Aberdeen is well connected to
the rest of the UK and Europe by land, sea and
air. Aberdeen's International Airport serves a
large number of European and Worldwide countries.
And it may surprise you to know that Aberdeen
has the busiest commercial heliport in the world!
The road and rail networks connect
Aberdeen to all the major Scottish cities and,
of course, the attractions of the north east and
the Highlands. Travel time by car to Edinburgh
is approximately two hours, to Glasgow a little
over two and a half hours and to Dundee about
one hour.
There are direct and overnight
sleeper trains to London each day as well as direct
services to Birmingham and Plymouth. There is
also an hourly service to Edinburgh and Glasgow,
with regular connections to the south.
As well as being the principal
British port serving the oil industry and a key
centre of the fishing industry, Aberdeen also
offers ferry and cargo services to Orkney and
Shetland, Scandinavia, the Faroe Islands and Northern
Europe.
Public
Transport
Aberdeen is well connected to
the rest of the UK and Europe by land, sea and
air. Aberdeen's International Airport serves a
large number of European and Worldwide countries.
And it may surprise you to know that Aberdeen
has the busiest commercial heliport in the world!
The road and rail networks connect
Aberdeen to all the major Scottish cities and,
of course, the attractions of the north east and
the Highlands. Travel time by car to Edinburgh
is approximately two hours, to Glasgow a little
over two and a half hours and to Dundee about
one hour.
There are direct and overnight
sleeper trains to London each day as well as direct
services to Birmingham and Plymouth. There is
also an hourly service to Edinburgh and Glasgow,
with regular connections to the south.
As well as being the principal
British port serving the oil industry and a key
centre of the fishing industry, Aberdeen also
offers ferry and cargo services to Orkney and
Shetland, Scandinavia, the Faroe Islands and Northern
Europe.
Air
Aberdeen airport is only 15 minutes
drive from the heart of the city centre. It is
convenient and well-connected to strategic centres
throughout the UK, Europe and world-wide. With
around 12 airlines operating flights across 30
destinations, there is a good deal of choice on
fares and routes.
2.5 million passengers pass through Aberdeen Airport
each year and the facilities available reflect
the city's well-established links to the oil industry.
In addition to the main passenger terminal, there
are three terminals dedicated to North Sea helicopter
operations and one terminal primarily for oil
company charter flights.
A regular bus service operates
from the airport into the city centre. As with
all major airports you will find a range of hire
car facilities located within the terminal building
and a taxi rank is located outside.
Typical taxi fares to the city
centre are approximately £6.00. Inside the
terminal building you will find various shops,
a cafe, restaurant and bar.
Aberdeen train station is centrally
situated on Guild Street and is a short walk from
the city centre shopping areas. Close by you will
find car hire facilities and a taxi rank. The
bus terminal is located adjacent to the train
station. Limited car parking is available at the
train station but a stair link is provided to
an extensive multi-storey parking facility on
South College Street.
Or, you can check train times
and routes by telephoning the National Rail Enquiry
Service on 0845 748 4950
Ferry
Located just 400 metres from the
rail and bus terminals, you will find the ferry
terminal linking Aberdeen to the Orkney and Shetland
Isles. Two large car ferries operate on this route.
The sea journey to Lerwick, Shetland's capital
town, takes around 14 hours. Facilities on board
the ferries are extensive.
During the summer months, you
can enjoy a weekend mini cruise of the islands.
First Bus operates most local
bus services within the city, many of which pass
through Union Street, the main high street in
Aberdeen. You can find out about destinations,
fares and timetables on the First Bus website
www.firstgroup.com
or by calling + 44 (0) 1224 650065.
If you are intending to travel
outwith the city centre, then the bus terminal
in Guild Street is where all rural and inter-city
buses depart.
The main inter-city bus companies
operating out of Aberdeen are:
Several taxi ranks are located
in and around the city centre, but mainly at the
train station on Guild Street, on Chapel Street,
Back Wynd and Market Street. Smaller ranks can
be found in Dee Street and Justice Mill Lane,
although you may have to wait slightly longer
at these ranks.
