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The towering pale granite Gothic facade of Marischal College in Aberdeen, bristling with pinnacles, under a clear blue sky

Scotland Station code ABD

Aberdeen

Aberdeen guide: the Granite City's free art gallery and maritime museum, Old Aberdeen and St Machar's, reached direct from King's Cross.

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Marischal College on Broad Street, the second-largest granite building in the worldPhoto: UltrasonicMadness, CC BY-SA 4.0

About Aberdeen

Aberdeen is the northern end of LNER's route up the east coast, a granite city on the North Sea with a working harbour at its heart. The railway station is right in the city centre, next to the Union Square development, so you can be exploring within minutes of arriving.

The city's main museums are free (as of September 2026). Aberdeen Art Gallery on Schoolhill is the flagship; down by the harbour on Shiprow, the Maritime Museum covers everything from fishing and shipbuilding to offshore energy; and Provost Skene's House, dating from 1545, is the oldest surviving townhouse in the city.

North of the centre, Old Aberdeen has a quieter, almost village-like feel, anchored by St Machar's Cathedral with its heraldic ceiling of 1520.

Journey

ABD
Fastest from London King's Cross
Around 7 hours
LNER routes calling
1
Previous and next calling points on each LNER route serving Aberdeen
RoutePrevious stopNext stop
London – Aberdeen stop 26 of 26 End of route

May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station

Fastest scheduled LNER train in the May–December 2026 timetable: 7 hours 3 minutes on the Northern Lights (King's Cross 10.03 on weekdays). Four direct LNER trains a day from London on weekdays, fewer at weekends.

Journey times are from LNER's May–December 2026 timetable and vary by train. Check yours with LNER timetables or the National Rail journey planner.

Key facts

Opened
1867 (current station 1913–20)
Architect
J A Parker, engineer (Great North of Scotland Railway)
Heritage status
Category A listed (Historic Environment Scotland LB20673)
Managed by
ScotRail
Passengers a year
2.4 million entries and exits (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Did you know?

  • Historic Environment Scotland describes Aberdeen as the last major station to be built in Scotland.
  • In a city famous for granite, the station's entrance pavilion is built of yellow sandstone – an unusual choice in Aberdeen.
  • Before the Joint Station of 1867 the Caledonian and Great North of Scotland railways had separate stations, and the Great North was known to refuse to hold its trains when connections from the south ran late.

Photos of Aberdeen

Arriving at Aberdeen

You arrive under the great glass and steel roof of the concourse; the platforms are level with the main entrance, and ticket gates lead out to the concourse. The station is on Guild Street, right beside the Union Square shopping centre, with a taxi rank outside and toilets opposite it. Union Street, the main street, is about a quarter of a mile north as the crow flies, as are the Maritime Museum on Shiprow and Provost Skene's House. Ferries to Orkney and Shetland leave from the ferry terminal about a quarter of a mile east.

Aberdeen station is on Guild Street in the city centre, right beside Union Square. Aberdeen Art Gallery is about a 10-minute walk, and the Maritime Museum on Shiprow is a short walk from the station.

Getting around

The centre is walkable. Many local buses run along Union Street, and there is a taxi rank at the station. Old Aberdeen and St Machar's are further north, so a bus or taxi saves time.

Other train services and connections

  • ScotRail: trains to Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street (via Dundee), to Inverness via Elgin, and the Aberdeen Crossrail service to Inverurie and Montrose
  • CrossCountry: a daily train to Plymouth and one to Edinburgh
  • Caledonian Sleeper: overnight trains to London Euston

Station facilities

  • Step-free accessStep-free to all platforms (National Rail category A); platforms are level with the main entrance
  • LiftsLifts from the concourse to the overbridge and to platform 7
  • StaffingStaffed Monday to Saturday 05:00–00:45 and Sunday 08:45–00:45; ticket gates to all platforms
  • Ticket officeAt the main concourse entrance: Monday to Friday 06:15–21:30, Saturday 06:15–19:00, Sunday 08:45–21:30
  • Ticket machinesOn the main concourse, including collection of tickets bought online
  • First Class loungeLounge above the booking office (entry by intercom), open ticket office hours; LNER First Class tickets accepted; showers, including an accessible shower
  • ToiletsOpposite the taxi rank, open during ticket office hours
  • Accessible toiletsUnisex accessible toilets at reception
  • Baby changingAvailable
  • Food and drinkWHSmith, with far more choice in Union Square next door
  • ShopsWHSmith newsagent and photo booths
  • Cash machineAvailable at the station
  • Wi-fiStation wi-fi available
  • Left luggageNot available
  • Car parkSouth College Street car park run by ScotRail: 188 spaces, open 24 hours, £6 a day, with accessible bays here and off Union Square; free for Blue Badge holders
  • Cycle parking80 sheltered stands covered by CCTV, with more outside Union Square
  • TaxisTaxi rank at the station
  • Help pointsIn limited locations; staff at the ticket gates can help

Checked September 2026. Facilities and opening hours change — see the National Rail Enquiries station page (opens in a new tab) for the latest details.

