Hire car, train, coach tour or private driver: an honest comparison for visitors planning a trip to Scotland, with what each really costs you in time, effort and money. Written by Constantine Chauffeurs, a Glasgow chauffeur service.
A private driver in Scotland is worth it if you’re travelling as a couple, family or small group, want to see the Highlands or play golf, or would rather not drive on the left. For one person on a tight budget, trains and coach tours cost less. A full Highlands day, 9am to 5pm, is £760 in a Mercedes V-Class for up to 6 people, about £127 each. See what a chauffeur costs in Glasgow.
| Option | Best for | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Hire car | Confident drivers on a long, flexible trip | Driving on the left, narrow roads, parking |
| Train and bus | City to city on a budget | Fixed routes; no station at Glencoe or St Andrews |
| Group coach tour | Solo travellers and the lowest price | Big groups, set stops, very long days |
| Private driver | Couples, families, groups and golfers | Costs more than a coach seat for one person |
A hire car gives you freedom, but Scotland asks a lot of a visiting driver. We drive on the left, many hire cars are manual unless you book an automatic, Highland roads are narrow and slow, and some are single track with passing places. City-centre parking in Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews is limited and expensive. And whoever drives misses the views, and the whisky.
Trains are good between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and buses are cheap. But many of the places visitors most want to see have no station at all, including Glencoe and St Andrews, so the train usually means a change and a taxi at the other end. With golf clubs or big suitcases, every change is harder.
Coach tours are the cheapest way to see the Highlands for one person. The trade-off is a large group, a fixed route and timetable, and days of 10 to 12 hours that try to fit Glencoe and Loch Ness into one trip. You stop where the coach stops.
A private driver, private chauffeur or car service collects you from your hotel or the airport and takes you door to door. You choose the stops and the pace, there’s room for luggage and golf clubs, and nobody has to drive on the left. Because you pay per car, not per person, a private chauffeur gets better value the more of you there are. If you use a car service at home, it works the same way, and our chauffeur service is pre-booked, never a taxi.
Prices with Constantine Chauffeurs, per car, agreed before you book:
Other cars and journeys that don’t start or end in Glasgow city centre are quoted for you. See all prices.
Travelling alone on a tight budget? Take the train and a coach tour. Comfortable driving on the left and staying for weeks? Hire a car. For couples, families and groups, golf trips, a first visit to the Highlands, or anyone who wants to look out of the window instead of at the road, a private driver in Scotland is worth it. Car service for American visitors · Tours from Glasgow · Golf courses near Glasgow
Within 90 minutes they had organized an entire itinerary, arranged a luxurious vehicle and an excellent driver, John. That level of responsiveness and service was impressive.
A luxurious service from start to finish. An assortment of entertainment & refreshments giving that extra touch.
Very grateful — an excellent service, I recommend it. Reliable, punctual, friendly, great service. (Translated from Spanish)
John thoughtfully stopped at scenic locations so we could photograph the Highlands’ extraordinary beauty rather than simply admire it through the windows.
Came across this company by chance. Booked them for a return journey to Murrayfield Stadium for a concert.
Booked my airport pickup over WhatsApp while I was still out in Thailand, which made the whole thing dead easy.
My friends were having a small wedding in the city centre — I wanted to buy the transport as a gift.
It felt like a genuinely personalized Highland adventure rather than a conventional sightseeing tour. An absolutely memorable day and five stars without hesitation!
A fantastic transfer experience. Our flight arrived later than scheduled but our driver kept everything organised.
After a long flight it was such a relief to have these guys pick me up to save the hassle. Can't recommend them enough.
Constantine Chauffeurs picked me up after a long flight and honestly couldn't have asked for better.
Tell us your flight, how many are travelling and the car you’d like, and we’ll send one clear price.
Private driver in Scotland. Tell us where and when, and your Glasgow chauffeur will come back with the car and one clear price.
We reply in 5 minutes · Open 24/7
Send your dates, pickups and how many are travelling, and we’ll send one price for the car.