How to travel by train from Glasgow to Aberdeen

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Glasgow to Aberdeen by train

Routes you can take to go from Glasgow to Aberdeen

When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.

Choose one of the following options:

Looking for connections?

Journey guides for travel to Glasgow

Route Information

Station Guides

Glasgow Queen Street Rail Station Guide

Aberdeen Rail Station Guide

Travel Time (approx)

2hr 41min

Frequency

Daily

Travel Info

Monday to Saturday: 14 x trains per day (there is a departure in most hours)
Sunday = 11 x trains

Is the journey from Glasgow to Aberdeen direct?
Yes

Is the journey scenic?
Yes, the train will travel between hills, by the river Tay and the North Sea
See the Journey Information for images and videos

What other tourist locations are along the route from Glasgow to Aberdeen?
Stirling and Perth and Arbroath.

When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Aberdeen?

Before 08:45 on Monday to Saturday
Before 12:35 on Sunday

When is the usual approximate latest departure from Glasgow Queen St?
Around 21:40 daily

How easy is it to travel to the station in Glasgow?
Glasgow Queen Street is conveniently located towards the northern edge of the heart of the city.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in the area.

Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for this journey option?
Yes

How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for this journey option?
12 weeks; See the Ticket Information for more details

What are the child ticket terms for the journey from Glasgow to Aberdeen?
Aged 5 to 15 = 50%; 4 and under = free

Does the ticket for the for this journey option include assigned seats?
Varies according to the type of ticket being booked - But, Yes when booking Advance Tickets; See the Ticket Information for more details

Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these trains?
No

Is catering available for this journey option?
Most departures have a trolley service

What else is good to know?
See the general guide to travelling in Scotland by train.

Travel Information

Final Destination: Aberdeen (or Inverness or Inverurie))

All trains also call at: Dundee; Arbroath, Montrose and Stonehaven

All of these trains are operated by ScotRail and all but a few departures will be handled by the Inter7City trains; which departures will be by the Inter7City trains can be looked up on the ScotRail timetable.

This is a direct journey

You will be travelling on one of these trains...

The iconic 125 trains are used for the Inter7City services

ScotRail Inter7City (UK) Train Guide

A ScotRail Turbostar train has arrived in Dundee

ScotRail Turbostar (UK) Train Guide

Journey Features

Scenic - YesRiver viewsCoastal views

Good to Know

Connecting the ferries on to Orkney and Shetland

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.

North of Larbert the views on the left stretch into the distance

Looking to the right north of Stirling

Passing by The River Earn on left to the south of Perth

Arriving in Broughty Ferry north of Dundee

Arriving in Montrose with its Basin harbour on the left

Looking down on spectacular Lunan Bay

Looking to the right over the River Tay on route to Dundee

On the clifftops north of Stonehaven

North of Dundee on route towards Arbroath

North of Dundee on route towards Abroath

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!

How To Explore Scotland By Train Tips and insights for Scottish train travel, cheaper Off-Peak tickets are available all day until June 28th!

How To Explore Scotland By Train Tips and insights for Scottish train travel, cheaper Off-Peak tickets are available all day until Ju...

Tickets

Book Early and Save: Yes

Online Bookings Usually Open: from 12 weeks ahead of the travel date (usually)

If you want to travel at the cheapest possible price, look for the 'Advance tickets.
Though something out of the ordinary for British train tickets, which is very much worth being aware of, is that ScotRail doesn't release Advance tickets for sale until 8 weeks ahead of the travel date.
However, the more expensive Anytime tickets will be placed on sale up to 3 months ahead.
So of if you look up a long-distance journey ticket on the ScotRail website more than 8 weeks ahead, you will only see the Anytime tickets, so you can save money by hanging back and waiting until the Advance tickets have been placed on sale.

ScotRail takes Advance tickets off sale at 18:00 (6pm) on the day prior to a travel date.

Choosing a departure
There can be significant differences in prices of Advance tickets between departures, the cheapest ticket prices inevitably sell out faster on the most popular trains.
So it can be possible to save money by looking through the departures and selecting an earlier or later train.
Also be aware that Advance tickets can sell out completely more than a couple of days ahead on the most popular trains.

Booking at the station
If you will be booking at the station on the travel date, you will have to purchase non-discounted Off-Peak or Anytime tickets; with Anytime tickets being the most expensive of all.
On this route you will have to pay the Anytime rate on departures between 16:30 and 19:00 when Mondays to Fridays are working days
Because if you do depart Glasgow at those times only the more expensive type of Anytime tickets will be available.

Seat Reservations
When booking Advance tickets specific seats will automatically be assigned, but when booking Off-Peak or Anytime tickets, you will be given an easy option to add a reservation when booking online.
Or if when booking Anytime or Off-Peak tickets, you don't yet know which specific train you will want to travel by, you can arrange a seat reservation free of charge later, either at a station, or by calling ScotRail’s Customer Relations team on 0344 811 0141, selecting Option 3.
However, reservations at stations need to be arranged a couple of hours prior to departure.
These methods of booking reservations also apply if you will be using a rail pass, you can drop in at a ticket office and arrange seat reservations, at no extra charge, or call that number.

Bike Reservations
You can also a complimentary bike reservation when booking tickets on the ScotRail website.

Offers and deals
ScotRail offers ticketing deals when Adults travel with children or in groups, so when booking online it's worth checking to confirm whether the total price being charged is inclusive of these deals

Or you can book these deals at a station ticket office, if Advance tickets are available the booking clerk will ask if that's your preference - though be aware that Advance deals can't be refunded if one or more members of a party subsequently can't make the trip.

If you do opt to book these deals at the station you won't ever be charged more than the online price and the booking clerk may be able to point out a money saving option.

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