Scotland Station code PTH
Perth
Perth guide: the Stone of Destiny at Perth Museum, Scone Palace, the Black Watch museum and riverside gardens – direct from London on the Highland Chieftain.
- Around 5 hours 50 minutes from London
- 1 LNER route
- 5 things to do
The River Tay at Perth, with Tay Street's riverside buildingsPhoto: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Perth
Perth is a compact city on the River Tay and the gateway to the Highland Main Line. Its star attraction is Perth Museum, which opened in 2024 in the former City Hall and displays the Stone of Destiny, back in Perthshire for the first time in 700 years and free to view.
About 3 miles from the station, Scone Palace marks the crowning place of Scottish kings, where the Stone once sat on Moot Hill. In the city, Balhousie Castle tells the story of the Black Watch, Scotland's oldest Highland regiment, and Branklyn Garden on the slopes of Kinnoull Hill is a treasure trove of rare plants.
Journey
PTH- Fastest from London King's Cross
- Around 5 hours 50 minutes
- LNER routes calling
- 1
| Route | Previous stop | Next stop |
|---|---|---|
| London – Inverness stop 16 of 24 | Gleneagles | Dunkeld & Birnam |
May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station
Only one LNER train a day each way: the Highland Chieftain, 5 hours 50 minutes from King's Cross (12.03 departure) on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable.
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
- 22 May 1848 (as Perth General)
- Architect
- Sir William Tite, with later additions
- Heritage status
- Category B listed
- Platforms
- 7
- Managed by
- ScotRail
- Passengers a year
- 853,000 (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Did you know?
- The station was built as a joint venture by three railway companies, which needed a public inquiry before they could agree where to put it.
- Historic Environment Scotland notes that Tite's original block, facing today's platform 4, resembles the station he had designed at Carlisle a year earlier.
- Scenes for the film The Railway Man were shot here, with platform 3 standing in for Crewe and platform 5 for Edinburgh Waverley.
Photos of Perth
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The River Tay at Perth, with Tay Street's riverside buildings Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
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William Tite's 1848 building on platform 4 at Perth Photo: Geof Sheppard, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
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Carved stones in one of Perth Museum's galleries, 2024 Photo: JoeDerrySetch, CC BY 4.0
Arriving at Perth
Highland Main Line trains, including the Highland Chieftain, usually use platforms 4 and 7 on the H-shaped island under the main train shed, while trains between Glasgow and Dundee or Aberdeen use platforms 1 and 2 on the east side; lifts and footbridges link them all, and the ticket gates are on the main concourse. The main entrance is on Leonard Street, where you'll find the taxi rank; Perth Bus Station is about 100 metres along the street. For the centre, head north-east: Perth Museum and St John's Kirk are about half a mile away as the crow flies, and Perth Museum puts the walk at just under 15 minutes.
Perth station is a walk of roughly ten minutes from the city centre; Perth Museum says the walk takes just under 15 minutes. The bus station is about 100 metres away along Leonard Street.
Getting around
The centre and riverside are walkable. Stagecoach buses run from Perth Bus Station and South Street, including routes towards Scone Palace, and taxis are available at the station.
Other train services and connections
- ScotRail: trains to Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh Waverley, Dundee, Aberdeen and north to Inverness
- Caledonian Sleeper: overnight trains to London Euston and to Inverness
- Perth Bus Station is about 100 metres from the station
Station facilities
- Step-free accessStep-free to all platforms (category A), with lifts
- LiftsLifts to the footbridges serving all platforms
- StaffStaffed Mon–Sat 05:00–midnight, Sun 07:30–23:40
- Ticket officeMon–Fri 06:45–19:30, Sat 07:45–19:15, Sun 08:15–19:15
- Ticket machinesAt the main entrance off Leonard Street and at the platform 7 rear entrance
- ToiletsBy the ticket gates at the station entrance
- Accessible toiletsAvailable (RADAR key)
- Baby changingAvailable
- Waiting roomOn platform 4
- Wi-fiAvailable
- Food and drinkWHSmith and a coffee shop
- Left luggageNo left luggage
- Car parking160 spaces run by ScotRail, 7 accessible bays; £3 a day when checked
- Cycle storage31 spaces (stands and lockers)
- TaxisRank on Leonard Street, on the station side
- BusesPerth Bus Station is about 100 metres along Leonard Street
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
Perth General station opened in 1848 as a joint venture of the Scottish Central, Scottish Midland Junction and Edinburgh, Perth & Dundee railways, with a Tudor-Gothic main building and octagonal tower designed by Sir William Tite. Lines from Dundee, Fife and Forfar soon converged on it, and the Perth & Dunkeld Railway began what became the Highland Main Line to Inverness, making Perth the great gateway from the south to the Highlands.
The station was enlarged in 1884, when curved platforms for the Dundee line were added on its east side, and a flat-roofed ticket office filled in the entrance in 1968. Post-war closures took away the lines to Crieff and Methven (1951), the direct route to Aberdeen via Forfar (1967) and the line to Edinburgh via Glenfarg (1970), but the line to Ladybank reopened in 1975 and now carries most Edinburgh trains. The station was renamed simply Perth in 1952.
A day in Perth
The Stone of Destiny, the crowning place of Scottish kings and an evening at the theatre.
