Getting to Aberdeen

There are numerous ways of getting to Aberdeen, including flights from some 30 destinations, far-reaching train, coach and ferry networks or a relaxed scenic drive. Most travellers make use of Aberdeen Airport, which provides connections with a number of UK and European destinations.

By car

Aberdeen can be reached by road from Edinburgh or Glasgow over the Forth and Tay Road bridges and then the coastal road in about 2 hours 30 minutes. Follow the M9 north to Perth and then the A90 trunk road to Aberdeen. Those who wish to take in some more of the areas landscape on their trip can follow both the A92 north from Dundee and the A93 from Perth.

By rail

Services to Aberdeens train station are operated by Scotrail and GNER. The trip from London to Aberdeen takes seven to eight hours, and some train services require travellers to change at Edinburgh Waverley, although there are three direct trains from London to Aberdeen. Alternatively, take the overnight sleeper service from London and awake refreshed in Aberdeen. The train trip from Glasgow and Edinburgh takes 3 hours and 2 hours 30 minutes respectively. There are also direct services from Birmingham and Plymouth. The main train station is located in Guild Street, adjacent to the bus station. For further information, call the train operator on: +44 8457 484 950 or visit their website on: www.nationalrail.co.uk.

By bus

A number of bus companies operate express routes to Aberdeen, and many offer special round-trip fares to passengers not travelling on a Friday or Saturday. Frequent buses also arrive from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are also regular connections from Inverness. The main operators are Scottish Citylink Coaches and National Express. The main bus station is located in Guild Street, adjacent to the train station.

By ferry

Northlink provides regular connection to Aberdeen from Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands and Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. From Kirkwall sailings are three times a week with a sailing duration of six hours operating between March and November. From Lerwick there is one ferry crossing weekly with a sailing duration of 12 hours.
Northlink: +44 845 6000 449; website: www.northlinkferries.co.uk/.

By air

Aberdeen Airport is located seven miles northwest of the city centre and provides easy access to the surrounding area. It is connected by flights from all over the UK, including daily flights to and from London as well as international destinations such as Amsterdam, Dublin, Esbjerg, Paris and Stavanger. There are lots of appealing low cost fares offered by airlines such as British Airways, BMI, Ryanair and EasyJet. Regular bus services connect the airport to the city centre.

Aberdeen airport

Aberdeen Airport operates one terminal and handles domestic and European flights. The airport can be reached from the A96 Aberdeen-Inverness road, which is signposted. Facilities at the airport include a family entertainment room, wireless internet and mother and baby changing rooms. The food and beverage outlets provided consist of a pub, a bar, a coffee shop and several restaurants. Among the shopping facilities are a gift shop, a book shop and a duty-free shop. Currency exchange facilities and ATMs are located near the security desk in the main atrium and there is also a left luggage facility and a mother and baby room located not far from the information desk. There are also disabled facilities within the airport.

Aberdeen airport transportation

Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) is connected by a good network of buses running to and from the city centre as well as direct rail links with Aberdeen and Inverness. Four bus services operate between Aberdeen Airport and the city centre, providing regular connections on weekdays and less frequent services at weekends. First bus number 27 runs from Monday to Friday only, while Stagecoach bus numbers 10, 307 and 737 run throughout the week and on the weekends; number 307 only operates one service to and from the airport on Sunday. Aberdeen and Inverness train services stop at the local station at Dyce, which is just a short taxi ride from the airport. Taxis are available in front of the terminal and are operated by Rainbow Airport Taxis.