SCOTS are being encouraged to swap some of Europe’s most famous holiday destinations for their Scottish “dupes” as part of a new ScotRail travel map.
The rail operator has launched its “Intae-Rail” guide, which pairs 15 popular European destinations with places across Scotland which it says offer similar scenery, food, culture or experiences.
Among the suggestions are swapping the Italian coastal town of Positano for Plockton, the Swiss Alps for the Cairngorms and Germany’s Black Forest for Blair Atholl.
Meanwhile, Scots dreaming of a trip to Bilbao are being encouraged to try Dundee, while Inverness is pitched as an alternative to the Austrian city of Innsbruck.
ScotRail has also suggested Corpach, near Fort William, as Scotland’s answer to the French Alpine resort of Chamonix.
The guide is a play on the growing “destination dupe” travel trend, where holidaymakers choose less well-known alternatives to popular tourist destinations.
It comes ahead of the October school holidays, with ScotRail hoping to encourage more people to take holidays and day trips closer to home.
The full map divides destinations into five categories covering adventure, sightseeing, food and drink, nature and exploring.
For foodies, Glasgow’s West End is paired with San Sebastian in Spain, while Leith is offered as an alternative to Copenhagen and Oban as Scotland’s answer to Pula in Croatia.
Those looking for nature are pointed towards Loch Lomond instead of Slovenia’s Lake Bled, Kyle of Lochalsh instead of the Norwegian fjords and Blair Atholl instead of Germany’s Black Forest.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh’s Old Town is compared with Prague and Stirling with Salzburg.
Each Scottish destination has an accompanying itinerary with suggestions for things to see, eat and do.
Five Scottish travel content creators were also sent on trips to test out the concept.
Glasgow twins Kieran and Kevin D’Arcy, known online as the D’Arcy Twins, travelled from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban to see how the town compared with Croatia’s Istrian coast.
Kevin said: “Despite travelling all over Scotland and visiting plenty of places across Europe, we'd somehow never made it to Oban.
“Coming here by train made the journey feel like part of the experience, and once we arrived it was easy to see why so many people love it.
“You don't have to fly to somewhere like Pula to enjoy great seafood, a beautiful harbour and a relaxed coastal atmosphere. Oban has all of that in its own way – including a striking amphitheatre.”
Aberdeen-based travel creator Lauren Smith was sent to Plockton, which the guide compares with the Amalfi Coast.
She said: “You don't have to head overseas to have a European-style adventure. Whatever you're intae, there's probably a place in Scotland that offers it.
“I found a picturesque harbourside town that really is Scotland’s answer to the Amalfi Coast, it even included palm trees.
“The charming village was quaint and peaceful, and all easily accessible by train.”
ScotRail commercial director Claire Dickie said: “Scotland is home to some of the world’s most spectacular scenery, vibrant communities and unforgettable experiences to rival anything in Europe – and they’re all reachable by train.
“Whether you’re into adventure, food and drink, history or simply discovering somewhere new, our Intae-Rail guide is designed to inspire people to see Scotland differently and make the most of everything on their doorstep.”
ScotRail said the campaign also aimed to highlight cheaper options for travelling around Scotland, pointing to the abolition of peak fares, a freeze on rail fares until March 2027 and its £1 return tickets for children aged between five and 15.
Dickie added: “The journey is all part of the experience, and travelling by train gives customers the chance to relax, enjoy Scotland’s incredible landscapes and create lasting memories along the way.”
Full Intae-Rail map destinations
Intae Adventure
- The Swiss Alps for the Cairngorms (Aviemore station)
- Alcázar of Segovia for Dunrobin Castle (Dunrobin Castle station)
- Chamonix, France for Corpach (Corpach station)
Intae Sightseeing
- Positano (Italy) for Plockton, (Plockton station)
- Prague (Czechia) for Edinburgh Old Town (Edinburgh Waverley)
- Salzburg, Austria for Stirling (Stirling station)
Intae Food and Drink
- San Sebastian, Spain for West End of Glasgow (Partick station)
- Copenhagen, Denmark for Leith (Edinburgh Waverley)
- Pula, Croatia for Oban (Oban station)
Intae Nature
- Black Forest, Germany for Blair Atholl (Blair Atholl station)
- Lake Bled, Slovenia for Loch Lomond (Balloch station)
- Norwegian Fjords, Norway for Kyle of Lochalsh (Kyle of Lochalsh station)
Intae Exploring
- Bilabo, Spain, for Dundee (Dundee station)
- Brittany, France for Stonehaven (Stonehaven station)
- Innsbruck, Austria for Inverness (Inverness station)
