Buses are a key part of Scotland’s transport system, helping people get around cities, towns, and rural areas every day. Whether it’s frequent city routes in Edinburgh and Glasgow or key services for remote villages, buses are still among the easiest and most affordable ways to travel in Scotland.
Bus networks in Scotland’s cities are large and widely used. Edinburgh’s buses are known for being reliable, with frequent service, easy ticketing, and an emphasis on on-time service. Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee also depend on buses to connect people to neighbourhoods, jobs, shops, and other modes of transport.
Where trains are limited or not available, buses play a key role in getting to schools, hospitals, shops, and ferry terminals. Bus routes through the Highlands, Borders, and southwest Scotland can also be scenic, passing by lochs, glens, and coastlines that are hard to reach without a car. For many small communities, the local bus is an essential public service, not just a business.
Both public organisations and private companies run Scotland’s bus network. Transport Scotland provides policy and funding support, while companies such as Lothian Buses, Stagecoach, and First Bus handle daily operations.
Central Belt: Edinburgh, Glasgow & Surrounds
Main Operators
Scotland’s busiest bus corridors traverse the Central Belt, where services are frequent, modern, and integrated with rail. From Lothian’s electric fleet in Edinburgh to McGill’s express services to Glasgow, it’s one of the easiest places to explore by bus.
CityLink – Glasgow/Edinburgh – Glasgow/Oban – Glasgow/Campbeltown – Glasgow/Skye – Inverness/Skye – Oban/Fort William/Inverness – Glasgow/Perth/Dundee/Aberdeen – Edinburgh/Perth/Dundee/Aberdeen – Glasgow/Inverness – Edinburgh/Inverness – Scotland/Belfast – Inverness/Ullapool
First – direct links to all of the major towns and cities in the East of Scotland, including inter-urban links between Central Scotland and Glasgow.
National Express – Travel to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Megabus – Glasgow to Edinburgh
Borders Buses – operating services across Edinburgh and the Lothians, Cumbria, Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.
Lothian Buses – family of bus services for Edinburgh and the Lothians.
McGill’s Buses – Inverclyde – Renfrewshire – Glasgow City – North Ayrshire – North Lanarkshire – South Lanarkshire
Stagecoach – Buses around Scotland.
Shetland
Western Isles Buses
Traveline Scotland – Scotland’s national public travel information service.