Aberdeen Glasgow Train

Sometimes referred to as The Granite City, Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city. Modern day Aberdeen's economy is strongly linked to the oil and gas fields of the North Sea. Traditionally, however, the city was involved in fishing, paper making and shipbuilding. The city has won the annual Britain in Bloom competition a record breaking ten times and also hosts the Aberdeen International Youth Festival which is a major international event which attracts up to 1,000 of the most talented young performing arts companies.

Buildings of note in the city include the Town and County Bank, the Music Hall, the Trinity Hall of the incorporated trades (which is now a shopping mall), the former office of the Northern Assurance Company and the National Bank of Scotland. All of these buildings are located on Union Street.

Situated next to each other are Victoria Park and Westburn Park. Victoria Park opened in 1871 and contains a conservatory used as a seating area and a fountain made of fourteen different granites, presented to the people by the granite polishers and master builders of Aberdeen. Opposite to the north is Westburn Park opened in 1901 which has large grass pitches and is widely used for field sports. There is also a large tennis centre with indoor and outdoor courts, a children's cycle track, play area and a grass boules lawn.

Located at the western end of Scotland's Central Belt, the city of Glasgow is the third largest city in the United Kingdom, and Scotland's largest. The city has transformed itself from being the once mighty powerhouse of industrial Britain to a centre for commerce, tourism, and culture. Glasgow was the host city for the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Glasgow has become one of the most visited cities in the British Isles, and visitors will find a revitalised city centre, one of the best shopping destinations outside London, excellent parks and museums (most of which are free), and easy access to the Highlands and Islands.

For the visitor, central Glasgow can be divided into two main areas, the City Centre, which contains the majority of tourist sights and much of the city's shopping and entertainment, as well as its commercial heart, and the West End, the bohemian area of cafés, restaurants and bars surrounding the University of Glasgow and Kelvingrove Museum. The best way to get good views of the city is to climb the many "drumlins" (hills) upon which the central area is built.

Glasgow has two main line railway stations. Trains from the south of Scotland, the city's southern suburbs and all long distance trains from England arrive at Glasgow Central Station, while shuttle trains from Edinburgh and anywhere north of Glasgow arrive at Glasgow Queen Street Station.