The Student Room Group

Getting to St Andrews (from Edinburgh) for Dummies

When I arrived in first year It was very confusing trying to figure out how to get to St Andrews...But after a few years of trial and error I've figured out all the ways of getting to st andrews without your own car, mum and dad to drive you there, or hitch hiking (which can be fun, but not for your first time getting to uni). So luckily for you there are several excellent options now a days:

1. You can get the train from Edinburgh city centre - just take the express bus into the city centre and then catch a train. Best to buy a ticket before hand from http://www.thetrainline.com/buytickets/? (this is the most expensive option - can cost over £30 one way - and you have to lug all your luggage around yourself)... bare in mind that you'll have to get the bus from Leuchars Station to St Andrews because there is not train station in St Andrews itself.

2. Take the Bus. This is really easy, cheap, and only takes two hours from edinburgh airport to st andrews. You'll need to take the 747 bus from the airport to the ferry toll part and ride on the otherside of the fourth road bridge (cost approx £4.50) and then catch the X59 bus to St Andrews http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/X59pckttt270409web.pdf (cost about £5 - with student discount). Alternatively you can take the bus into edinburgh city centre from the airport and catch the same bus back out of Edinburgh - but this takes longer and costs more! I believe the X58 and X60 buses also go to St Andrews but take a longer route. Just check www.stagecoachbus.com to be sure.

3. This is probably the BEST OPTION. Use either the St Andrews Direct or St Andrews Shuttle Service to take you door to door. Both these companies run taxis for students and cost approx £20 one way. Many students use these services year round but the lowest fairs are at the start and end of all university holidays (i.e. when the most students travel). This is the best optino because it only costs £20. You get door to door in under 1h30min. You don't have to lug your own luggage on buses and trains... it all goes in the car with you. It's less stressful and more comfortable.
See their sites:

http://standrewsdirect.com/orientation.html

http://www.standrewsshuttle.com/

I'm sure someone has already written this post but for some reason I felt like doing my good deed of the decade this morning.

Hope this helps!

:cool:
Reply 1
I'm arriving at Glasgow airport. What would be the easiest way to get to St A's from there on the 19th? Also, is it possible to take a taxi from Leuchars to St A's?
From Glasgow Airport? You're on the wrong side of scotland!

You're journey is a long and hazardous one!

Assuming you dont have a lot of luggage with you, you can get the airport shuttles to Buchanan Bus Station (their price varies so ask at the airport first - im sure there are free ones). From then you make your way over to stand 6 (Again ask - i havent taken the bus for a while) and catch the STAGECOACH X24 to St Andrews. This will take you to the bus station. It costs about £8 (or £5.70 with a student card) and will get you there within 2 and a half hours. The buses are Hourly (http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/x24pckttt270409web.pdf for the timetable) and be warned! Dont take the X26 to St Andrews as it's been nicknamed the Stopping bus and will take much much longer.

I wouldnt reccomend train - theres alot of changing and it's very expensive. (About £20-£30)And you'd still have to get to the bus station to get to the train.

Other than that - check to see if there are any shuttles from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh. But that involves getting trains or buses afterwords. The way i said is mucho easier.
Reply 3
In previous years (including when I arrived 2 years ago) the University arranged coach travel from Edinburgh airport to St Andrews, calling at all of the Halls of Residence in turn, with a lorry following behind for luggage. Not sure if they are doing the same this year, but if you are arriving at Edinburgh on that first weekend it would be worth contacting Student Support Services at [email protected] to see if they are, as it is absolutely ideal.

You book ahead of time (whichever time suits your flight's arrival, the one I got was at 9am but they run through the day), then when you arrive you meet the St Andrews representatives in the main lobby of the airport (traditionally in red gowns but these days probably in brightly-coloured 'St Andrews Orientation' T-shirts) & when your coach arrives they take you out, load your luggage into the lorry & you're away. It's great because they take you straight to your Hall of Residence, have plenty of space for luggage & you get to meet lots of other students on the coach to chat to on the way over. Not to mention it's cheap - it was £15 when I arrived 2 years ago.
lost eden
In previous years (including when I arrived 2 years ago) the University arranged coach travel from Edinburgh airport to St Andrews, calling at all of the Halls of Residence in turn, with a lorry following behind for luggage. Not sure if they are doing the same this year, but if you are arriving at Edinburgh on that first weekend it would be worth contacting Student Support Services at [email protected] to see if they are, as it is absolutely ideal.



The website seems to indicate that they're not doing it this year - the link for transport from the airport tell people to book St Andrews Direct (http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/orientation/Transport/), but I'm sure there was a sign up for airport meeting for the orientation volunteers, which doesn't make sense if they're not running the coaches.
Reply 5
If anybody is interested I would still recommend email Student Support Services even if it isn't advertised on the website - when I came I saw it mentioned in a leaflet but then couldn't find anything about it on the website so I emailed SSS to enquire & book.