A one day road trip from Edinburgh to St Andrews is the epitome of spending a day in Scotland. It has it all! From Castle ruins, stunning (sunset) views, and there’s even golf!
Driving to St Andrews and back in a day from Edinburgh isn’t as crazy as you might think (it’s actually one of the easier drives in Scotland). There’s so much to see on the drive and even more to explore in St Andrews Scotland.
I hope my itinerary merely guides you into making your own Edinburgh road trip. You can easily swap any of my stops for something else that might interest you more.
Here’s my guide for how to drive from Edinburgh to St Andrews and what to see along the way!
Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!
Why Visit St Andrews Scotland?
St Andrews today is well known as the birthplace of golf. But there’s so many more things to do in St Andrews than just golf (so don’t write it off just yet, trust me!).
Like did you know St Andrews is also a University town and it’s actually where Prince William and Kate Middleton met! Because of that, it has similar vibes to Edinburgh (lively and young!). It’s also a small city with a lot of character and hidden gems to discover.
But unlike Edinburgh, St Andrews Scotland is on the coast so it offers some incredible views of the sea. There’s even a castle to explore and some old Cathedral ruins!
How Far Is St Andrews From Edinburgh?
If you drive from Edinburgh to St Andrews without stopping, it’s only an hour and 15 minutes away.
But there’s so much to see on the way that it’s bound to take you much longer!
P.S. Stay organized when planning your St Andrews itinerary with my printable travel planner on Etsy. Use my code ATRLOVE for an additional discount!
How To Get From Edinburgh To St Andrews If You Don’t Want To Drive?
If you don’t want to drive from Edinburgh to St Andrews, you have three other options. You can take the train, shuttle, or go on an organized tour.
If you are interested in driving from Edinburgh to St Andrews, jump directly to my driving tips!
Taking The Train To St Andrews
The train doesn’t go directly from Edinburgh to St Andrews. You’ll actually go past St Andrews and get off in Leuchars, where you’ll hop on a bus to St Andrews.
The whole journey still only takes about an hour and a half, plan your route with Omio.
Take The Shuttle From Edinburgh Airport To St Andrews
Because St Andrews is a University town, there’s a designated shuttle from Edinburgh airport, during peak school times (the start of each semester, graduation, and mid-semester breaks). So depending on when you’re visiting, you might be able to hop on a very affordable shuttle to St Andrews.
Otherwise, you can book a private or shared transfer with the same company, but it will cost you a bit more.
Organized Tours From Edinburgh To St Andrews
If you don’t want to drive from Edinburgh to St Andrews, go on an organized tour instead.
This popular small group tour from Viator gives you two and a half hours in St Andrews to visit what you want. The tour also includes a stop at Falkland Palace and Gardens, and the small fishing village Anstruther Harbour.
See more tours leaving from Edinburgh.
Drive From Edinburgh To St Andrews – Tips!
My partner and I opted to drive from Edinburgh to St Andrews because there are some things to see en route.
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Renting A Car In Edinburgh
We rented a car at the Enterprise in Waverley Station in Edinburgh.
It was the easiest one for us to get to and they always had reasonable prices. We also liked renting from Enterprise because we’re able to drop off the car in the parking garage after they closed.
The same location also has National, Budget, and Europcar kiosks.
The car rentals are a bit confusing to get to, so I suggest going to the train station first and following the signs from there. But don’t be concerned when you have to cross the parking lot next to the train station and go into the basement of another building.
Unlike in other countries in Europe, renting a manual car wasn’t cheaper in Edinburgh.
Before you rent a car, I’d also double check your insurance policy if you have one with your credit card. In the UK it’s the law to include what’s called the CDW, a collision damage waiver, with your car rental.
But! Most North American credit card companies need you to decline this, and, if you book your car when you’re already in the UK, it will be automatically applied.
We had Enterprise print out our contract so we could manually write that we decline the CDW (which is what our insurance company said to do).
Two Driving Routes To St Andrews From Edinburgh
There are two routes to drive from Edinburgh to S. Andrews once you cross the Firth of Forth. You can either drive on the highway (A92) or along the coast (A915).