-
Morning
Perth Museum
Walk just under 15 minutes from the station to Perth Museum to see the Stone of Destiny, which is free to view, and the collections telling Perth's story.
-
Lunch
By St John's Kirk
Café Tabou, a French brasserie in the café quarter, overlooks St John's Kirk just round the corner from the museum.
-
Afternoon
Scone Palace
Take a taxi (about 10 minutes) to Scone Palace, crowning place of Scottish kings, for the state rooms, pinetum and maze; open daily until 31 October in 2026.
-
Late afternoon
The Black Watch
Alternatively, stay in town for the regiment's story at Balhousie Castle, beside the North Inch.
-
Evening
Dinner and a show
Book a table at 63 Tay Street by the river, then catch a performance at Perth Theatre or Perth Concert Hall.
Things to do near Perth
Perth Museum
Home of the Stone of Destiny, the ancient coronation stone, alongside collections that place Perth and Kinross at the centre of Scotland's story, in an Edwardian hall transformed by the architects Mecanoo. Viewing the Stone is free, and tickets can be booked in advance.
Scone Palace
The crowning place of Scottish kings, with state rooms, gardens, a pinetum and maze. Open daily from 1 April to 31 October in 2026.
The Black Watch Castle and Museum
Balhousie Castle holds the story of the Black Watch, Scotland's oldest Highland regiment, from its formation in 1739 onwards, with a bistro and shop.
Perth Theatre and Concert Hall
The city's main stages for drama, music, comedy and family shows, run together by Horsecross Arts.
Branklyn Garden
A two-acre hillside garden begun in 1922 on the slopes of Kinnoull Hill and famed for rare plants such as Himalayan blue poppies. National Trust for Scotland; closed in winter.
Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.
Eat & drink near the station
-
Restaurant
Café Tabou
A long-established French brasserie in Perth's café quarter, overlooking the historic St John's Kirk.
-
Restaurant
63 Tay Street
An award-winning restaurant on the riverside Tay Street whose motto is 'Local, Honest, Simple', with seasonal menus and festive lunches.
Day trips from Perth
-
Pitlochry
The Victorian resort town, with its salmon ladder, Festival Theatre and the Pass of Killiecrankie.
ScotRail trains on the Highland Main Line take about 30–35 minutes.
-
Dunkeld & Birnam
A riverside cathedral, the Hermitage's tall Douglas firs and ospreys at Loch of the Lowes.
ScotRail trains take about 17 minutes.
-
Dundee
V&A Dundee and RRS Discovery on the Tay waterfront, and the McManus galleries in the city centre.
ScotRail trains take about 25 minutes and run roughly hourly.
Annual events
-
A Sunday in August (the 2026 games marked 200 years)
Perth Highland Games
Highland games on the North Inch, a tradition whose earliest recorded games there date from 1826.
Official website for Perth Highland Games (opens in a new tab)
-
A Friday and Saturday in late July or early August (next: 6–7 August 2027)
Perth Show
The Perthshire Agricultural Society's two-day show of livestock, horses and ponies on the South Inch.
Dates change from year to year — check the official website before you plan a trip around an event.
Where to stay in Perth
Hotels and guest houses across the city centre, including several close to the station.
Tips for your visit
- The Highland Chieftain is LNER's only through train on this line: it leaves London King's Cross at 12.03 every day and Inverness at 07.55 Monday to Saturday (09.40 on Sundays) in the May–December 2026 timetable, so plan around it and reserve a seat.
- Perth is the main interchange for the Highland Main Line: ScotRail runs roughly hourly trains north to Pitlochry, Aviemore and Inverness if the Highland Chieftain's timing doesn't suit you.
Questions about Perth station
How far is Perth station from the city centre?
Perth Museum and St John's Kirk are about half a mile north-east of the station as the crow flies; Perth Museum puts the walk at just under 15 minutes.
Is Perth station step-free?
Yes. National Rail rates it category A, with lifts to the footbridges serving all seven platforms.
Where is the bus station?
About 100 metres from the station along Leonard Street.
Is there left luggage at Perth station?
No. National Rail lists no luggage storage at the station (checked September 2026).
Can I park at the station?
Yes, in the ScotRail car park with 160 spaces including 7 accessible bays; it cost £3 a day when checked in September 2026.
How do I get to Scone Palace?
It is about 3 miles from the station – around 10 minutes by taxi, according to Scone Palace – and Stagecoach buses run from the city centre.
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/Perth_railway_station_(Scotland)
- perthmuseum.co.uk/
- perthmuseum.co.uk/plan-your-visit/
- scone-palace.co.uk/
- scone-palace.co.uk/plan-your-visit
- theblackwatch.co.uk/
- horsecross.co.uk/
- nts.org.uk/visit/places/branklyn-garden
- nts.org.uk/visit/places/branklyn-garden/planning-your-visit
- thetrainline.com/stations/perth
- nationalrail.co.uk/stations/pth/
- dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage/
- portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB39340
- cafetabou.co.uk/location
- 63taystreet.com/
- perthhighlandgames.co.uk/a-history/
- perthshow.co.uk/
- opentraintimes.com/schedule/C14674/2026-09-29
- opentraintimes.com/schedule/L87614/2026-09-29
Travelling to Perth?
Check live times and fares with LNER, or compare prices on Trip.com. Book early for the best chance of a cheaper Advance fare.