Let the ‘The Clyde Aberdonian’ whisk you away

Let the ‘The Clyde Aberdonian’ whisk you away as we take in some of the best that Scotland has to offer, both on train and off. Heading out from Glasgow and Stirling, the train runs along the East coast for much of its route making it an unrivalled way to experience Scotland. In Aberdeen there is a chance to explore this historic city, or take one of our off train excursions that include a castle or whisky tasting. On board the train you can sit back in comfortable seats and large windows through which to admire the scenery.

DATES AVAILABLE IN 2024

Our friendly team will look after you, and if you choose to dine with us you will be treated to fine Scottish fare. Come and travel with us in 2024 as we take this historic route.

Saturday 7^th September

PRICES START FROM £115.00

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Call Our Booking Office on 01325488215

Our Journey

Join us for our first departure from Glasgow as ‘The Clyde Aberdonian’ takes you on a beautiful steam hauled journey to Aberdeen.

We depart the magnificent Glasgow Central station and immediately cross the mighty river Clyde. Running through the suburbs we soon diverge east to pick up the former Caledonian Railway route made famous in the ‘Races to the North’ of 1888 and 1895. Whilst we will make good time, we will not be racing, but soon we will be heading out from the urban sprawl as we travel north to our pick up at Stirling. The railway offers great views of the city perched above with its Castle and the famous Wallace Monument.

Tornado at Montrose on ‘The Aberdonian’ – Peter Backhouse

Experience the golden age of travel

We travel on passing Gleneagles with its golf course, through Perth and are now alongside another mighty river; the silvery Tay. It stays with us for many miles now before reaching its estuary with the north sea as we continue to climb.

We run alongside the Tay and on through Dundee where the houses are so close on either side it is almost like running through the street. With wonderful clifftop views out to sea on one side, and rolling hills leading to mountains on the other, the route on to Aberdeen via Stonehaven is one of the greatest Scotland has to offer.

Once in Aberdeen we will have around four hours to explore the historic city, or take one of our excursions, before the train whisks us back to Stirling and Glasgow following our outward route.

The train weaves through lush countryside and along the cliff tops – Drew Adams

OFF TRAIN EXCURSIONS

To get a real taste of Aberdeenshire, take the opportunity to book one of our off train excursions, exploring some of the best that the region has to offer. These options are sure to fill up quickly and so must be booked at the time of purchasing your train ticket.

Visit Glen Garioch Distillery – £30

Come join us on a trip down Distillery Road where you'll discover the beating heart of our distillery and the 226 years of craftsmanship that goes into every bottle of Glen Garioch.

Established in 1797, Glen Garioch (pronounced Glen Geery) is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland – and its most easterly! The visit includes coach transfers, a tour of the distillery and sampling of two drams of finest Highland Single Malt Whisky for a true taste of Aberdeenshire. Expect hearty highland malts, non-chill filtered as nature intended, with a wholesome maltiness, honeyed sweetness and a delicious creamy texture to savour.

National Trust for Scotland Castle – £25

Jacobite tales whisper through the medieval grand hall of this castle

Visit one of Scotland’s oldest tower houses.
Stroll through the Old Wood of Drum, home to oak trees dating from the 1700s.
Admire Drum’s exquisite chapel, built in the 1500s.
Relax amid the heady scents of the Garden of Historic Roses.

The sweep of 700 years of history is stamped into Drum’s battlements, medieval square tower and sprawling extensions. The Royal Forest and Tower of Drum were given to the Irvine family by Robert the Bruce in 1323. Later a Jacobean mansion house was added, and in the Victorian era the lower hall was converted to a library, now containing a mighty 4,000 books. The beautiful Garden of Historic Roses is divided into quadrants that show how roses have been cultivated from the 17th to the 20th century. The ancient oak forest adjoins the castle, providing a sense of continuity through the centuries and a home for red kites, roe deer, red squirrels and badgers.

A coach will transfer passengers from Aberdeen Station for this excursion and a guided tour is included.

EXPLORING ABERDEEN

There is plenty to see and do in the centre of the bustling city of Aberdeen, and a lot of attractions are within easy walking distance of the station. For those attractions a little further out, there are local taxis and regular bus services: a hopper ticket to explore the city by bus costs less than £5.

Looking over Aberdeen, known as the Granite City due to the local stone used for many of the buildings. Pic: Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland

EASY WALKING DISTANCE

Nuart self guided walking tour – Nuart Aberdeen is the only street art festival in Scotland and one of the UK’s leading festivals of its kind. Artists from around the globe transform the walls and buildings of Aberdeen with works of art that are free for all to enjoy 365 days a year. Take the Nuart tour for yourself and explore Aberdeen City Centre.

Maritime Museum – Aberdeen Maritime Museum tells the story of the city’s long relationship with the Sea. This award-winning museum is located on the historic Shiprow, just five minutes from the station, and parts of the building date back to 1593. The Maritime Museum houses a unique collection and is the only place in the UK where you can see displays on the North Sea oil and gas industry. Aberdeen Maritime Museum offers visitors a spectacular viewpoint over the busy working harbour.

EXPLORE FURTHER

Old Aberdeen – 2.5m from the station, number 20 bus route. Monks and scholars, traders and travellers settled round Old Aberdeen in the area where 14th century St Machars Cathedral still stands and where Kings College, the forerunner to Aberdeen University, was founded by Bishop Elphinstone in 1495. Step back in time as you tour the late-medieval cobbled streets and make some time to appreciate the old perfectly blended with the new as you admire the architecturally distinctive Sir Duncan Rice Library.

The Gordon Highlanders Museum – 2.5m from the station, number 11 bus route. The Gordon Highlanders Museum is a ‘5-star Visit Scotland’ Tourist Attraction based in the west end of Aberdeen. It is committed to preserving and sharing the legacy of the world-famous Gordon Highlanders Regiment for future generations to enjoy, providing a wide range of unique experiences for all visitors, young and old.

RSPB Dolphin Watch – Intelligence, acrobatic ability and good looks, bottle-nose dolphins have it all. Jump in a taxi and travel 2 miles to Torry Battery, where from the high vantage point you can watch the dolphins and discover panoramic views of the harbour mouth and North Sea. The mouth of Aberdeen Harbour is one of the best places in Europe to spot bottle-nose dolphins and Scotland is home to the largest in the world! RSPB usually have helpful volunteers on site, although this has been affected by the pandemic, so please bring your own binoculars!

THE CLYDE ABERDONIAN