Day trip from Edinburgh St Andrews
A small university town on the Fife coast with the Old Course, a ruined cathedral and a castle, about 53 minutes by train plus a 15-minute bus.
Is St Andrews worth a day trip from Edinburgh?
Go. Take the whole day.
Yes, a full day and simple to do alone. There is no station in St Andrews: you take the train to Leuchars (53 minutes on the fastest services, 1 hour 9 on average) and then Stagecoach bus 99, which runs every 15 minutes and takes 15 minutes. The town is small and walkable. The cathedral grounds are free, but the cathedral museum is closed for conservation work, and the castle costs £ 10 online or £ 11 at the gate. From October to March both close at 16:00, so do the ruins before lunch. You cannot play the Old Course on a whim, but you can walk beside it.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 53 min+ 15 min bus from Leuchars · one way · Trainline (ScotRail services)
- Transport
- Train + bus
- Self-guided cost
- Not verified yet
- Tour price
- From € 84.70Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 5–7 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- Castle and cathedral: 25-26 Dec, 1-2 Jan
- Best time
- Apr-Sep, when the castle stays open until 17:30Daytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth a full dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in St Andrews
- 01
St Andrews Cathedral ruins
The remains of what was Scotland's largest church, with a graveyard running to the sea wall. The grounds are free and take 30-40 minutes. The cathedral museum is closed for conservation work.
- 02
St Andrews Castle
A ruined bishops' castle on a rock above the sea. You can crawl into a 16th-century siege tunnel and look down the bottle dungeon. Allow 45 minutes.
- 03
The Old Course and Swilcan Bridge
The oldest golf course in the world, open to walkers along its public path. The small stone bridge on the 18th hole is the photo everybody takes. Twenty minutes.
- 04
West Sands
A flat beach nearly 3 km long, starting beside the golf links. Walk as far as you like and turn back. The opening scene of Chariots of Fire was filmed here.
- 05
The university quadrangles
St Salvator's Quad on North Street and St Mary's Quad on South Street are open to walk through. Founded in 1413, it is Scotland's oldest university. Fifteen minutes each.
Good forOld towns and villagesCoast and islandsCastles and palaces
How to spend the day
Leave Waverley around 08:30, reach Leuchars about 09:30 and take the 99 bus into town by 10:00. Start at the cathedral ruins, then the castle next door, both done by 12:30. Lunch on Market Street. In the afternoon walk to the Old Course and the Swilcan Bridge, then West Sands beach. Take a bus back to Leuchars around 16:30 for a train that gets you to Edinburgh by 18:00.
St Andrews in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustLong days suit this trip: the castle is open until 17:30 and you can stay on the beach until evening. Highs reach 17-19°C, cooler in the sea breeze. Students are away from June to August, so the town belongs to golfers and day visitors. Check the calendar for big tournaments, which close parts of the links.
Winter
December to FebruaryCastle and cathedral grounds close at 16:00 and are shut on 25-26 December and 1-2 January. The North Sea wind is bitter, with highs of 7°C. It still works as a shorter day: ruins in the morning, a long lunch, a brisk walk on West Sands and a train before dark. Students fill the cafes in term time.
How crowded it gets
Busy- Busiest
- Jul-Aug afternoons, graduation weeks in late June, and any major golf tournament
- Quietest
- Weekday mornings from October to April
The town is small, so a few coaches change the mood. Coach groups arrive around midday and leave by 15:00. See the castle and cathedral before 11:30, then spend the busy hours on the beach or the links path.
How do you get to St Andrews from Edinburgh?
Train + bus
- Travel time
- 53-69 min + 15 min bus
- Frequency
- Trains all day; bus 99 every 15 min
- Departs from
- Edinburgh Waverley
Take any train towards Dundee or Aberdeen and get off at Leuchars. Bus 99 waits outside the station and drops you at St Andrews bus station, five minutes from the centre. ScotRail sells a combined rail and bus ticket to St Andrews. Pay on the bus otherwise.
Direct bus
- Travel time
- About 2 hours
- Departs from
- Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square
Stagecoach X58, X59 and X60 run from the city centre to St Andrews without a change. It takes close to twice as long as the train and bus combination, so it only makes sense if you want to avoid the transfer at Leuchars.
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 8 h 45 min door to door
- Frequency
- Daily
- Cost
- From € 85
- Departs from
- Castle Terrace, outside the NCP car park
Leaves at 09:00 and returns around 17:45. You get three hours free in St Andrews, plus Anstruther and the East Neuk fishing villages on the way and Falkland on the way back, which are awkward to link by public transport.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
A windproof jacket all year, since every sight is on the open coast. Comfortable flat shoes for cobbled lanes and sand. In winter add hat and gloves. No dress code applies to walkers near the golf course.
What to eat
Fish and chips and ice cream are the local habit, eaten on a bench near the harbour or on The Scores. Market Street and South Street hold most cafes and pubs. On the tour, Anstruther is known for its fish and chips. Fife crab and lobster appear in summer.
What you will spend
Train and bus fares are the main cost. The cathedral grounds, the beach, the Old Course path and the university quads are free. The castle is the only paid sight, £ 10 online or £ 11 at the gate. The tour, from € 85, includes cathedral admission.
How to get the most out of the day
- The Old Course is closed to golfers on most Sundays and becomes a public park. That is the day you can walk on the fairways.
- The Himalayas putting green beside the Old Course is open to anyone for a small fee in the warmer months. No booking and no experience needed.
- Ask for a through ticket to St Andrews at Waverley. It covers the 99 bus, so you do not need to pay the driver separately.
- Check the time of your return train before leaving town. The fast trains from Leuchars are roughly hourly and a missed one costs a long wait.
How long do you need in St Andrews?
Plan 5–7 h on site, plus 53 min of travel each way from Edinburgh.
When is St Andrews closed?
Castle and cathedral: 25-26 Dec, 1-2 Jan. Best time: Apr-Sep, when the castle stays open until 17:30.