St Andrews is about 85 km (53 mi) by road from Edinburgh's New Town by our routing, around an hour and twenty minutes on a clear road, across the Firth of Forth and up through Fife. From Edinburgh Airport it is a little closer, about 76 km (47 mi) and just over an hour. VisitScotland gives about an hour and a half by car, which is a fair figure once you allow for traffic leaving the city.
The town has no station. VisitScotland notes that trains stop at Leuchars, just outside St Andrews, with a short bus connection of about ten minutes, and puts the train from Edinburgh at around an hour and a half. For one or two light travellers that is a good, cheap route. A private driver is worth it for golfers with clubs, families with luggage, groups who want one vehicle, and anyone going during The Open in July 2027. With Elly8.net a full day to St Andrews and back is booked as the full-day chauffeur from US$665 per vehicle in a business sedan, fixed, all-in and charged in US dollars.
Is it better to take the train or a car from Edinburgh to St Andrews?
For one or two people with light bags, the train to Leuchars and a ten-minute bus is the economical choice, taking about an hour and a half. For golfers with clubs, families with luggage, groups, and The Open week, a private driver is simpler: door to door in a similar time, no change at Leuchars, and room for every bag.
The journey times are close. The difference is the change at Leuchars, the luggage, and how flexible your day needs to be. A tee time does not wait for a late bus.
See Edinburgh prices and reserve
The train and bus, as it works
The station for St Andrews is Leuchars, which National Rail lists as Leuchars (for St Andrews), a ScotRail station with bus and taxi links and step-free access to all platforms by ramps. VisitScotland's St Andrews page gives the train from Edinburgh at around an hour and a half and describes the onward bus to St Andrews as a short ten-minute connection. By our routing, Leuchars station is about 8 km (5 mi) from the Old Course, roughly 11 minutes by road.
From Edinburgh Airport, the airport's rail page explains that the tram runs from the terminal to Edinburgh Gateway station, which has connections to Fife, Perth and Dundee. The airport also lists direct coaches to Fife on its bus and coach page.
When the train works well: one or two travellers, a small bag each, an overnight stay in St Andrews, and no fixed tee time on arrival.
Where it gets harder: golf bags on a train and then a bus, a family with suitcases and children, a late return after dinner, and the week of The Open, when trains and buses into Fife carry far more people than usual.
The car: what you get
The chauffeur collects you at your hotel or inside arrivals at Edinburgh Airport, loads the bags and clubs, and drives you to the clubhouse, your hotel or the first tee. The route crosses the Firth of Forth and runs through Fife to the town; on a clear road it takes about 80 minutes from the New Town and about 67 minutes from the airport by our routing.
For a golf day, the car waits while you play and brings you back to Edinburgh in the evening. For a move between hotels, it is a one-way run with all the luggage.
| Option | Journey time | Changes | Golf bags | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train to Leuchars, then bus | Around 1 h 30 min (VisitScotland) | One, at Leuchars | Carried on train and bus | One or two light travellers |
| Taxi from Edinburgh | About 1 h 20 min clear road | None | Depends on the car | Walk-up trips; fare agreed with the driver |
| Elly8.net private driver | About 1 h 20 min from the New Town, 1 h 7 min from EDI | None | Business SUV takes 6 bags, Sprinter 12 | Golfers, families, groups, The Open |
A note on taxis. Edinburgh's council tariff applies only within the city. The council's taxi fare table says that for any hire ending outside the City of Edinburgh, the fare must be negotiated and agreed with the driver before the journey. St Andrews is outside it, so a cab fare is whatever you agree on the day.
What a private driver to St Andrews costs
St Andrews is not a fixed price-list route on the Edinburgh page; it is booked in one of three ways.
A full day there and back. The full-day chauffeur costs from US$665 in a business sedan, US$850 in a business SUV, US$995 in a First Class SUV, US$1,070 in a First Class Sedan and US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle. This is the usual booking for a round of golf, a day exploring the town and the coast, or a day at The Open.
One way, with luggage. Enter your Edinburgh address and your St Andrews hotel in the web booker for an instant fixed price.
From the airport. Land at Edinburgh, and the chauffeur meets you inside arrivals with a name board, tracking your flight, and drives straight to St Andrews. Quote it in the web booker.
All fares include the chauffeur, taxes and standard gratuity; parking and road charges are billed at cost. The Edinburgh fares panel lists every published price.
| Vehicle | Seats and bags | Full-day chauffeur | Hourly, 3-hour minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | 3 passengers, 2 bags | US$665 | US$90 |
| Business SUV | 6 passengers, 6 bags | US$850 | US$115 |
| First Class SUV | 6 passengers, 6 bags | US$995 | US$135 |
| First Class Sedan | 3 passengers, 2 bags | US$1,070 | US$145 |
| Executive Sprinter | 12 passengers, 12 bags | US$1,325 | US$180 |
Prices are per vehicle, never per person. As arithmetic for comparison only, a four-ball sharing a Business SUV for the day at US$850 is about US$213 each, with all four golf bags aboard; eight golfers in an Executive Sprinter at US$1,325 is about US$166 each.
