On Sundays the first train doesn't depart until after 09:30 and after 17:45 there is only a departure every other hour.
All of these trains are operated by ScotRail and it now mainly uses its dedicated Inter7City trains on this route.
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Final Destination: Aberdeen
All trains also call at: Dundee; Arbroath, Montrose and Stonehaven
Type of Scenery: Coast
Senic Rating: **
The lovely journey by train from Glasgow to Aberdeen has four distinct phases.
(1) Once the train has escaped from Glasgow, over to the left the landscape is dominated by the hills which straddle the horizon - a preview of what's to come.
(2) Between Stirling and Perth the railway passes through those hills.
(3) Then the railway line is on the north bank of the River Tay between Perth and Dundee - so the views of the river are over to the right.
(4) Much of the final part of the journey north of Dundee also offers lovely sea views over on the right, particularly as the train leaves the city behind.
The harbour in Montrose, which is by the station is also rather charming and north of Stonehaven, the railway line runs across the cliff-tops.
Though when Show MeTheJourney travelled most recently on the part of the route north of Dundee, the weather wasn't compatible with taking photographs, so you'll have to trust that this part of the journey can be fabulous!
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The ferries to Kirkwall on Orkney and Lerwick on Shetland usually depart Aberdeen at either 17:00 or 19:00.
To allow for:
- contingency in the event of a train delay
- making the transfer from the station to the ferry terminal
- the check-in time for the ferry.
For the 17:00 ferry ShowMeTheJourney recommends taking the 12:39 departure on Mondays to Saturdays and the 12:43 departure on Sundays.
For the 19:00 ferry the recommendation is to take the 14:39 departure on Mondays to Saturdays and the 14:50 departure on Sundays.
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More general information about travelling by train in England, Scotland and Wales is available on this guide to British train travel.
