How to Get to St Andrews from Edinburgh

There is no doubt that there is a lot to see and do in Edinburgh, but if you fancy a different plan in this great Scottish city, I suggest a visit to St. Andrews. This town on the coast of Fife was not only the scene of the famous scene of Chariots of Fire, but it has incredible scenery and a charming old town. It is only 50 km away and there are alternatives for all types of travelers, what is the best way to get there?

Your big question will be, how to plan the whole trip? Although St. Andrews is close to Edinburgh, the journey can be quite a hassle by public transport. On the other hand, the sometimes unavoidable delays can limit your time to discover this university town. If you do not want this to happen, my advice is always to book an organized tour from Edinburgh. They cost about 50€ and you will make the trip quickly (in about two hours), and without incident, in a shared coach with other travelers.

In addition, in most cases, your driver will act as a guide during the day, so you will get to know much better the stories around St Andrews. Although they do not always include entrance fees to places such as its Cathedral, the largest in Scotland, these tours follow a fairly complete itinerary so you won't miss anything.

The value for money of these tours is very interesting, especially because of the 10 hours that the tour lasts, you will have more or less 3 hours to move at your own pace and not feel that you are all day adapting to the group.

Interesting facts

• Price: 50€ approximately
• Duration of the tour: about 2 hours
• Main disadvantage: you have to adapt to the departure times.
• Recommended if: you are looking for a comfortable alternative at a good price.

If your idea is to go from Edinburgh to St. Andrews by public transport and you want to go direct, you will have to settle for the bus, as there is no train station in this town. Although it is not the fastest way (it takes a little more than two hours), it is quite economical, since its price is approximately 7€ (one way).

The line that makes the route is the X59. The station where you should take this bus in Edinburgh will not be forgotten, because it is the Saint Andrews Bus Station. It is quite big so make sure you are at the appropriate stop (Stance D), get on the bus going towards Dundee and get off at St Andrews Bus Station. Just six minutes away is Market Street, one of the most central and important streets in the town.

My advice is to buy your ticket in advance through the Stage Coach website, which is the company that operates this route. Buses leave approximately every hour, from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm.

Interesting facts

• Price: 14€ approximately
• Travel time: about 2 hours
• Main disadvantage: the journey is long because of the intermediate stops
• Recommended if: you want to save on your trip to St Andrews

If you're like me, traveling by train is always one of your first choices. It's usually fast, comfortable and, although more expensive than the bus, affordable. The problem is that St Andrews has no train station.

The intermediate solution is to go from Edinburgh to the town of Leuchars by train (from 7-9€) and then, from there, take a bus (about 5€) or a cab (about 18€) to get to your final destination. In total, the trip takes about an hour and a half.

If you have decided that you prefer to go by train to Leuchars and then change trains to get to St Andrews, you must take the train at Waverley station (Edinburgh). I recommend you to buy your ticket in advance from the Scotrail website, to avoid rushing and haste on the day of travel.

Once you are in Leuchars, exit the station. There you will find the Stagecoach 99 bus stop, which runs every 15 minutes and stops at St Andrews station. At the same exit there are always cabs, in case you prefer this alternative.

You can see that the waits at the transfer are not long and there are many departures, so if you choose this option you can also take the opportunity to visit Leuchars.

Interesting facts

• Price: 18€ approximately (35€ if instead of train-bus you combine train-taxi)
• Travel time: about 2 hours
• Main drawback: it is not a direct route.
• Recommended if: you don't mind transferring at Leuchars

Do you enjoy cycling and sports? If your answer to both questions was yes, there is an alternative to go from Edinburgh to St Andrews that you will like: cycling. I'm not going to fool you, it's a long route (about five hours) and I don't recommend it if you are only going to St Andrews for one day. However, if you are going to spend the night there, the weather is good and you feel like touring the green fields along the way, you can rent a bike for about 35€ a day (or 60€ for the weekend).

The national route you should take is the number 1, called Coasts and Castles North. It connects Edinburgh with Aberdeen and passes through St Andrews. It is a beautiful route through the county of Fife, between its coasts and medieval castles, two of the emblems of Scotland.

The good thing about cycling is that, once in St Andrews, you can move easily. In addition, if you have time, you can do some more routes in the area.

Interesting facts

• Price: 35€ approximately (one day rental)
• Travel time: about 5 hours
• Main drawback: the trip is long.
• Recommended if: you are going to spend the night in St. Andrews and/or want to do some cycling there

Are you planning to rent a car during your trip to Edinburgh? It is something that many tourists do precisely to have freedom of movement and to be able to go to the surrounding towns. One of them is St. Andrews, which is only an hour and twenty minutes, approximately, driving from Edinburgh. The rent of a car, per day, is around 35€.

The road you have to take when you leave Edinburgh by car is the A90, which connects with the M90. From there, you should continue driving north to the A91 (several signs will point you in the right direction to St. Andrews). The problem will be parking; St. Andrews is a small town where you don't usually use your car, so the only parking lots in the center are paid, although you always have the option of using the parking lots on the beaches. In any case, you can check where they are and their availability on the county website.

My recommendation is that you make all the arrangements in advance, so that your rental car is waiting for you as soon as you land in Scotland. This will also give you time to check that your papers are in order. You will need a driving license from a European Union country and, to avoid surprises, an insurance.

Interesting facts

• Price: 35€ approximately (one day rental)
• Travel time: about 1 hour
• Main disadvantage: little parking in St. Andrews
• Recommended if: you want to be free to move around Edinburgh, St Andrews and surroundings

Traveling with a group of people? Maybe there are not enough of you to fill a coach, but a cab or shuttle will do. The total journey time is about an hour, although the fare is high (approximately 45€ one way).

There is a cheaper and similar option: the shuttle from the airport, an option offered by some companies. The price is indeed lower (around 30€) but you will have to make the transfer to the Edinburgh airport.

My advice if you order a cab is to try to negotiate a price for the round trip and, if you are interested, also include the transfers around St. Andrews and the surrounding towns. If you want to be picked up somewhere in Edinburgh, make sure you contact one of the official companies, such as Central Taxis, and that you have money to pay in cash, otherwise there is a 5% surcharge.

Normal cabs can be booked through an online form in most cases, but if you prefer to order a VTC from an app such as Uber, you can do that too. This company operates in Scotland and the rates, although similar, are somewhat lower compared to cabs.

Interesting facts

• Price: 45€ approximately
• Travel time: about 1 hour
• Main disadvantage: the high price
• Recommended if: you are traveling with a group of friends and you can share costs

Have you finished planning your excursion to St. Andrews from Edinburgh? Now you know which transportation alternative is the best, so there is nothing left to do.