Getting to St Andrews

Useful maps of St. Andrews and its location can be found here. The university's travel guidelines are here.

By Train:

  • Leuchars railway station is on the "East Coast" main line with inter-city connections throughout Britain and a night sleeper service from/to London. The station is 4 miles from St Andrews, with a good taxi service and a frequent local bus service, nearly every 15 minutes between 9 am and 6 pm on weekdays and less frequently at other times.
  • The trains run from Edinburgh's Waverley or Haymarket stations to Leuchars (the stop before Dundee) about every hour and take about one hour.
  • Travel by late overnight sleeper from London is convenient, but a taxi ride rather than a bus ride will be required.
  • Trains connecting Glasgow to Leuchars via Dundee or Edinburgh run from Glasgow Queen Street Station. Trains leave 15 minutes and 38 minutes after the hour at peak times. The journey is two and a half hours long. For travelling from Leuchars to St Andrews follow the above guidelines.
  • If you decide to travel by train, then the "saver return" journey tickets are valid for a month after the date of the initial journey. Stops can be made at points along the return journey for any length of time within the month for which the ticket is valid, at no extra cost. Also, Scotrail offer discount packages (for 4-8, 8-15, or 12-20 days of travel) for those who wish to explore Scotland, this includes discounts on the London/Dundee sleeper service, rail travel within Scotland, coach travel, Glasgow underground rail services and all scheduled ferry services within Scotland. For further information telephone 0044 8457 5500 33.
  • For information on booking train tickets and timetables click here.

    • By Air:

  • The airline Go flies to Edinburgh from London Stansted. Similarly, EasyJet flies there from London Luton. Both have some very cheap fares: bookings are made on the WWW rather than through travel agents.
  • Edinburgh (Turnhouse) is the nearest major airport to St Andrews and is a one hour drive away (45 miles). There is a frequent bus service between the airport and Edinburgh Haymarket and Waverley rail stations - the Airport Bus. But note the remark about taxi travel from Edinburgh made below.
  • Dundee airport is closer but much smaller and, consequently, less well served by the airlines. Weekday services offer connections from many European cities via London City Airport: these are listed in the Dundee Airport web page. The airport is situated less than 2 miles from the city centre. Connections between Dundee and St Andrews can be made by taxi to Dundee Seagate Bus Station and then a bus to St Andrews direct. The journey is about 30 minutes long. But a taxi ride all the way is only about 25 minutes.
  • Glasgow airport is also a major airport but further from St Andrews than Edinburgh. Glasgow airport is served by these airline companies. The airport is approximately eight miles west of Glasgow and every 15-20 minutes there is a shuttle bus operating between the airport and the city centre which stops at Queen Street Station where rail connections to St Andrews can be made. Details about travelling from Glasgow to St Andrews by bus are listed below.

    • By Bus:

  • St Andrews is a two hour bus ride from Edinburgh, and a thirty minute ride from Dundee. The bus from Edinburgh's St Andrews Square Bus Station (just a short distance from Waverley Rail Station) direct to St Andrews takes 2 hours. [My advice is: go by train. RD]
  • The journey by bus from Glasgow's Buchanan St Bus Station to St Andrews is two and a half hours long.
    •

    By Taxi (ex Edinburgh / Edinburgh Airport):

  • The cost of a taxi from Edinburgh Airport to the North Haugh in St Andrews is about £60 sterling. This figure means that for four people sharing, the option is competitive with train travel, especially when one considers the obvious added convenience (the train leaves you at Leuchars) and speed. This option is also worth considering for those travelling from the City of Edinburgh itself.

    • By Road (self-drive):

  • St Andrews is 50 miles (80km) north of Edinburgh, 12 miles (20km) south of Dundee, and 80 miles (130km) east of Glasgow.
  • Coming from Edinburgh, follow signs for the Forth Road Bridge or the M90, cross the Forth Road Bridge (toll: 80 pence), take the A92 exit from the M90 towards Glenrothes/Kirkcaldy, then at the "New Inn Roundabout" take the A914 to Cupar and the A91 on to St Andrews. Alternatively, stay on the M90 to junction 8 and then take the A91 all the way to St Andrews.
  • Coming from Glasgow airport join the M8 at junction 28A and continue until junction 8/2. At this point take the A8 until junction 6 and then take the M8 and follow signs for Edinburgh. At junction 2 take the M9 route for the Forth Road Bridge (toll: 80 pence) and continue the route as if travelling from Edinburgh.
  • Coming from Dundee cross the Tay Bridge, take the A92. After a mile, at the Forgan roundabout follow the A919 (A91) road signs that bring you directly into St Andrews.
  • John Burnet Hall is on the right just beyond the first mini-roundabout you meet on entrance to the town. Parking there is permitted to conference participant.s.
  • Car-hire facilities at airports - National do a one-way car hire, pick-up at the Airport and drop off at Maths/Computer Science car park in St Andrews, with the same arrangement for the return journey.