Courier in Inverness and the Highlands
Dedicated vans for Inverness and the Highlands, with timings that reflect the real distances. A single van loads your consignment and heads straight for the drop, and for the very long runs we agree the driving hours with you in advance.
- Honest timings on the A9
- Long runs planned around drivers' hours
- Mainland ferry ports covered
Start with the distance
Inverness is the main city of the Highlands, and it is a long way from almost everywhere else. Perth is over 110 miles south, Glasgow and Edinburgh are well over 150, and London is more than 560. Any honest courier page for Inverness has to start there, because distance is what decides whether a job is a same-day run, a two-driver run or an early-morning delivery the next day.
What does not change is the service. Your goods still travel in their own van with their own driver, straight from the collection point to the recipient without stopping at a depot. At booking we pick the closest van that suits the load and give you an estimated time for it to reach you, then keep you informed right up to the signature.
When one driver is not enough
Under the GB domestic drivers' hours rules, a van driver is limited to 10 hours behind the wheel and 11 hours on duty in a day. That allows for a single driver to reach Inverness from the Central Belt, the North of England and, with an early start, much of the Midlands. It is not enough for London or the South of England.
For those runs, there are two honest options:
- A second driver. With two drivers splitting the hours, the van barely stops and delivers that day. This is the dearer option, and you see the price before agreeing to it.
- An overnight plan. The driver sets off that day, takes the required rest on the way, and delivers first thing the following morning. See our overnight courier service for how these runs are organised.
Once we know both addresses, we will say which of these your job needs and explain the reasoning.
The roads in and out
Three main roads serve Inverness, and each has its own character:
- The A9 from Perth is the main route south. It is a mix of dual and single carriageway, with dualling work still under way, and it crosses the Drumochter Pass, where winter weather can cause closures.
- The A96 runs east to Nairn, Elgin and Aberdeen, mostly single carriageway, passing Inverness Airport at Dalcross.
- The A82 runs south-west along Loch Ness to Fort William and on towards Glasgow. It is scenic, slow and narrow in places.
North of the city, the A9 crosses the Beauly Firth on the Kessock Bridge to the Black Isle, Ross-shire, Sutherland and Caithness.
Winter and the A9
Snow and ice on the A9, especially at Drumochter, can close the road or slow it sharply. For winter runs, we check conditions before the van sets off and agree a plan with you if they change.
Inside Inverness
Raigmore Hospital, on the eastern side of the city beside the A9 and A96 junction, is the main hospital for the Highlands. Next to it, the Inverness Campus brings together the University of the Highlands and Islands, Inverness College and life sciences businesses. Clinical consignments and research supplies are common here, and the packaging and handover steps for that kind of work are covered on our medical and pharmaceutical courier page.
Longman Industrial Estate, near the harbour on the north side of the city centre, is the main trade and industrial area, with builders' merchants, engineering firms, distributors and vehicle businesses. Inverness Airport is east of the city at Dalcross; air cargo is delivered to the landside address your forwarder specifies.
The Cromarty Firth and the north
North of Inverness, the Cromarty Firth supports energy and marine industries. Invergordon is a busy port, and Nigg handles fabrication and offshore energy work. Parts and tooling for these sites often come from suppliers far to the south, and sending a dedicated courier to bring them up straight from the supplier is often the quickest route.
Islands and ferry ports
Every address on the Scottish mainland is covered, as are the mainland ferry ports at Ullapool, Scrabster, Gills Bay, Mallaig and Oban. The Scottish islands themselves, including Skye, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, sit outside the standard service. If a consignment needs to get to one of them, talk to us and we will look at whether it can be done.
Approximate distances from Inverness
| From Inverness to | Approx. road distance | Main route |
|---|---|---|
| Ullapool | 57 miles | A835 |
| Fort William | 66 miles | A82 |
| Aberdeen | 105 miles | A96 |
| Thurso and Scrabster | 110 miles | A9 |
| Perth | 113 miles | A9 |
| Edinburgh | 157 miles | A9, M90 |
| Glasgow | 168 miles | A9, M80 |
| Manchester | 375 miles | A9, M74, M6 |
| Central London | 565 miles | A9, M74, M6, M1 |
Distances are rounded road miles. For the east coast, see our Aberdeen courier page, and for an overview of routes and Low Emission Zones nationally, our Scotland courier page.
FAQ
Common questions
Can a consignment get from London to Inverness on the same day?
Not with one driver. Inverness is around 565 road miles from central London, which is more than a single van driver can cover within the 10 hours of daily driving allowed under GB domestic rules. The options are a second driver, so the van keeps moving while the drivers share the hours, or an overnight stop with delivery early the next morning. We explain both options and quote for them when you book.
Do you deliver to Skye, Orkney or the Western Isles?
The Scottish islands are not part of our standard service, so please check with us first. We do cover the mainland ferry ports, including Ullapool, Scrabster, Gills Bay, Mallaig and Oban, and can drop at the terminal or with a freight agent who handles the crossing for you. Skye is reached by road bridge, but it is still an island delivery, and we confirm it case by case.
What happens if snow closes the A9 at Drumochter?
Drumochter Pass is the highest point on the A9 and the section most likely to be affected by snow in winter. If it closes, the alternatives are long: the A96 from Aberdeen or the A82 from Glasgow through Fort William. We check road conditions before setting off and during the run, tell you straight away if a route or timing changes, and agree with you whether to continue, divert or wait.
Can you take a part from Inverness to a site on the Cromarty Firth?
Yes. Invergordon is around 25 miles north over the Kessock Bridge on the A9, and Nigg is a little further. Port and energy sites have security procedures of their own, so give us the gate or reporting point, any reference the site has issued and the name of the person receiving the goods. We do not carry dangerous goods, so check the classification of anything chemical or pressurised.
Can you get samples from Raigmore Hospital to a laboratory in Glasgow or Edinburgh?
Yes, if they are packaged correctly by the sender. UN3373 specimens need triple packaging to P650 before collection. Glasgow and Edinburgh are each around 160 to 170 miles from Inverness, a long but routine one-way run for a single driver. Let us know which departments are sending and receiving, plus any temperature requirement, and we will match the vehicle to it.
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