oykell Bridge.
The same applies to goods and freight tariffs.
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| I cannot book a ticket between Dunvegan and Uig on Skye. Why not? | ⌄
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| Why not indeed! You would not believe the number of times we have been asked this very question! The Portree to Dunvegan line operates as a branch service off the main Iselornsay to Uig line. Trains do not therefore run directly from Dunvegan to Uig, or even Dunvegan to Isleornsay - how could they?? You must change at the nearest appropriate shared station - for example, Skeabost, or Portree. If we made everything so simple, what would be the point in life? Doubtless, before the juggernaut of progress, we will be obliged to introduce such fripperies: but not yet.
Note that the same issue applies on the Isle of Lewis, where you cannot buy a ticket from Tarbert to Ness - you have to buy two tickets - one from Tarbert to Stornoway, and thence to Ness.
Note also that the Lewis Circular route allows you to travel from - for example - Stornoway to Barvas either via Ness or via Carloway. The fare will be same, whether you circumnavigate widdershins or disail...
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| My ticket does not print correctly | ⌄
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| If you print off your ticket or goods consignment note, and it shows on a plain white background, this is because your browser is not set to "print background images". To fix this is usually simple - find the "Print..." option on your browser's Options (usually at the very top right of your screen) and ensure that the relevant option is ticked. Some browsers such as Chrome allow you to select this option at the time of printing. In either case, always use the PRINT button that appears below the ticket.
Please note that our staff will not permit travel with a ticket which is incorrectly printed.
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| How can I check ferry times, or other connecting train services? | ⌄
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| We can supply two links for you here, since you obviously cannot be bothered to look for yourself :
 for Scotrail's services...
 for ferry services to / from the Isles...
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