Travel

Travelling from the UK

Travel by Air

Aberdeen International Airport is 61km (38 miles) from Ballater.

Domestic flights arrive from;

London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton), Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast, Bristol Teeside and Newcastle.

Please check the Aberdeen Airport website for more information. https://www.aberdeenairport.com

Travel by Car

Ballater is situated on the main A93 and is 65km (40 miles) West of Aberdeen.

- Aberdeen Airport is 61km (38 miles)
- Edinburgh is 177km (110 miles).
- Edinburgh Airport is 173km (108 miles).
- Glasgow is 199km (124 miles).
- Glasgow Airport is 214km (133 miles).

Travel by public transport

There is no railway station in Ballater, but there are regular bus links from Aberdeen. Details are here

Accommodation

There is plenty of accommodation in Ballater and the whole Aberdeenshire area, but book early.

Learn more*

Overseas Travel and Flights to Scotland

Scotland's Airports

Scotland's international airports - Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Prestwick and Inverness - are all served by flights from a growing number of European and long haul destinations.Many European airport hubs also provide fantastic onward connections to Scotland, including airports in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Reykjavik and Frankfurt.

Flights from north america

Find direct flights to Scotland from North America

Services by American Airlines, Aer Lingus, British Airways, KLM, Air France and Icelandair - among others, fly to many main European hubs, which can then be used for onwards travel to Scotland.

DIRECT FLIGHTS

From New York (Newark) to Edinburgh with United
From New York (JFK) to Edinburgh with Delta
From New York (JFK) to Edinburgh with JetBlue
From Chicago to Edinburgh with United
From Orlando to Edinburgh with Virgin Atlantic
From Washington DC to Edinburgh with United
From Boston to Edinburgh with Delta
From Toronto to Glasgow with Air Transat
From Toronto to Edinburgh with Air Canada
From Calgary to Edinburgh with WestJet

Flights from the Middle East

There are several direct routes linking the Middle East and Scotland.

From Dubai to Glasgow and Edinburgh with Emirates
From Doha to Edinburgh with Qatar Airways

FLIGHTS FROM AUSTRALASIA

The best way to get to Scotland from Australasia is to fly via the Middle Eastern hubs.

FLIGHTS FROM ASIA, AFRICA, CENTRAL AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA

The easiest way to get to Scotland from Asia and Africa is to travel via airport hubs in Europe or the Middle East.

The major European hubs are London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt am Maine, Amsterdam Schiphol and Madrid Barajas airports.

Those travelling from South America are best to travel via the European hubs, whereas routes from Central America also fly via US hubs.

Travel to Scotland by ferry

Direct ferry services run between Scotland and Northern Ireland or you can travel from a number of European countries to seaports in England, which are all just a short drive, train ride or bus journey away from Scotland.

We advise to check timetables and fares directly with the ferry companies:

From Rotterdam to Hull or from Calais to Dover with P&O Ferries (Hull is around four hours' drive and Dover around seven hours’ drive to the Scottish border).
From Amsterdam (Ijmuiden) to Newcastle and from Calais, Dunkirk or Dieppe to Dover/Newhaven with DFDS Seaways (Newcastle is just over an hour's drive and Dover around seven hours’ drive to the Scottish border).
From France or Spain to Portsmouth, Plymouth or Poole with Brittany Ferries (all roughly 6.5 hours’ drive to the Scottish border)
From Hoek Van Holland or Rotterdam to Harwich with Stena Line (Harwich is around 6 hours’ drive to the Scottish Border)

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

People travelling to the UK without a visa will soon need to get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). This will give you permission to travel to the UK, and it is electronically linked to your passport.

Who will need an ETA

You’ll need an ETA if you are

Visiting the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study
Visiting the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
Transiting through a UK airport – including if you’re not going through UK border control

You will not need an ETA if you have either:

A British or Irish passport
Permission to live, work or study in the UK
A visa to enter the UK

Check if you’re eligible for a UK visa
‍Find out more about the ETA scheme
‍Get more information about the ETA scheme from the UK Government website