Scotland Station code DEE
Dundee
Dundee travel guide: V&A Dundee, RRS Discovery and the McManus, all close to the waterfront station on LNER's London–Aberdeen line.
- Around 5 hours 45 minutes from London
- 1 LNER route
- 5 things to do
RRS Discovery and V&A Dundee on the waterfront, a few minutes' walk from the stationPhoto: Richard Szwejkowski, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Dundee
Dundee sits on the north shore of the Firth of Tay, and LNER's Aberdeen trains reach it by crossing the Tay Bridge – the second bridge on the site, opened in 1887 after the original collapsed in a storm in 1879. Step off the train and you are on a waterfront that the city has spent years rebuilding, with a new station building that opened in July 2018.
The riverside is where most first-time visitors start: V&A Dundee, Scotland's design museum, and Captain Scott's Antarctic ship RRS Discovery are both a short stroll away. Inland, the city centre holds the Gothic Revival McManus gallery, the cinema and galleries of Dundee Contemporary Arts, and Verdant Works, a restored mill that tells the story of the jute trade that once made Dundee's fortune.
Several of the city's big museums have free general admission (as of September 2026), which makes Dundee an easy and affordable break on the way to or from Aberdeen.
Journey
DEE- Fastest from London King's Cross
- Around 5 hours 45 minutes
- LNER routes calling
- 1
| Route | Previous stop | Next stop |
|---|---|---|
| London – Aberdeen stop 22 of 26 | Leuchars | Arbroath |
May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station
Fastest scheduled LNER train in the May–December 2026 timetable: 5 hours 46 minutes (King's Cross 10.03 on weekdays). Four direct LNER trains a day from London on weekdays, fewer at weekends; all Aberdeen trains call here.
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
- 1878 (current building 2018)
- Architect
- Nicoll Russell Studios with Jacobs (2018 building)
- Platforms
- 4
- Managed by
- ScotRail
- Passengers a year
- 1.8 million entries and exits (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Did you know?
- The station opened on 1 June 1878 as Dundee Tay Bridge, the same day as the first Tay Bridge – which collapsed in a storm with a train on it on 28 December 1879.
- Dundee once had three main stations: Tay Bridge, the Caledonian Railway's Dundee West and Dundee East. Only this one survives.
- The £38 million building that opened in July 2018 also contains a 120-room hotel above the concourse.
Photos of Dundee
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RRS Discovery and V&A Dundee on the waterfront, a few minutes' walk from the station Photo: Richard Szwejkowski, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
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The new station building, opened in July 2018, with a hotel above the concourse Photo: Laerol, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
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The bright, glass-walled concourse, one level above the platforms Photo: Ian Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0
Arriving at Dundee
The curved 2018 station building faces the waterfront on South Union Street. The concourse, with the ticket office and ticket gates, is at street level; a lift and stairs lead down to the platforms. Trains towards Arbroath and Aberdeen leave from platform 4 and trains towards Edinburgh and Glasgow from platform 1, while platforms 2 and 3 are bays for terminating trains. There is a taxi stand right outside, V&A Dundee is about five minutes' walk away, and Seagate bus station is about half a mile north-east.
Dundee station is close to the city's waterfront: V&A Dundee says it is about 5 minutes' walk from the museum, and Dundee Contemporary Arts, in the city centre, is also about 5 minutes on foot. There is a taxi stand directly outside the station building, and the city's main bus interchange is roughly half a mile away in the centre.
Getting around
The waterfront and city centre are compact enough to explore on foot. Local buses are run by Xplore Dundee and Stagecoach; several routes stop outside DCA, and The McManus is served by buses on Panmure Street. Taxis wait outside the station.
Other train services and connections
- ScotRail: trains to Edinburgh (via Leuchars and Kirkcaldy), Glasgow Queen Street (via Perth and Stirling), Aberdeen (via Arbroath, Montrose and Stonehaven) and local trains to Arbroath
- CrossCountry: a small number of daily trains to Aberdeen and south towards England
- Caledonian Sleeper: overnight trains to London Euston
Station facilities
- Step-free accessStep-free to all platforms (National Rail category A), with a lift from street level to all platforms
- StaffingStaffed daily 05:30–00:30; ticket gates to all platforms
- Ticket officeOn the main concourse: Monday to Saturday 06:25–19:30, Sunday 08:30–19:30
- Ticket machinesOn the main concourse, including collection of tickets bought online
- Waiting roomOn platforms 3 and 4
- ToiletsOn the platforms
- Accessible toiletsUnisex accessible toilet and a Changing Places toilet (RADAR key)
- Baby changingAvailable
- Food and drinkCosta coffee
- Wi-fiStation wi-fi available
- Left luggageNot available
- Car parkOnly a small council short-stay car park (9 spaces, £3.30 an hour), plus 2 accessible bays at Greenmarket
- Cycle parking200 sheltered stands, covered by CCTV
- TaxisTaxi stand immediately outside the station building
- Help pointsIn limited locations; staff are on hand at the ticket gates
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
The North British Railway opened Dundee Tay Bridge station on 1 June 1878 as part of the project to bridge the Firth of Tay. The first bridge collapsed in a storm in December 1879, and trains did not cross again until its replacement opened in 1887. For decades the station was one of three main stations in the city, alongside Dundee West and Dundee East; both of those closed in the 1950s and 1960s, and in 1965 Tay Bridge was renamed simply Dundee.