I recommend taking a different route each way, giving you a completely different experience.
We decided to take the highway route to St Andrews so that we could drive along the coast during sunset. And I’m so happy we organized our day like this because the coastal views were UNREAL during sunset!
Although in retrospect, this was also a risky move because the coastal route is narrow roads without any lights… so if you’re nervous about driving back in the dark I’d recommend taking the highway route (A92) on the way back.
Why We Chose The Stops We Did From Edinburgh To St Andrews?
The stops we chose weren’t random on the drive from Edinburgh to St Andrews, there were specific reasons for why we chose the ones we did.
For starters, most of the castles we stopped at were included in the Scotland Explorer Pass (which I recommend buying), so we were more inclined to stop at those than at others (they were now free with the pass).
We also had a draw to some of the stops because they were Outlander filming locations (a popular TV show).
But lastly, it all came down to if they were open or not. We were travelling around Scotland in the fall which meant some places were already closed for the winter (like Incholm Abbey and the ferry to the Isle of May, which we really wanted to do).
Plan Your Timing To Not Drive In The Dark
Driving in Scotland at night is far from fun – you’re usually on small country roads without any lights.
You’ll definitely want to keep an eye on the setting sun for this reason and make sure you leave St Andrews with more than enough time to drive back in the daylight.
Our road trip to St Andrews was a lot shorter than yours might be because we visited Scotland in the fall. That meant the sunset was also A LOT earlier which meant our day was a lot shorter. The sun would start to set as early as 3:30 P.M.!
But, if you’re travelling in the summer your day will be longer so you’ll probably be able to fit in some extra activities.
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Pack Food For Your Edinburgh Road Trip
Make sure to pack enough food and water for the day.
Some of the places between Edinburgh and St Andrews are in middle of nowhere. Even if there’s a town nearby, you don’t know what will be open (if anything will be open at all!).
Packing lunch also gives you the most flexibility and just saves you precious time. We’ve learned that on these day trips relying on eating out wastes a lot more time than it’s worth.
You always think it’s going to be fast if you stop at a small cafe, but it always takes longer than expected (especially if you include all the time it takes to find the perfect place).
So do yourself a favour and just pack a lunch instead!
P.S. Check out my printable packing list to stay organized when packing for Scotland!
Edinburgh To St Andrews Road Trip Itinerary
There are three parts my Edinburgh road trip to St Andrews.
The morning drive has you stopping at different castle ruins in Scotland.
The afternoon is spent exploring St Andrews.
And finally your way back to Edinburgh has some stops in some seaside villages for some sunset views!
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The Morning Is All About Outlander & Castles
Our morning itinerary is all about Outlander! If you didn’t know, this popular TV show is based and filmed in Scotland.
Don’t worry if you haven’t seen it or simply don’t like the show, you can still enjoy these stops.
The only stop I recommend skipping if you haven’t seen the show, is the first stop at Midhope Castle. It’s just a quick pit stop, but only fans of the show will appreciate.
On the other hand, if you are a fan of Outlander, you might be interested in booking an Outlander filming location tour from Edinburgh.
Visit Midhope Castle
The first stop on our Edinburgh to St Andrews road trip is Midhope Castle.
This is a quick stop, and only go if you’re a fan of Outlander.
Midhope Castle is the filming location for Lallybroch (Jamie’s home). Out of all the filming locations, this one really looks exactly like it does in the show.
There’s a free parking lot where you can see the house in the distance.
If you want to get a bit closer, you can pay to go closer, but I don’t think it’s necessary. It doesn’t give you access to the inside of the house. And besides, it was only the outside that was used as a set for Jamie’s house.
Visiting Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle was a very cool because it looks like a giant stationary ship!
It also has some ties to Outlander (filming location for Fort Williams), but here’s it’s more like a bonus than the reason for visiting.
The castle dates back to the 15th century but was possibly built on top of another one from the 1400s. Also, because it’s located on the Firth of Forth, it was a docking spot for ships.
Blackness Castle is an example of a castle we visited because it was included in our Scotland Explorer Pass. But we’re so happy we did, it was very interesting to learn about the history that happened there, and see the views of the Firth of Forth along the coast.
