How to take the rail journey from London to Aberdeen

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London to Aberdeen by train

There are two options available for taking the train from London to Aberdeen:
1: taking the scenic journey by day, which involves travelling over the magnificent Forth and Tay Bridges.
2. Travelling overnight on one of Europe's smartest night trains.

Routes you can take to go from London 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?

Route Information

Option 1: travel during the day
Travel Time (approx)

7hr 5min - 7hr 15min

Frequency

Daily

Travel Info

Monday-Friday = 3 x trains per day
Saturday-Sunday = 2 x trains per day

Journey Summary:

  • Is the journey direct? = Yes; more options are available by making connections
  • Is the journey scenic? = Yes; see the Journey Information
  • What other tourist locations are long this route? = York, Durham, Newcastle, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Kirkcaldy, Arbroath
  • When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at the destination? = after 17:00 by direct train
  • When is the usual approximate latest departure? = 16:00 on Monday to Friday; 14:00 on Saturday / Sunday
  • Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance? = Yes
  • How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale? = 12 weeks; see the Ticket Information
  • What are the child ticket terms? = aged 5 to 15 = 50%; 4 and under = free
  • Does the ticket include assigned seats? = Varies; Yes with Advance Tickets; see the Ticket Information
  • Do rail pass users need to book reservations? = No
  • Is catering available on the train? = Yes = bar/bistro car and At Seat Catering; Complimentary catering in 1st class, which can include a full meal service

Route Information

Option 2: travelling through the night
Travel Time (approx)

10 hr 25 min - 10hr 40min

Frequency

Not Every Day

Travel Info

The shorter journey time applies to Mon-Fri departures

There are no departures on Saturday evenings

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