History of the station

Until 1867 Aberdeen's railways did not meet: lines from the south ended at Guild Street and the Great North of Scotland Railway's line from the north at Waterloo, along the harbour. The Joint Station of 1867 and the new Denburn Valley Line finally brought them together under one roof, but the station soon proved too small for the traffic.

Rebuilding began in 1913 under J A Parker, chief engineer of the Great North of Scotland Railway. The platforms were in use by 1914, but the work was not finished until after the First World War. The result – a Beaux-Arts sandstone entrance pavilion and a spacious concourse under a shallow glass and steel roof – is category A listed. The original four long through platforms and ten bays were cut back in the 1980s, when the north end was redeveloped, and the station has since been refurbished and linked to the Union Square development.

A day in Aberdeen

Free museums, a 16th-century townhouse and one of the city's oldest pubs, all within half a mile of the station.

  1. Morning

    Aberdeen Maritime Museum

    Walk up to Shiprow for the city's story of fishing, shipbuilding and offshore energy, with views over the harbour. Entry is free.

    Aberdeen Maritime Museum in Things to do

  2. Late morning

    Provost Skene's House

    Aberdeen's oldest surviving townhouse, from 1545, now celebrates notable people from the city and the North-East. It opens April to October, Thursday to Monday.

    Provost Skene's House in Things to do

  3. Lunch

    The Prince of Wales

    Tucked away on St Nicholas Lane, this pub dates back to around 1850 and boasts one of the longest bar counters around.

  4. Afternoon

    Aberdeen Art Gallery

    Finish on Schoolhill at the city's flagship gallery, with free admission and changing exhibitions.

    Aberdeen Art Gallery in Things to do

Things to do near Aberdeen

Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.

Eat & drink near the station

  • Pub

    The Prince of Wales

    One of the oldest pubs in Aberdeen, dating back to around 1850, with an 18-metre bar counter and a pub food menu.

    On St Nicholas Lane, about a quarter of a mile north of the station as the crow flies Website for The Prince of Wales (opens in a new tab)

Day trips from Aberdeen

  • Stonehaven

    Walk the coast to the clifftop ruin of Dunnottar Castle, then enjoy the harbour and the seafront.

    LNER trains to Stonehaven take about 19 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable), and ScotRail runs frequent trains too.

  • Montrose

    Montrose Basin's birdlife, the heritage air station and one of Scotland's first purpose-built museums.

    LNER trains to Montrose take about 41 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable), and ScotRail's Aberdeen Crossrail trains also run there.

  • Dundee

    V&A Dundee and RRS Discovery on the Tay waterfront.

    LNER trains to Dundee take about 1 hour 16 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable); ScotRail also runs between Aberdeen and Dundee.

Where to stay in Aberdeen

Plenty of hotels in the city centre, several within a few minutes of the station and Union Square.

Tips for your visit

  • The Northern Lights leaves Aberdeen in the morning and London mid-morning – the name is on the train in both directions.
  • Provost Skene's House is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and outside its April–October season.

Questions about Aberdeen station

How far is Union Street from Aberdeen station?

About a quarter of a mile north as the crow flies; the station is on Guild Street, right beside Union Square.

Is Aberdeen station step-free?

Yes. National Rail lists step-free access to all platforms, which are level with the main entrance, with lifts to the overbridge and platform 7.

Is there left luggage at Aberdeen station?

No. National Rail lists no left-luggage facility here (checked September 2026).

Can I park at the station?

Yes. ScotRail's South College Street car park has 188 spaces, open 24 hours, at £6 a day (National Rail, checked September 2026).

Is there a First Class lounge?

Yes. The lounge above the booking office accepts LNER First Class tickets, opens during ticket office hours and is entered by intercom; it has showers, including an accessible one.

How do I get to the airport or the ferries?

National Rail says Aberdeen Airport is served by a connecting bus from Dyce station and by a direct bus from the city centre. Ferries to Kirkwall and Lerwick leave from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal, about a quarter of a mile east of the station.

Sources we checked (September 2026)

We researched this page using the sources below. They are listed for transparency and are not links; always check official websites for the latest details.

  • assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/7jQOjS38muWdVQbPCRGxyV/809f4c4fe0a29fcd38233147ab0f48…
  • lner.co.uk/travel-information/timetables/
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_railway_station
  • sites.aberdeencity.gov.uk/AAGM
  • sites.aberdeencity.gov.uk/AAGM/plan-your-visit/art-gallery
  • sites.aberdeencity.gov.uk/AAGM/plan-your-visit/maritime-museum
  • sites.aberdeencity.gov.uk/AAGM/plan-your-visit/provost-skenes-house
  • stmachar.com/
  • nationalrail.co.uk/stations/abd/
  • dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage/
  • portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB20673
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marischal_College
  • belhaven.co.uk/pubs/aberdeen/prince-of-wales

Travelling to Aberdeen?

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