Day trip from Edinburgh to St Andrews
Train to Leuchars, then a 15-minute bus into town. St Andrews is small enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes.
- Length: 1 day
- Pace: balanced
- Rough cost: £35–£75 pp
- Best for: Ruins, a long beach and the home of golf
The plan
Ruins, beach and golf St Andrews
- 08:45–09:50 Train: Edinburgh Waverley → Leuchars
About an hour, crossing the Forth Bridge.
- 10:15–11:30 St Andrews Cathedral and St Rule’s Tower
Free grounds; a small charge to climb the tower for the view.
- 11:35–12:30 St Andrews Castle
Clifftop ruin with a medieval mine and countermine you can crawl into.
- 12:40–13:40 Lunch on Market Street
Fish and chips or cafés.
- 13:45–14:15 St Salvator’s Quad
The university’s oldest college quad.
- 14:30–15:15 Old Course and the Swilcan Bridge
Walk to the bridge on the 18th; the course is closed to walkers on some days.
- 15:20–16:30 West Sands
Two miles of beach; the Chariots of Fire scene.
- 17:00–18:05 Train: Leuchars → Edinburgh Waverley
Rough cost
Per person. Return train to Leuchars, bus 99 both ways, castle ticket, lunch.
Prices checked November 2026 against official and widely published 2026 rates; they change, so confirm before you pay.
Book ahead
- Train tickets — Off-peak returns are fine; no need to book far ahead outside the Open championship.
If it rains
- Instead of West Sands: St Andrews Museum (free) or the Wardlaw Museum at the university
Good to know
- The Old Course is closed for play on Sundays, which is the easiest day to walk onto the bridge.
- Haar (sea fog) can roll in fast; bring a layer even in summer.
Book it
- Tickets and tours in St Andrews (GetYourGuide)
- Hotels in Edinburgh (Booking.com)
- UK train times and fares (Trainline)
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Want some fresh air after the city? Easy hikes in the Scottish Highlands (Roamglade).
