SAVE flights, Scotland hasn’t had a direct passenger route to Europe for over 15 years.
The last passenger ferry between Scotland and the continent sailed from Rosyth to Zeebrugge in 2010, when DFDS scrapped the service and shifted to freight-only sailings. That disappeared entirely in 2018.
It means that, currently, Scots need to travel down to Newcastle if they want to take a ferry to mainland Europe – and vice versa for travellers wishing to sail up to Scotland.
On the tracks, meanwhile, Scotland has never had a direct train from a Scottish station to mainland Europe – instead needing to connect via London and picking up, for example, the Eurostar.
Now, though, that picture could be about to change.
Just yesterday, plans for a route between the Highlands and mainland Europe were explored – with a working group meeting for the first time to assess the feasibility of extending the Caledonian Sleeper service to the continent.
The group, comprising representatives from Transport Scotland, Scottish Rail Holdings, and Caledonian Sleeper, will oversee the development of a study exploring the opportunities and challenges associated with it.
It is certainly only a first step, as Scotland’s Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn was keen to stress. “This is an early-stage exercise and the study will focus on understanding the practical, technical and commercial considerations involved," he said. "The findings will provide an evidence base to inform any future decisions.”
But it is also news that comes amid another potential direct route between Scotland and Europe – a ferry between Rosyth and the French port city of Dunkirk.
It has been subject to numerous delays and hurdles over the past few years but has seen welcome pledges of start-up funding from both the UK and Scottish Government this year.
Ptarmigan Shipping chief Derek Sloan, who has been working behind the scenes to make the route happen, said that they are still hoping for a first sail in spring 2027.
“It’s a matter of when and not if,” he told me.
Sloan added that direct connections to Europe – whether of the ferry or train variety – are crucial. But on the importance of the ferry route specifically, he went on: “It enhances the efficiency and the cost‑effectiveness of the supply chain between Scotland and Europe, which drives economic benefits to support both the Scottish and UK economies while helping mitigate inflationary pressures for business and consumers."
Sloan said: “When we did the modelling from Aberdeen and Glasgow to all the main capital cities in Europe, every destination from the Belgian‑Dutch border south was more competitive for a truck both in time and cost.
"Door‑to‑door, including the haulier’s cost to Rosyth and then Dunkirk to Marseille, Stuttgart, Madrid, Bruges, or Paris, it was more competitive and actually faster, even with a 20‑hour ferry, because drivers can take their hours off on the ship. It also significantly reduces road miles and customers’ carbon footprints.”
Sloan said that he estimates that 250,000 passengers will use the service within the first five years.
“If there was a direct route into Scotland, French holidaymakers who currently come via Dover or Hull have told us they’d get on it and tour Scotland, and that will generate additional volumes, create local economic benefits including job creation at the port, and mean more people staying in hotels and B&Bs, using restaurants, taxis and local services,” he said.
“To me it’s vital that Scotland has this. I think it’s crucial that we have a direct link to Europe, irrespective of whether we’re in the EU or not, and with changes to legislation and veterinary controls it’s going to be easier to use Rosyth.
"The UK Government has committed some funding and the Scottish Government in principle have said they would match that – we’re getting very close. It’s not if it’ll happen, it’s more when it’ll happen.”