The 1960s brought the Tay Road Bridge, whose off-ramps swept away the original entrance. As part of the regeneration of Dundee's waterfront, the old building was demolished in early 2014 and replaced by a £38 million curved station building designed by Nicoll Russell Studios with Jacobs. It opened on 9 July 2018, two months before V&A Dundee opened nearby.
A day in Dundee
Design, polar exploration and art, all within a short walk of the station.
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Morning
V&A Dundee
Start a few minutes' walk away at Scotland's design museum, where general admission is free.
-
Late morning
Aboard RRS Discovery
Next door, go aboard the Dundee-built ship that carried Captain Scott's Antarctic expedition.
-
Lunch
Jute Café Bar
Walk up to Dundee Contemporary Arts on the Nethergate for lunch at its café bar.
-
Afternoon
The McManus
Explore the city's history, natural history and art in a Gothic Revival building, with free entry.
-
Evening
A film at DCA
Back at Dundee Contemporary Arts, catch a film in its independent cinema before your train.
Things to do near Dundee
V&A Dundee
Scotland's design museum stands on Dundee's waterfront and stages major exhibitions – David Bowie: On Tour opens on 4 November 2026. General admission is free (as of September 2026), with charges for some exhibitions.
Discovery Point and RRS Discovery
Go aboard the Royal Research Ship Discovery, which was built in Dundee's shipyards and carried Captain Scott's Antarctic expedition, then explore the story of polar exploration in the visitor centre alongside.
The McManus
Dundee's art gallery and museum fills a Gothic Revival building with eight galleries covering the city's history, natural history and art. Entry is free (as of September 2026).
Dundee Contemporary Arts
DCA combines contemporary art galleries, an independent cinema, a print studio and a café-bar in the city centre – a good place to spend a rainy afternoon or an evening.
Verdant Works Museum
A refurbished mill building where working machinery and personal stories explain how jute shaped Dundee's industry and the lives of its mill workers.
Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.
Eat & drink near the station
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Café
Jute Café Bar
The café bar at the heart of Dundee Contemporary Arts serves breakfast, lunches, coffee and cake by day and dinner and drinks at night, with vegetarian and vegan choices.
Day trips from Dundee
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Arbroath
Red sandstone abbey ruins, the Signal Tower Museum and the sea caves of Seaton Cliffs – and a chance to try an Arbroath smokie.
LNER's Aberdeen trains take about 17 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable), and ScotRail runs local trains to Arbroath too.
-
St Andrews
The home of golf, with its ruined cathedral and cliff-top castle.
LNER trains to Leuchars take about 15 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable); Stagecoach buses run from Leuchars station into St Andrews.
-
Stonehaven
A seaside town with a harbour and the spectacular clifftop ruin of Dunnottar Castle.
LNER's Aberdeen trains take about 55–57 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable).
Where to stay in Dundee
Hotels cluster around the waterfront and city centre, many within a short walk of the station.
Tips for your visit
- V&A Dundee is open daily from 10.00 to 17.00, while the DCA galleries open Tuesday to Sunday (as of September 2026).
- Discovery Point and Verdant Works are run by Dundee Heritage Trust and sell tickets covering both attractions.
Questions about Dundee station
How far is V&A Dundee from the station?
About five minutes' walk, according to V&A Dundee – it stands on the waterfront close to the station.
Is Dundee station step-free?
Yes. National Rail lists step-free access to all platforms, with a lift from street level down to the platforms.
Can I park at Dundee station?
Only briefly: National Rail lists a small council short-stay car park with 9 spaces at £3.30 an hour, and 2 accessible bays at Greenmarket (checked September 2026).
Is there left luggage at Dundee station?
No. National Rail lists no left-luggage facility here.
Where do I catch buses and taxis?
Taxis wait immediately outside the station building. The main bus station at Seagate is about half a mile away, and several local routes stop near DCA and on Panmure Street by The McManus.
Do all LNER Aberdeen trains stop at Dundee?
Yes. All of LNER's Aberdeen trains call here – four direct trains a day from London on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable, fewer at weekends.
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/Dundee_railway_station
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tay_Bridge
- vam.ac.uk/dundee
- vam.ac.uk/dundee/info/accessibility
- dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/attraction/discovery-point/
- dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/attraction/verdant-works/
- mcmanus.co.uk/
- mcmanus.co.uk/visit
- dca.org.uk/plan-your-visit/how-to-get-here/
- nationalrail.co.uk/stations/dee/
- dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage/
- dca.org.uk/experience-dca/eat-and-drink-at-jute/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tay_Bridge_disaster
Travelling to Dundee?
Check live times and fares with LNER, or compare prices on Trip.com. Book early for the best chance of a cheaper Advance fare.