Scotland Station code STN
Stonehaven
Stonehaven guide: clifftop Dunnottar Castle, an art deco seawater lido and the Hogmanay fireballs, 15 miles south of Aberdeen.
- Around 6 hours 45 minutes from London
- 1 LNER route
- 3 things to do
Dunnottar Castle on its clifftop headland, 1.6 miles south of StonehavenPhoto: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
About Stonehaven
Stonehaven is a seaside town on the Aberdeenshire coast, 15 miles south of Aberdeen and the last stop before the city on LNER's Aberdeen trains. Its old harbour quarter, with the Tolbooth – the town's oldest building – on the quayside, is the heart of any visit.
The big draw is Dunnottar Castle, a ruined fortress on a rocky outcrop just south of the town, famous for hiding the Honours of Scotland from Cromwell's army in the 1650s. In summer the town's heated, Olympic-sized seawater lido is a local institution, and at New Year Stonehaven's fireball ceremony fills the High Street.
Journey
STN- Fastest from London King's Cross
- Around 6 hours 45 minutes
- LNER routes calling
- 1
| Route | Previous stop | Next stop |
|---|---|---|
| London – Aberdeen stop 25 of 26 | Montrose | Aberdeen |
May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station
Fastest scheduled LNER train in the May–December 2026 timetable: 6 hours 43 minutes (King's Cross 10.03). All LNER 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
- 1849
- Heritage status
- Category B listed (Historic Environment Scotland LB41672)
- Platforms
- 2
- Managed by
- ScotRail
- Passengers a year
- 480,362 entries and exits (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Did you know?
- Historic Environment Scotland describes Stonehaven as the only surviving example of the original stations on the Aberdeen Railway's main line.
- When passenger trains began on 1 November 1849 they ran only as far north as Limpet Mill; the link through to Aberdeen was completed in April 1850.
- The signal box, a Caledonian Railway design of 1901, stands right on the platform beside the main building – one of very few of its type left.
Photos of Stonehaven
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Dunnottar Castle on its clifftop headland, 1.6 miles south of Stonehaven Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
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The 1849 station building and its canopy on the platform for trains south Photo: Stanley Howe, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
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The 1901 Caledonian Railway signal box, which stands right on the platform Photo: Stanley Howe, CC BY-SA 2.0
Arriving at Stonehaven
The 1849 stone station building, with the ticket office, waiting room and toilets, is on platform 1, used by trains south towards Dundee and Edinburgh; trains to Aberdeen use platform 2. Each platform has a ramp to its own car park, but the only link between them is a stepped subway, so step-free travellers should head straight for the right platform. The town centre around Market Square is about two-thirds of a mile east as the crow flies, and the old harbour just under a mile to the south-east.
The station is inland of the old town: the oldest streets are around the harbour, south of the Carron Water, a walk away from the station.
Getting around
The harbour, beach and pool are all reachable on foot from the station. Dunnottar Castle is 1.6 miles south of the town along the coastal path or road; the castle can close at short notice in high winds, so check before setting out.
Other train services and connections
- ScotRail: trains to Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, plus the Aberdeen Crossrail service between Montrose and Inverurie
- CrossCountry: services between Aberdeen and England
- Caledonian Sleeper: overnight trains to London Euston (not Saturday nights)
Station facilities
- Step-free accessSome step-free access (National Rail category B2): ramps to each platform from the car parks, but the platforms are linked only by a stepped subway, and there are no lifts
- StaffingStaffed Monday to Friday 07:10–18:55 and Saturday 08:00–15:04; unstaffed on Sundays
- Ticket officeMonday to Friday 07:00–18:00, Saturday 08:00–15:00; closed on Sundays
- Ticket machineAt the west entrance, including collection of tickets bought online
- Waiting roomIn the station building on platform 1: Monday to Friday 07:10–18:55, Saturday 08:00–14:50
- ToiletsUnisex accessible toilets in the booking hall, open only during ticket office hours
- Baby changingAvailable
- Food and drinkNone at the station
- Wi-fiStation wi-fi available
- Left luggageNot available
- Car park47 free spaces, open 24 hours and covered by CCTV, including 4 accessible bays
- Cycle parking14 sheltered spaces in lockers and stands
- TaxisTaxi rank at the station
- Help pointsOn both platforms, with induction loops
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 Aberdeen Railway opened Stonehaven station at the end of October 1849, with passenger trains from 1 November, though at first they ran north only as far as Limpet Mill; the line through to Aberdeen was finished in April 1850. The Italianate building of squared rubble on the southbound platform, with its heavy cast-iron-framed canopy, is the only survivor of the company's original main-line stations and is category B listed.
