St Andrews Open Day - Advice please!

[AmazeAmazeAmaze]

Taking DS to the St Andrews open day in April - we are from London and I have booked flights from Stansted to Edinburgh (returning the same day).

I’ve looked at the uni information about getting to there from Edinburgh airport and it seems quite complicated. I’m thinking that hiring a car would be an easier solution? DS is autistic and I don’t want the travel to overshadow his thoughts on the actual university if that makes sense!

Would anyone be able to advise on the best way to reach St A’s from Edinburgh? Our flight arrives about 8.20am and we don’t fly back til 7pm so have a full day to get there and look around.

I will add that it is very much his choice to visit even though it’s SO far away from home I’m not thrilled about the idea (but I’m aware it’s his decision where he chooses to study).

Some students take the St Andrews shuttle. Not sure how that comes price wise. It’s annoying that with public transport you need to double back.

I’d hire a car from Edinburgh airport and just drive, if he decides to study there then work out train/bus combos then.

It would defintely be quicker to drive but it's doable with public transport. Presumably the journey from home to uni would be part of his decision making process, so worth showing him what it would be like?

The train to goes to Leuchars from the Edinburgh Gateway station which is a couple of stops on the tram from the aiport. Then from Leuchars it's a bus ride to St Andrews. Probably around 2 hours in total. Otherwise you could take a bus from the airport into Edinburgh city centre and then another bus from there to St Andrews. Slightly simpler (and probably cheaper) but longer/slower.

Yes, hire a car. Anything else is more of a faff!

I would maybe get the train to leuchars from Edinburgh (tram or bus to a train station such as Waverley) just so your ds has some company while testing out a route he might later use on his own.
Then taxi from leuchars or the 99 bus is pretty frequent.

Or alternatively, bus from airport to dundee (theyre hourly, i think) and then 99 bus to st andrews from fairly close to the dundee stop where the airport bus drops you.

With public transport, you can avoid the kerfuffle of parking which can be a nuisance during open days.

Parking is not easy in St Andrew's, especially on a sunny day!

You are probably going to be quite tight for time. Edinburgh airport is very slow ime for security etc. I would drive for that reason

Edinburgh Waverley train to Leuchars is a beautiful, short journey, and a taxi or bus from Leuchars is unforgettable as you see the first glimpse of Tentsmuir Forest, the West Sands and the St Andrews skyline on your left as you approach the town. 🙂

St Andrews is in the arse end of nowhere. I went to a taster day there when I was at school. It took what felt like forever to get there and I lived in central Scotland! Bleak, windy place.

Rather than going into central Edinburgh, you could pick up a train to Leuchars from Edinburgh Park station, which is on the tram line into the city. From the airport it's about a 1 hr 15 minute drive to St Andrews (plus time to pick up the hire car etc).

I always think the main point, apart from seeing if the uni is a good fit for your child, is that it is also useful to use this as a practice run to test the transport and travel situation vis-à-vis going home. If your child is autistic, it could help to help him visualise doing the journey himself when the time comes.

Best case scenario, plane is on time and you get out the airport by 8.30am. You need to catch a tram, a train and then a bus. If all are on time you get there about 11am.

You need to be back at the airport by about 5pm. So you will have to leave by 3pm at the latest.

Hire a car. The drive is just over an hour. You will be very tight for time otherwise and there are too many connections any of which could be delayed.

Unless this is what you plan to do every time your son comes home for a visit or whatever, wouldn't it be best to do the journey he will need to deal with if he goes there. You say you don't want the travel to overshadow his thoughts on the uni but perhaps it's important he is aware of the faff to get there.

Thanks everyone. I think for this visit I’m going to hire a car. We have a taster lecture booked at 2pm and it will be very tight to use public transport to get back to the airport in time for our flight back.

If my son DID end up studying here we would probably drive him up anyway at the start and finish of each term, at least in the first year.

Just as a thought, I hope your son is ok with the vast majority of the other students being American or from the Far East, I live in st andrews and we don't tend to hear a Scottish or British accent that often at all..

I hope that the uni has sorted out their chronic lack of student accommodation by the summer, too.

How did you get on yesterday @AmazeAmazeAmaze?

We were there yesterday too & despite it being a chilly blustery day thought it was very good. The department we visited was really friendly with both professors and current students chatty and enthusiastic.

St Andrews came across as more down to earth than others universities we’ve visited (Durham, Bristol come to mind) which appeared.

As to accommodation @KarenW, first years are guaranteed accommodation if they apply on time. Some second years too but a lot subsequently live in Dundee if they can’t live locally. While this isn’t ideal it seems to be endemic to most universities and definitely not confined to just St Andrews.

Re country of origin, the course we were there for said it was 30% international and the rest split home/ RUK which seems ok

if you want another option to the car rental look at St Andrews Shuttle company. They have a website and organise mini bus pick ups from the airport and can drop you right in the town.

last few years the uni has organised shuttles at the start of term for students from the airport and train station. Not sure if they always do that.

my student isn’t American and there are plenty from the London area of course! It’s a magical place. Do go for a toastie on the beach

If you want a train option next time kings x to Edin is about 4.5 hours. You can then catch train to Leuchars.

there are some trains that go kings x straight to Leuchars too. Less frequent I think.

Leuchars to St. Andrews is about 5-10 min taxi or bus.

This. The bus is not great - though free if he ends up being a student there. The train is a beautiful journey. With wonderful scenery. Taxi great. I wouldn't do the bus which involves a change and you see the less attractive bits of Scotland towns on the way. It's a great uni and a perfect place to live. Just a bit of a pain to get to the first time until you know what you're doing.

The shuttle also runs for students beginning and end of terms but not always if you come at other random times.

I think you must’ve gone to an offer holders day - @Gardensaremyworld my son hasn’t applied yet (he is Yr12) and the undergraduate open day is next week.

Looking forward to seeing the place - I’ve never been to Scotland before so no idea what to expect really!

For those that mentioned it - I looked at the St Andrews shuttle but they only had the private vehicle option and it worked out twice the price of renting a car so car it is! It might be a great option for DS if he goes and needs to easily get to the airport.

St Andrews is beautiful but it can be very very cold and blustery even in July/August being so close to the sea.

Enjoy your day.