There’s a tiny free lot you can park in at the entrance. If that’s full I imagine you can park along the road or there are a few parking spots in the adjacent town.
Crossing The Firth of Forth To The Kingdom Of Fife
After exploring Blackness Castle, it’s time to cross over the Firth of Forth to the Kingdom of Fife!
I had no idea what a firth was before visiting Scotland, but it’s an estuary. Still unsure what that is? Me too! It’s essentially a narrow inlet of water that comes from the sea…
The Kingdom of Fife is actually sandwiched between two firths (the Firth of Forth, and the Firth of Tay).
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Stop At Aberdour Castle
Welcome to your first stop in the Kingdom of Fife: Aberdour Castle! This was one of the coolest castles we visited in Scotland.
Aberdour Castle is not the largest castle in Scotland, but it might just be the oldest, dating back to the 1100s!
The icing on the cake is that there are three stages to this castle, and you can easily see them all.
The left side is the oldest part and it’s in complete ruins. But the right side is good as new, well as good as something could look from the 1600s.
It also has drawings on the ceiling from the 15th century and a sundial!
If you’re following my itinerary, this is also a good time to stop for lunch if you brought your own. They have picnic tables in the gardens where you can sit while enjoying your view of the castle.
Quick Pit Stop In Falkland
Falkland is a town in the Kingdom of Fife that’s known for it’s palace and gardens. But that’s not why we stopped here.
For us, it was a quick stop because it was also used as the set for ‘old’ Inverness in Outlander (and the town really looks like it did in the show, the show runners didn’t change much!).
So, depending on your interests, you can skip it altogether, or plan a bit more time and visit the palace and gardens.
Parking might be a bit challenging here, you’ll have to rely on-street parking in the town.
Spend The Afternoon In St Andrews
It’s finally time to explore the wonderful St Andrews! You can spend anywhere from a few hours to a few days in S. Andrews Scotland.
There’s a lot of street parking here but you’ll most likely have to pay for parking. There are a few free spots around the city, but they’re hard to come by.
And unfortunately, there also isn’t any specific parking for St Andrews Castle or St Andrews Cathedral (at least none that we could find anyway).
P.S. If you are interested in staying the night in St Andrews, book the popular historical hotel The Albany St Andrews dating back to 1795! Or see more hotels options on Booking.com in St Andrews.
Top Things To Do In St Andrews
If you have some time, I always recommend going on a walking tour of every city, book the St Andrews Must-Sees Daily Walking Tour on Viator.
A walking tour is a good way for you to get your bearings, learn about the history of the city, and even get some local recommendations if possible!
St Andrews Golf Connection
St Andrews Scotland is a pretty famous town known as the birthplace of golf. So, if you’re interested in (or with someone who is) you should stay for a bit longer than a few hours to play a round of golf on the first golf course ever!
They actually have two courses you can play on while you’re there: the Old Course, and the “New One” (which I don’t think is even all that new). T
he Old Golf Course (yes, it’s actually called that) is apparently quite difficult to play on because the course is set up differently than golf is played today. But, it could make for a very interesting game!
If you don’t have time for a round of golf you could also opt to visit the R&A World of Golf Museum. It takes you from St Andrews Scotland to around the world exploring the history and origins of golf.
See St Andrews Cathedral
I guess I didn’t do my fair amount of research but I was expecting an actual Cathedral in St Andrews! Let’s just say, the St Andrews Cathedral is no longer in existence…
You’ll mainly be seeing the Cathedral ruins. It’s more like an intact cemetery with part of walls and towers left from the cathedral that used to stand there. I won’t lie, it’s kind of creepy walking on the graves and ruins.
If you manage to come here during golden hour, it’s beautiful the way the sun hits the ruins though.
Entry is actually free to the “Cathedral”, you can pay (or use your Scotland Explorer Pass) to go into the museum and up the tower. The tower in my mind looked absolutely terrifying so we opted against it.
Visit The St Andrews Castle
There isn’t too much left of St Andrews Castle either, but back in its hay day, it had everything!