The line later passed to the Scottish North Eastern and then the Caledonian Railway, and from 1883 North British trains arrived via Montrose too. In the 1890s a single-storey wing was added in matching style, from 1899 the platforms were raised, widened and extended, and in 1901 the Caledonian installed the signal box on the platform. Since the old inland main line to Perth via Coupar Angus closed in 1967, every train south has run by the coast through Montrose.
A day in Stonehaven
A clifftop castle, a historic harbour and fish and chips on the prom.
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Morning
Walk to Dunnottar Castle
Head through town to the harbour and follow the coast 1.6 miles south to the dramatic clifftop ruin. It can close at short notice in high winds and takes card payments only.
-
Lunch
The Ship Inn
Back at the harbour, the Ship Inn – built in 1771 – serves locally sourced food right on the harbour front.
-
Afternoon
The Tolbooth
Stonehaven's oldest building, on the old pier, is now a volunteer-run museum of the town's past and its days as a prison – check its opening times before you go.
-
Evening
Fish and chips on the prom
Walk along the seafront to The Bay, an award-winning chip shop on the beach promenade, open until 8pm, before heading back to the station.
Things to do near Stonehaven
Dunnottar Castle
A dramatic clifftop ruin on a rocky outcrop above the North Sea, linked with William Wallace and Mary Queen of Scots and best known for protecting the Honours of Scotland from Oliver Cromwell's troops.
Stonehaven Open Air Pool
Opened in 1934, this heated, Olympic-sized art deco lido is filled with seawater. It is a summer attraction: the main season ends in early September, with a cold-water season announced for November (as of September 2026).
Stonehaven Tolbooth Museum
The harbourside Tolbooth is the oldest building in Stonehaven and, as a volunteer-run museum, displays items from its days as a prison and from the town's past.
Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.
Eat & drink near the station
-
Pub
The Ship Inn
A small harbourside hotel with a bar and restaurant in a building dating from 1771, serving locally sourced food on the harbour front.
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Restaurant
The Bay Fish & Chip Shop
An award-winning fish and chip shop on the beach promenade, known for sustainably sourced fish; open daily from noon to 8pm.
Day trips from Stonehaven
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Aberdeen
The Granite City's free art gallery and maritime museum are a short hop up the coast.
LNER trains to Aberdeen take about 20–21 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 the Georgian House of Dun.
LNER trains to Montrose take about 22 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable).
Annual events
-
Every Hogmanay, starting at midnight on 31 December
Stonehaven Fireballs
Around 40 fireball swingers parade up and down the High Street, whirling flaming balls around their heads for about 20 minutes to welcome the New Year. Crowds gather from 10pm and access can close once the street is full.
Official website for Stonehaven Fireballs (opens in a new tab)
Dates change from year to year — check the official website before you plan a trip around an event.
Where to stay in Stonehaven
Hotels, inns and guest houses around the harbour and seafront, with Aberdeen 15 miles north for city hotels.
Tips for your visit
- If you are in Scotland for Hogmanay, Stonehaven's fireball ceremony begins at midnight on 31 December; organisers say crowds gather from 10pm and the High Street can close once full.
- Dunnottar Castle accepts card payments only.
Questions about Stonehaven station
How far is Stonehaven town centre and harbour from the station?
Market Square is about two-thirds of a mile east as the crow flies, and the old harbour just under a mile to the south-east.
How do I get to Dunnottar Castle?
It is 1.6 miles south of the town, along the coastal path or the road. The castle can close at short notice in high winds and accepts card payments only.
Is Stonehaven station step-free?
Partly. Each platform has a ramp from its car park, but the platforms are linked only by a stepped subway, so go directly to the platform your train leaves from.
Can I park at Stonehaven station?
Yes. National Rail lists 47 free spaces, open 24 hours, including 4 accessible bays (checked September 2026).
Is the station staffed on Sundays?
No. The ticket office is closed on Sundays, so use the ticket machine at the west entrance or buy online.
When are the Stonehaven Fireballs?
At midnight on 31 December every year. The organisers say crowds gather from 10pm and the High Street can close once it is full.
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/Stonehaven_railway_station
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehaven
- dunnottarcastle.co.uk/
- stonehavenopenairpool.co.uk/
- stonehaventolbooth.co.uk/
- stonehavenfireballs.com/
- thetrainline.com/stations/stonehaven
- nationalrail.co.uk/stations/stn/
- dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage/
- portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB41672
- shipinnstonehaven.com/
- thebayfishandchips.co.uk/
Travelling to Stonehaven?
Check live times and fares with LNER, or compare prices on Trip.com. Book early for the best chance of a cheaper Advance fare.