St Andrews: Day Trips and Tours from Edinburgh

St. Andrews is known for its sprawling golf courses, centuries-old Cathedral, ancient university, and historical architectural splendor. Plus, the pubs and tearooms are not too bad either. Tee up at the green, or tea up in a cozy teahouse nearby.

A day trip to St. Andrews from Edinburgh showcases stunning castle ruins, exotic scenery and the chance to see a leprechaun. Along the way, you’ll visit the grand Falkland Palace, the traditional fishing villages of Anstruther, and the photo-worthy Kingdom of Fife.

Jump on a St. Andrews day trip from Edinburgh to check out all the Scottish cultural villages along the way.

You will find below everything you need to know about visiting St. Andrews, one of the most fascinating day trips from Edinburgh.

How to get to St. Andrews from Edinburgh?

St. Andrews is about 90 kilometers northeast of Edinburgh and you can reach it by car or public transportation in about 2 hours.

From Edinburgh to St. Andrews by car

The fastest route from Edinburgh to St. Andrews is by taxi or car, and takes about 1.5 hours via A92 from the airport

From Edinburgh to St. Andrews by bus

Taking the bus is the most affordable way to get to St. Andrews, and tickets cost between £11 and £16. Buses leave from Edinburgh Bus Station every 30 minutes and arrive at Glenrothes, where you will take another bus to St. Andrews.

Guided tour to St. Andrews from Edinburgh

Half of the guided tours offer hotel pickups at no extra charge, and the other half require your transport to the meeting location. In general, private tours to St. Andrews will pick you up, public tours will not.

A majority of the tours leave from Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, or various cafes nearby. The full-day tours last between 8 and 10 hours roundtrip.

What is the typical itinerary of St. Andrews tours from Edinburgh?

Get whisked away by van for a full day of sightseeing in St. Andrews. Stretch your legs next to the historic Forth Bridge before heading to East Neuk to tour the old fishing villages. After a stroll along the harbor, you’re off to the oldest university in Scotland to get a master’s degree in St. Andrew’s history.

Finish up your tour with a must-see stop at Falkland Palace. Mary, Queen of Scots, was born here, and legends say she walks the gardens to this very day.

What kinds of day trips are available to go to St. Andrews?

There are over 30 options for the perfect St. Andrews day trip from Edinburgh. The most affordable tours go by van directly from the Edinburgh center and drop you off at the same meeting point. There are special tours like a Loch Ness boat tour included in the multi-day tour packages.

Guided tours to St. Andrews from Edinburgh

The most popular way to visit St. Andrews is through a guided full-day tour from Edinburgh. Unless you go by bus and taxi everywhere yourself, you actually save money booking a tour.

You’ll visit all the famous sites plus some you didn’t even know existed. Your guide will explain the complicated past of the historical structures, stopping for meals and drinks along the way.

Combo tours to St. Andrews from Edinburgh plus other attractions

There are combo tours available that will take you to the pretty and old-fashioned fishing villages of Fife. Some combo tours also include stops at the Dunnottar Castle, the famous bridges of South Queensferry and the Falkland Palace at the foot of the Lomond Hills.

Private tour to St. Andrews from Edinburgh

This tour is fully catered to you, and you don’t even need to lift a finger. Your guide will escort you by private luxury van to St. Andrews, where you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about Scottish history. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included in the price of all private tours.

Multi-day trips to St. Andrews plus Loch Ness or Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh

All of the multi-day tours from Edinburgh venture outwards from St. Andrews. In fact, you’ll spend less than half a day in St. Andrews before you’ll be whisked away to the mysterious Loch Ness.

Join a "monster-spotting" boat tour in Loch Ness, stroll through ancient corridors in St. Andrews, and walk through the eerie dreamscapes of Glencoe.

You’ll visit more attractions on the 5-day trip, including the Falls of Brann, Cairngorms National Park, Clava Cairns, Culloden Moor, Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness and more!

What are the prices of tours to St. Andrews from Edinburgh?

St. Andrews guided tours from Edinburgh cost around £45 per person without meals and £80 per person for an all-inclusive experience.

Some tours include pickup and drop-off, all meals, refreshments and entrance fees. For those that don’t, add £40 per person to avail of all necessities.

Combo tours from Edinburgh to St. Andrews that include other stops at idyllic coastal villages have a cost of approximately £60.

Private tours with a Scottish guide can cost around £520 per person for a minimum group of two people. These tours also provide transport in an air-conditioned minivan with up to six passengers, as well as entrance fees to most attractions.

St. Andrews from Edinburgh multi-day tours cost around £130 per person for 2-day tours and £350 for 5-day tours.

What can you expect on a day trip to St. Andrews?

A full-day tour will stop at noteworthy attractions in St. Andrews, including The Kingdom of Fife, Falkland Palace, the Old Course and St. Andrews Museum.

You will also have the opportunity to visit the St. Andrews Cathedral, which took over 150 years to build, and the 450- year-old St. Andrew Castle, which used to function as an artillery fort.

Along the way you will see the iconic three bridges, namely the Forth Bridge, Forth Road Bridge and Queensferry Crossing. The first bridge of the three was the first ever bridge in Britain’s history to be made from steel.

University of St. Andrews

The oldest Scottish university stands in St. Andrews. Founded in 1413, it’s still known as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. The main halls and chamber of St. Andrews look very similar to that of Hogwarts in the “Harry Potter” movies.

Dunnottar Castle

A magnificent structure on a 160-foot cliff and bordered by the North Sea – Dunnottar Castle is a hidden gem in Scotland’s history, once home to one of the most powerful families in the country.

Once condemned to solitude, it's been reopened for tourists to experience in all its haunting glory. Take a walk through the corridors to the highest lookout point for a panoramic view of the peninsula.

When is the best time to tour St. Andrews?

The best time to tour St. Andrews is during the spring or summer seasons. The weather is predictably mild but not too hot to be unpleasant.

If you visit in the winter months, you might have trouble with transport, although visiting these astonishing sites with a few inches of snowfall feels like a magical dream.

Top travel tips

• Check the opening times of attractions in St. Andrews before you book a tour. The sites in St. Andrews have been standing for centuries, needing to temporarily close their doors for maintenance purposes from time to time.
• Dress for the weather and pack appropriately. Temperatures change drastically from season to season in Scotland.
• Throughout the guided tours, you’ll learn such a wealth of information that it might be impossible to remember it all. Ask for a pamphlet or take some notes on your phone.