How to travel from St Andrews to Thurso, United Kingdom

The distance between St Andrews and Thurso is around 878km (546 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly and then take the train which takes around 9h 45m.

3 routes found

We've found 3 different ways to get from St Andrews to Thurso by plane, train, bus and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out ThursoSt Andrews if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
plane
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train
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train
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Plane and Train

Fly from Birmingham (BHX) to Edinburgh (EDI) then take the train to Inverness and then to Thurso.

  • Duration9h 45m
  • Flight time1h 10m
  • Typical cost
    £160($190)
Operated by

Multiple operators

💰 Cheapest
2
4 x bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Buchanan Bus Station, Inverness Bus Station Stance 3 then Leirinmore Smoo Cave and then to Thurso Royal Bank of Scotland.

  • Duration16h 20m
  • Departsonce a week
  • Typical cost
    £63($75)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

3
car
+

Drive

Drive to Thurso.

  • Duration9h 45m
  • Distance878km (546 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between St Andrews and Thurso

There are several options for getting from St Andrews to Thurso by plane, train, bus and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £63 ($75) and will take around 16h 20m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 9h 45m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £160 ($190).

The distance between St Andrews and Thurso is around 878km (546 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 254km (158 miles)

It takes around 9h 45m to get from St Andrews and Thurso by plane and train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 9h 45m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from St Andrews to Thurso is to fly and then take the train which takes around 9h 45m and will set you back approx £160 ($190).

The cheapest way to travel between St Andrews and Thurso, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £63 ($75) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

There is no train service that runs between St Andrews and Thurso. We recommend that you fly from Birmingham (BHX) to Edinburgh (EDI) then take the train to Inverness and then to Thurso. instead which will take 9h 45m.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from St Andrews and Thurso. It typically takes around 16h 20m and departs once a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from St Andrews to Thurso. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Bordesley Venetia Rd, Digbeth Park St, Digbeth Hinckley St, Buchanan Bus Station, Inverness Bus Station Stance 3 and Leirinmore Smoo Cave. These services run once a week and will take a minimum of 16h 20m.

FlixBus, Scottish Citylink, Megabus UK and The Durness Bus run regular bus services between St Andrews and Thurso. Buses run once a week and take around 16h 20m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from St Andrews to Thurso. We recommend that you fly from Birmingham (BHX) to Edinburgh (EDI) then take the train to Inverness and then to Thurso. instead which will take 9h 45m.

The closest major airport to Thurso is Kirkwall Airport (KOI) (KOI) which is approximately 54km (34 miles) from Thurso. Inverness Airport (INV) (INV) and Stornoway Airport (SYY) (SYY) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from St Andrews and Thurso. The distance is around 878km (546 miles) by road and it will take around 9h 45m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from St Andrews to Thurso is to fly and then take the train which takes, on average, 9h 45m and will usually cost around £160 ($190).

How do I get from St Andrews to Thurso

Compare travel optionsbetween St Andrews and Thurso

Transport options from St Andrews to Thurso
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Plane and Train
9h 45m
£160($190)
5 times a day966km (600 miles)
Bus
16h 20m
£63($75)
once a week1,113km (692 miles)
Drive
9h 45m
£150($180)
on demand878km (546 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between St Andrews and Thurso

Train operators

Airlines

Bus companies

Airports near Thurso

The following major airports near Thurso offer regular flights to various popular destinations within United Kingdom and internationally.

KOI
Kirkwall Airport (KOI)
Domestic Airport
Distance
54km (34 miles) from Thurso
INV
Inverness Airport (INV)
International Airport
Distance
122km (76 miles) from Thurso
SYY
Stornoway Airport (SYY)
Domestic Airport
Distance
169km (105 miles) from Thurso