How to travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen

Wed, Apr 15
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London North Eastern Railway
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Travel Information

Compare bus and train for Edinburgh to Aberdeen

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Edinburgh to Aberdeen among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €7. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 2h 44m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.0 - 0.1kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €7, and a train costs an average of €16.

Distance: 149 km

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus

€28

Average price

€11

Average price

Cheapest

3h 14m

Average total duration

Fastest

2h 44m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

3h 38m

Average total duration

3h 8m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

0.0 - 0.1kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

0.1 - 0.4kg

CO2 emissions

Scotrail

Most popular train company

Megabus

Most popular bus company

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

Travel options
from Edinburgh to Aberdeen

How to get from Edinburgh to Aberdeen by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

bus

The best way to travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    10:50 AM3h35
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    2:25 PMAberdeen, Guild Street
    141One-way
    0 transfers

Cheapest

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    10:50 AM3h35
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    2:25 PMAberdeen, Guild Street
    141One-way
    0 transfers

Fastest

  • ScotrailY38533
    11:30 AM2h20
    Edinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    1:50 PMAberdeen station (ABD)
    631One-way
    0 transfers

Other options

  • London North Eastern RailwayC41108
    10:31 AM2h32
    Edinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    1:03 PMAberdeen station (ABD)
    251One-way
    0 transfers
  • London North Eastern RailwayC41119
    8:34 PM2h35
    Edinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    11:09 PMAberdeen station (ABD)
    301One-way
    0 transfers
  • ScotrailY38530
    9:30 AM2h22
    Edinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    11:52 AMAberdeen station (ABD)
    631One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
    9:10 AM3h30
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    12:40 PMAberdeen, Guild Street
    191One-way
    1 transfer
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    12:45 PM3h35
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    4:20 PMAberdeen, Guild Street
    141One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    6:35 AM3h35
    Edinburgh, Bus Station
    10:10 AMAberdeen, Guild Street
    141One-way
    0 transfers

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

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How to Travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen?

Travellers heading north to Aberdeen from the Scottish capital have a choice of rail or bus connections. There are direct bus and train services between the two cities seven days a week. Train journeys are the quickest option, taking around two hours and 20 minutes to complete the trip to Aberdeen. Bus journey times range from three to four hours, with some connections requiring a change in Dundee. 

What is the Cheapest Way To Get from Edinburgh to Aberdeen?

In most instances, the bus is the cheaper option for travel to Aberdeen, but occasionally some advance fares on certain trains can prove the more economical option. Budget bus operator Megabus provides direct bus services from Edinburgh city centre to Guild Street in central Aberdeen, with the fastest daily connection taking three hours. Three rail operators, London North Eastern Railway, Scotrail, and CrossCountry Trains provide daily direct trains from Edinburgh Waverley Station in the capital to Aberdeen, with the quickest service covering the route in two hours and 17 minutes. 

What is the Fastest Way to Travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen?

Scotrail's direct late morning train from Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen is the quickest travel option, taking two hours and 17 minutes to complete the 120-mile route northeast, with other direct rail journeys taking about five to 20 minutes longer. The fastest Megabus direct bus connection to Aberdeen takes three hours. Other Megabus services can involve a change en route, at Dundee Seagate Bus Station, and can take four hours to complete the trip. All bus journey times are subject to traffic congestion at peak times on the route north from Edinburgh.

Find and Book with Omio the Best Tickets from Edinburgh to Aberdeen

It's easy to make a quick comparison between timetables and bus and train fares on the Omio travel booking platform, helping travellers find the ideal combination of price, journey duration, and departure time for their trip from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.

Travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen by Train

London North Eastern Railway, CrossCountry Trains and Scotland's national rail company Scotrail all offer daily direct trains from Edinburgh Waverley Station and Haymarket Station to Aberdeen. On weekdays and Saturdays, there are roughly hourly departures from the capital from early morning to mid-evening, with average journey times of around two hours and 20 minutes. Sunday schedules are slightly reduced with fewer direct trains but some additional indirect connections requiring a change in Dundee. Trains arrive at Aberdeen's main station, close to Union Square in the city centre.

Travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen by Bus

National budget bus operator Megabus provides daily direct and indirect buses to Aberdeen from bus stands on Edinburgh Elder Street seven days a week. Daily schedules offer buses to Aberdeen hourly throughout the day and evening, with direct services alternating with indirect departures requiring a change in Dundee en route. Timetables include a late-night service to Aberdeen. Journey times range from three hours for the quickest direct services to over four hours for some connections via Dundee. Megabus services from Edinburgh arrive at Guild Street Bus Station, close to the train station in the centre of Aberdeen. 

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FAQs: Travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen

Travel to Aberdeen easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.

FAQs
There are 2 options to travel between Edinburgh and Aberdeen including taking a bus and train.
The cheapest way to travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen is a bus with an average price of €7.

This is compared to other travel options from Edinburgh to Aberdeen:

A bus is €9 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen costing on average €16.

The fastest way to travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen is by train with an average journey time of 2h 27m.

Other travel options to Aberdeen take longer:

Bus takes on average 3h 15m.

The Edinburgh to Aberdeen distance is approximately 149 km.
The average frequency per day from Edinburgh to Aberdeen is:
  • Around 51 buses per day.
  • Around 7 trains per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Edinburgh and Aberdeen as scheduled services by bus and train can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Edinburgh to Aberdeen:
  • Trains mostly depart from Edinburgh Waverley (EDB) and arrive in Aberdeen station (ABD).
  • Buses mostly depart from Edinburgh, Bus Station and arrive in Aberdeen, Guild Street.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with Megabus, FlixBus, Scottish Citylink, Ember to go to Aberdeen by bus.
  • Travel with Scotrail, London North Eastern Railway, CrossCountry, Caledonian Sleeper, ScotRail to go to Aberdeen by train.
Yes, there are direct services available from Edinburgh to Aberdeen with the following travel companies:
  • 18 direct buses per day with Megabus, FlixBus, Scottish Citylink, Ember.
  • 6 direct trains per day with Scotrail, London North Eastern Railway, Caledonian Sleeper, ScotRail.
Omio customers who travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen often also extend their vacation to go to London, Glasgow, Manchester, Inverness, Dundee. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Aberdeen and these popular destinations at a great price.
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