Golf bags decide the vehicle
The business sedan seats three passengers and takes two bags, which is not enough for golfers with clubs and suitcases. For a two-ball with clubs and luggage, or a four-ball with clubs only, book a Business SUV or First Class SUV, which take six passengers and six bags. For a larger group with clubs and cases, the Executive Sprinter takes twelve passengers and twelve bags. Tell the desk how many golf bags and how many suitcases you have, and we confirm the vehicle. See the fleet.
Golf at St Andrews
St Andrews Links, which calls itself the Home of Golf, takes tee time bookings, runs the Old Course ballot and publishes its busy dates on its site. Tee times on the Old Course are in high demand; secure the golf first, then book the car around it.
With a driver, a typical golf day leaves Edinburgh early enough to reach the clubhouse an hour before your tee time, allows for the round and a meal, and returns in the early evening. If you are playing more than one course over several days, many golfers stay in St Andrews and keep a car by the hour or for full days.
A sample golf day by car
Say your tee time is 11:00. The chauffeur collects you from your New Town hotel at about 8:30, which allows for morning traffic leaving the city and the crossing of the Forth, and has you at the clubhouse around 10:00, with time to check in, warm up and buy the obligatory souvenir. The car waits through the round. Afterwards there is time for a drink at the clubhouse or dinner in town, and the drive back puts you in Edinburgh in the evening. Nobody in the four-ball has to drive after a long day on the links, and the clubs travel in the back of the SUV rather than on a train.
If you are arriving from North America the same day, swap the hotel pickup for a meet inside arrivals at Edinburgh Airport, and choose a later tee time.
The Open 2027 at St Andrews
The Open returns to St Andrews for its 155th edition from 11 to 18 July 2027, the week including the practice days. A championship of that size brings traffic management in and around the town and heavy traffic on the roads into Fife, so follow the official arrangements for spectator transport and drop-off when they are published, and book early.
Many visitors stay in Edinburgh and travel up each day. That suits a full-day chauffeur booked for each day you attend, with the car taking you to the permitted drop-off point and collecting you there afterwards. For corporate hospitality guests, an Executive Sprinter keeps a group together; see sports event transportation and corporate accounts.
Is a private driver worth it? A fair verdict
Take the train if you are one or two people, you travel light, you are staying in St Andrews, and you do not mind the change at Leuchars. It costs far less than a car.
Book a driver if you have golf clubs, you are a family or a group, you are arriving at Edinburgh Airport and want to go straight to St Andrews, you have a tee time that cannot slip, or you are going during The Open. The car also makes sense for a one-day visit from Edinburgh with a late dinner in St Andrews, when the last connections home matter.
Consider one way if you want the car for the outbound trip with all the luggage and are happy to come back by train.
Practical points for North American golfers
Jet lag and tee times. Transatlantic flights often land in Edinburgh early in the morning. A tee time the same afternoon is possible with a driver from the airport, but most golfers play better on day two.
Driving on the left. Scotland drives on the left, and the roads into St Andrews are busy in summer. Our chauffeur vs car rental comparison sets out the trade-off.
Child seats. Request them when you book; the partner fits them before pickup.
Who drives. Rides in Edinburgh are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer.
More from Edinburgh
For a day the other way, read Edinburgh to Glasgow by car. For getting around the city between golf days, see Edinburgh taxi or rideshare and Uber in Edinburgh. The airport transfer itself is covered on our airport transfers page, and longer journeys on city to city car service.
How to book
- Route. Enter your Edinburgh hotel or the airport with your flight number, and your St Andrews address.
- Vehicle. Choose a vehicle with room for every golf bag and suitcase.
- Reserve. Book the full-day chauffeur from the Edinburgh price list, or use the web booker for a one-way run. Confirmation arrives by email.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card. See the cancellation policy.
The same desk books London, Manchester and Dublin. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
How far is St Andrews from Edinburgh?
About 85 km (53 mi) from the New Town by our routing, roughly an hour and twenty minutes on a clear road, and about 76 km (47 mi) from Edinburgh Airport, just over an hour. VisitScotland gives about an hour and a half by car, allowing for traffic.
Is there a train station in St Andrews?
No. The nearest station is Leuchars, listed by National Rail as Leuchars (for St Andrews). VisitScotland describes a short bus connection of about ten minutes into the town, and puts the train from Edinburgh at around an hour and a half.
How much is a private driver from Edinburgh to St Andrews?
A full day there and back is the full-day chauffeur, from US$665 in a business sedan, US$850 in a business SUV and US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle and all-in. A one-way run is quoted at a fixed price in the web booker.
Which vehicle do we need for golf clubs?
A Business SUV or First Class SUV takes six passengers and six bags, enough for a four-ball with clubs. An Executive Sprinter takes twelve passengers and twelve bags. A business sedan, with room for two bags, is too small for golfers with clubs and luggage.
When is The Open at St Andrews in 2027?
The 155th Open is at St Andrews from 11 to 18 July 2027, including the practice days, according to the championship. Expect heavy traffic and traffic management around the town; book cars early and follow the official spectator arrangements as they are announced.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show. Refunds go to the original card. To change a date, message the 24/7 desk.
