Travelling to Scotland in Winter

Easy access to Scotland in winter

Are you thinking about taking a trip up to St. Andrews this Winter? If you’re not, you should be. St. Andrews – and Scotland as a whole – is magical during the winter and should be on everybody’s travel bucket list. The scenery, the festivities, the whisky . . . It’s all perfect, and it could not be easier to access! Travelling to Scotland in the winter is so easy that once you realise, you’ll wonder why you’ve never made the trip.

It’s easier than you think

For some, travelling anywhere in the winter can seem like a daunting prospect, but it really needn’t be. You’ll probably find that getting to Scotland in the colder months is actually easier than in the summer, as there will be significantly fewer tourists trying to get to the same place as you! Who knows why, though, as Scotland is the perfect place to spend the winter.

Driving to Scotland

Getting up to St Andrews in winter is pretty simple for those who drive. Simply drive up from the south of Scotland to just outside Edinburgh, then follow the M90, A92 and finally the A915 until you reach your destination! The majority of the roads are major and well used so even in the frostiest of winter mornings, they’ll be easy to follow and drive along, meaning that even the least experienced drivers will be able to find their way up through Scotland.

Flying to Scotland

If you’re not a driver, plenty of other options exist. One that many people don’t consider is that you can fly to Scotland! To get to St Andrews, fly to Edinburgh and find yourself either a rental car or public transport to Fife. You’ll be able to catch a bus and a train to bring you to our lovely Scottish coast.

Fly from Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and skip the roads. For those craving a scenic Scottish road trip (and we don’t blame you) fly to Manchester or Edinburgh and drive your way up through all of the dramatic winter scenery Scotland has to offer.

Getting the coach or train

It doesn’t stop there, though. For nervous flyers, there are still a couple of ways for you to get up to Scotland to enjoy the most magical Christmas and festive season you will ever encounter. You can travel to Scotland by coach or train, too.

The Caledonian Sleeper train sets off in the evening from London Euston station, getting you into Leuchars (a 15-minute bus journey from St Andrews) at 5.30am the following morning. Or there are all sorts of train links from Glasgow and Edinburgh to St Andrews. And both stations have links from London and other major stations.

Getting around Scotland in the winter

Traveling to Scotland isn’t the end of it, though. Once you’re here, you’re going to want to explore as much of the wintery magic we have to offer. Luckily, great transport links will get you from your golf tournament to your whisky tasting and back in time for a Hot Toddy. Stagecoach and Moffat and Williamson run regular public transport around St Andrews, and there are reliable rail links between Leuchars and Dundee and Edinburgh.

You can also hire a car and take your own trips out into the Scottish scenery, exploring the beautiful cliffs, woodlands, fields, and lochs dotted all over. For more information about hiring a car in St. Andrews when you’re staying with us, look here.

Why travel to Scotland in the winter?

There are many reasons to take a trip to Scotland this winter. Whether you’re interested in seeing all of the wonderful animals and plants that reside here, or you want to see Edinburgh Castle standing atop its hill, or maybe you’re interested in tasting truly authentic whisky – the Scottish winter has something for everyone.

There’s a high chance of snow (and who doesn’t want a white Christmas?), plenty of festivities between Hogamanay and Christmas, and more whisky than you could ever imagine. If that isn’t enough, you can finish a day of sight-seeing, stargazing, and shopping by truly relaxing and switching off in some of our luxury lodges