Over its 450 years of history, it was a bishop’s palace, a fortress, and a state prison.
But, I think the coolest part about this castle is that it gives you a glimpse of war sieges. There’s a mine and a countermine dug underneath, and you can actually walk (well crouch) through it.
We didn’t make it too far underground before turning around, it became quite claustrophobic.
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Enjoy Coffee At The Royal Connection Coffee Spot: NorthPoint Cafe
We always like a good coffee spot, and one with good prices and royal links are even better! This was a random hidden gem we stumbled upon and it was a highlight of the day.
The NorthPoint Café not only has delicious food options and coffee, but was bustling with locals from students to families.
As it turns out, this is where Prince William and Kate Middleton went on their first date.
And if you are into coffee, it wasn’t all that bad either! Use my coffee tasting guide to take some notes!
The Days Not Over Yet! Drive Back To Edinburgh
Depending on what time of year it is, you can spend more or less time exploring different places on your drive back to Edinburgh from St Andrews Scotland.
On top of the stunning views, we were also able to link two of our day trips together. From this side of the coast, we were able to see the North Berwick Law in North Berwick (which we had gone to a few days before).
We also drove by the Isle of May, home of the puffins in Scotland! That’s all we heard about during our day trip to North Berwick, so it was nice to finally see it in person.
You can simply drive this way for a change and the nice views, but you can also make some stops on the way in the different fishing villages!
Stop At Elie & Earlsferry: Elie Ness Lighthouse
There are several fishing villages you can stop in on the drive back like Crail and Ansruther.
We were running out of daylight so opted to just drive through them and only stop in Ellie and Earlsferry. There’s a lighthouse there that we thought would be the perfect spot to watch the sunset… and it was!
There’s a beach and a small path you can walk along up to the lighthouse and even explore the surrounding area.
This tour from Edinburgh to St Andrews happens to stop in Ansruther instead!
Need A Place To Stay In Edinburgh?
I stayed at an Airbnb for a month in Edinburgh just across from The Meadows. For shorter stays, I found these accommodations to stay at for every type of traveller.
Best Location & Price: Just down the street from the Royal Mile Motel One Edinburgh – Royal is a short walk to all the main attractions. See room rates & availability.
Modern & New Apartment: Stay in Edinburgh’s New Town at Golden Thistle Apartment to live like a local. It’s offers a beautifully renovated modern apartment with cafes and bars at your fingertips! See room rates & availability on Plum Guide.
Luxury: The Balmoral Hotel is Edinburgh’s finest hotel but nothing compares to it. J.K. even stayed here to finish writing the Harry Potter Series. Maybe you’ll get lucky and stay in the same suite! See room rates & availability.
See other accommodations on Booking.com in Edinburgh, or more apartments on Plum Guide.
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Heading To Scotland? Read My Other Guides
- How to Spend a Day in North Berwick [From Edinburgh]
- The Best Castles To Visit Near Edinburgh
- What I Wish I’d Known Before Driving in Scotland
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Victoria@international expat
Thursday 20th of February 2020
I love short trips. Thanks for the idea. I am a beginner traveler and I dream to visit to Scotland. Great blog! You inspired me! Thanks!
admin
Thursday 20th of February 2020
That makes me so happy! Scotland is such an amazing place to visit, you'll love it!
LAUREN GAY
Monday 10th of February 2020
I'm in love with this roadtrip . I love seeing old castles and the coastline views are breathtaking. Great post.
admin
Tuesday 11th of February 2020
Oh yes then you HAVE to go on this road trip! It's perfect for you :)
Tasha
Sunday 9th of February 2020
Oh what a great road trip!
Larch
Sunday 9th of February 2020
Despite visiting Edinburgh many times, I have never travelled up to St Andrews. Next time I come up to Edinburgh, I will take your advice and head on up.
admin
Sunday 9th of February 2020
I cannot recommend it enough! Very happy to hear that :)
Megan Lawrence
Sunday 9th of February 2020
I've been told I have to go to Scotland! Your photos are beautiful - certainly a good advertisement for visiting.
admin
Sunday 9th of February 2020
Haha thanks so much :) But seriously you REALLY do!!