FAQs

The price covers all transport on our famous yellow  bus and legendary local Guide to lead the way. We also reserve all on tour accommodation so a bed is guaranteed. This is paid for on arrival at each hostel. Prices are approximately £18 to £23 per night.

We believe in choice and so do not operate a restrictive kitty system, We recognise everyone has their own likes and dislikes so accommodation and meals are not included allowing you to keep your options open.

We always take full payment before the day of departure. This is because we need to secure your place so other passengers are not turned away! Depending on availability, we can reserve a place until a few weeks before departure so you can check with mates or organise connecting travel.

We keep extra costs to a minimum – there may be a couple of entry fees into various attractions, but these are usually £3 - £8 and are optional. On some of our trips we have chucked in a few freebies that we feel you absolutely must see.

Food can  be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. Most of the hostels have self-catering kitchens and some offer excellent meal for £5 - £7.  There's also plenty of opportunity to eat at local pubs, cafes and restaurants. 

Ideally you should budget £35 - £40 per day if you stay in a hostel. There are always the fabulous British pubs to tempt you in for a pint or two after a day on the road! A pint of beer costs around £3.20, a wee dram of malt whisky in Scotland would be about £4.

We are not tied exclusively to any hostel chain so are free to select the very best hostels. We choose places packed full of character, everything from rustic cottages and farms to castles and country houses. We only use top quality independent and Youth Hostel Association hostels, mostly rated 3 and 4 stars. We guarantee dorm bed accommodation on all our trips. All hostels have great facilities, provide free linen, (you don't need a sleeping bag), have top quality self-catering kitchens, security, laundry facilities and comply with stringent safety regulations.

Some of the hostels we use have private (double/twin) rooms but these depend on availability. All upgrade requests need to be made to us direct and before the departure date (the longer notice the better). Please let us know your booking reference, date of travel, tour type, room preference and name at least 7 days before your departure.

A sleeping bag is not required. All hostels provide linen but it is a good idea to bring a towel although some hostels do rent them.

Most hostels accept credit cards but it is always best to bring some cash with you in case they don't. Your Guide will always make sure cash points are visited before arriving at these locations.

You can book your Edinburgh and London hostel through the Accommodation page.

Edinburgh: check-in is at 8.30am at the HAGGiS Office and departure at 8.45am (except the Loch Ness Day Tour which will check-in at 7.50am and departs at 8am). Tours usually return to Edinburgh at about 5.30pm (except the Loch Ness Hunter which will get back at about 8pm). Return times are approximate (depending on roads and weather conditions) so if you're leaving that night, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make your connection.

London: check-in is at 7.15am at the HAGGiS office and departure at 7.30am. Tours usually get back in to London at 6.30pm although this is dependent on the infamous London traffic so if you're leaving the city that night, give yourself enough time to get your connecting transport.

To make sure we make the most of our day we only pick up and return to the HAGGiS office. Other companies may provide this service but it means your day is compromised running around the city. Most hostels are walking distance to the office. Likewise, the bus and train station are a few minutes walk and the airport has frequent and cheap transport from the city centre.

We are the leading youth travel tour operator in Scotland so the majority of our passengers are in the 18 to 35 age bracket and our style of travel reflects this. The minimum age on all tours is 17. There is no maximum age. As long as you are reasonably fit and have a good sense of fun, we are sure you will have a fantastic time!

As much time as possible! Our aim is to get you out and about and to actually experience the country you’re in. We'll take you for walks, explore castles, recount local myths and legends and tell you about our often turbulent history.

Whilst we regularly get couples and friends travelling together, every tour has loads of people travelling on their own and down to our style of travel, you'll get to know everyone soon enough!

Occasionally we do have more than one departure each day so it is not guaranteed that you will be on the same bus if bookings are made separately. This can be easily arranged by contacting us prior to your departure date. Just call or email us with everyone's names, booking references and the tour they are on – we’ll do the rest.

Each passenger can bring one standard piece of baggage up to a maximum weight of 15kg. This weight should cover a standard 60 litre backpack or a medium holdall or suitcase. Unfortunately you if your baggage is in excess of this allowance you may be asked to leave it behind in secure storage. In addition, a standard daypack may be carried on the coach provided it can fit in the luggage rack or under your seat.

No - sorry! We do not have luggage storage facilities but these may be available at your hostel. Edinburgh Waverley and London Victoria train stations also have secure storage facilities.

Tipping is not compulsory. If you'd like to recognise great service then please feel free to do so. 100% of tips are retained by our team - not the company. We are often asked 'How much?' and around £1 per day on average is fine but feel free to tip as little, as much or not at all, as you feel appropriate.

Great savings can be made if you hold a ISIC, ISE or ITIC card. Make sure you let us know at the time of booking and the discount will be applied. You will need to show this card when you check-in. If you do not produce this you will be charged the difference between the normal brochure price and the discounted price in addition to an administration fee of £25.