Dundee travel guide
Tours, attractions, events and places to stay, picked by people who know the city.
Dundee is Scotland's fourth-largest city, on the north bank of the River Tay, and the only UK city outside London with a V&A museum. Its waterfront brings together V&A Dundee and Captain Scott's ship RRS Discovery beside the railway station, while the story of jute, jam and journalism is told at Verdant Works, the McManus and on the comic statue trail. The seaside suburb of Broughty Ferry, the Law viewpoint and day trips to St Andrews and Glamis are all close by.
- Currency
- Pound sterling (£)
- Main airport
- Edinburgh (EDI), about 80 to 90 minutes by coach; Dundee Airport (DND) has no scheduled flights since October 2026
- Time zone
- GMT, BST in summer
- Paying for transport
- Contactless or exact cash on Xplore Dundee buses; DaySaver £5
Top attractions
The sights most visitors build a trip around.
V&A DundeeFree
Free: Scotland's design museum, in Kengo Kuma's waterfront building
RRS Discovery and Discovery Point
The Dundee-built ship that took Scott and Shackleton to Antarctica
St Andrews Castle and Cathedral (out of town)
Out of town: castle and cathedral ruins, 30 minutes by the 99 bus
Verdant Works Museum
The 1833 mill that tells the story of Dundee's jute industry
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and MuseumFree
Free: Dundee's Gothic art gallery and city museum, open daily
HMS Unicorn
An 1824 wooden warship, still afloat in Victoria Dock
What's on
Sat 5 Dec
Del Amitri: Past to Present - Four Decades Of Their Greatest Music
Dundee Caird Hall · Rock
Tickets via Ticketmaster. Updated nightly.
Where to stay
Pick a neighbourhood first. Each one suits a different kind of trip.
Waterfront and Station
Stepping out to V&A Dundee and Discovery Point, with the station and airport coaches on the doorstep · 4 places we rate
City Centre
The High Street, the McManus, the comic statues and Christmas in City Square · 5 places we rate
West End
Victorian villas and guest houses along Perth Road, with cafés, pubs and views over the Tay · 5 places we rate
Broughty Ferry
A beach, a castle and harbour pubs in Dundee's seaside suburb, a short train ride from town · 5 places we rate
Local guides
Plans and tips for getting the most out of Dundee.
Christmas in Dundee 2026: lights, markets, shows and opening hours
The Christmas lights switch-on with a drone show, Christmas in the Square, Santa at Discovery Point, The Snow Queen at Dundee Rep and what is open over the holidays.
Read the guide · 4 minDay trips from Dundee: St Andrews, Glamis, Arbroath and Perth
How to reach St Andrews, Glamis Castle, Arbroath Abbey, Perth and Scone, and Edinburgh from Dundee, with winter 2026 hours, prices and closures.
Read the guide · 4 minFirst time in Dundee: a 2-day itinerary
Two days in Dundee: V&A Dundee, RRS Discovery and the Law on day one, then the McManus, the comic statues, Verdant Works and Broughty Ferry on day two, with costs and hours.
Read the guide · 4 minFree things to do in Dundee
Twelve free things to do in Dundee, from V&A Dundee and the McManus to the Law, the comic statues, Broughty Ferry beach, DCA and stargazing at the Mills Observatory.
Read the guide · 4 minDay trips from Dundee
Easy days out by train or coach.
- St AndrewsAbout 30 minutes on Stagecoach bus 99
- Glamis CastleAbout 25 minutes by road (open Thursday to Sunday until 20 December)
- Perth and Scone PalaceAbout 25 minutes by train or Stagecoach bus 57 to Perth
- Arbroath and its abbeyAbout 25 minutes by train
- EdinburghAbout 1 hour 15 minutes by train, or Ember coach
- Carnoustie and the Angus coastAbout 15 minutes by train
Getting around
Walking
Dundee's centre is compact. The railway station on the waterfront is directly opposite V&A Dundee, with Discovery Point and Slessor Gardens beside it, and the High Street, City Square and the McManus are about ten minutes' walk uphill. HMS Unicorn is a 13-minute walk east of the station along the riverside path. Dundee Law is reached on a signed 2.1km walking route from City Square, about 45 minutes uphill. Verdant Works and the West End's Perth Road are 15 to 20 minutes' walk west of the centre.
Buses and fares
Xplore Dundee runs most city buses. From 11 May 2026, an adult single costs £2.80 for a Short Hop (one fare stage) or £3.35 for a Long Hop, and a DaySaver for unlimited travel on all its buses that day costs £5. An Evening Saver costs £4 and a 1-Week Saver £18.20. You can pay with a contactless bank card or phone, in the Xplore Dundee app, or with exact cash, as drivers cannot give change. Tell the driver which ticket you want before you tap: Xplore does not advertise automatic daily capping, so ask for a DaySaver if you will make three or more trips. Young people aged 5 to 21 who live in Scotland travel free with a National Entitlement Card. Stagecoach runs regional routes from Dundee, including the 99 to St Andrews.
Trains and coaches
Dundee railway station is on the waterfront, with services to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Perth and direct trains on the East Coast line to London King's Cross. Broughty Ferry has its own station. Long-distance coaches, including Ember's electric services to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, stop in the city centre; Ember uses Slessor Gardens and Greenmarket. Seagate bus station serves regional buses.
Airport transfers
Dundee Airport has had no scheduled commercial flights since Loganair withdrew on 23 October 2026, so most visitors fly into Edinburgh. Xplore Dundee's FLY coach runs hourly, 24 hours a day, non-stop between Edinburgh Airport (stop E) and Union Street in Dundee, taking about 80 minutes. Ember's electric E1 service also runs hourly from Edinburgh Airport (stop E) between about 7am and 1.25am, taking about 90 minutes with stops, and must be booked online at least 10 minutes before departure. Expect delays on both while roadworks continue on the A90.