You can find details of local
taxi companies such as those listed below in your
Yellow Pages.
Aberdeen Airport Taxis
01224 775555
ComCab
01224353535
Rainbow City Taxis
01224 878787
Don Cabs
01224 828828
Driving
in the UK
You can drive on any full foreign
driving licence or an international driving licence
for up to 12 months from your date of entry to
the UK. After this time, you will need to obtain
a full UK driving licence. To do this, you will
have to sit a UK driving test. It is advisable
to make an early application for a test to ensure
that you have a full UK driving licence before
the twelve-month limit has expired.
You may want to take some lessons
in the UK before sitting your test. The British
School of Motoring (BSM) recommends about 6 hours
of lessons for experienced drivers. BSM also offers
a two-hour driving assessment to prepare you for
your test. A list of recognised driving schools
and instructors is available in the Yellow Pages
telephone directory.
If you are taking lessons, the driving
school will normally apply for the test on your
behalf. If you are making the application yourself,
you will need a driving test application form DL26
that is available from any Post Office. The test
consists of a practical driving test and a written
theory test to test your knowledge of the Highway
Code. If you pass the test you will receive a Certificate
of Competence and you use this form to get your
full UK driving licence.
Useful
publications published by HMSO and available in
most good bookshops:
The Highway Code
Driving - the Department of
Transport Manual
Your Driving Test
Driving
checklist
the minimum age for driving
a car or motorbike is 17 years old
in the UK, you drive on the
left hand side of the road
speed limits in the UK:
built-up area 30mph
single carriageways 60mph
dual carriageways 60mph
motorways 70mph
drinking and driving is a
serious offence. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes
of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. Driving
above this limit means losing your licence and
a fine or imprisonment.
it is a legal requirement that
seat belts be worn by drivers, front and rear
seat passengers in all vehicles
motor cyclists and their passengers
must wear protective helmets
drivers must ensure that the
vehicle is properly licensed and the tax disc
prominently displayed
your vehicle must be properly
insured
if the vehicle is over 3 years
old, it must have a department of transport
test certificate, known as the MOT certificate
Hiring
a car
Self-drive cars are available
for hire at agents in Aberdeen city centre and
full details can be found in the Yellow Pages
telephone directory. Car hire agents also operate
out of Aberdeen Airport. In order to hire a car,
you will need to be in possession of a valid driving
licence and be able to show some other form of
personal identification.
Buying
a car
There are plenty of car showrooms
selling new and used cars throughout the Aberdeen
area. Most showrooms are dealers for a particular
make of new car but will also have a range of
used cars. You can buy car price guides from most
newsagents, which should help you negotiate a
fair price for the car you want to buy. It is
a good idea to get an independent valuation of
the car before you buy. The Automobile Association
can provide this service, others can be found
in your Yellow Pages. You can also find contact
details in Auto Car and What Car? magazines which
are available from your local newsagent.
Another way of buying a used car
is through a car auction. Prices tend to be lower
than from a dealer but you need to know what you
are looking for. There are frequent car auctions
at Aberdeen and Inverurie. See the Car Auctions
section of your Yellow Pages telephone directory
for more details.
You may want to consider becoming
a member of an organisation that can provide you
with emergency breakdown cover if you need it.
Membership rates are competitive and generally
a lot cheaper than paying for a recovery vehicle
or replacement vehicle yourself. Again your yellow
pages will list companies offering this service.
Car
leasing
Car leasing is becoming an increasingly
popular choice, although it is more common for
companies than for individuals. The large leasing
companies often use local car dealers as their
agents although it pays to shop around nationally
for the best deal. You may find this option more
cost-effective than buying if your stay in Scotland
is limited.
Maps
Most garages, bookshops and newsagents
will sell maps of their local area in a variety
of formats. You can buy maps featuring local tourist
attractions and sites of interest or maps providing
detailed information for climbers and hill-walkers.
You can access local and national maps online
at www.multimap.co.uk
