Day Trips

This page uses SUMMER timetables which run from late March to late October each year!

WINTER timetables tend to be much more limited.

Apologies for the "scrappy" nature of this page - we tend to update each suggested trip with new details as they become clear...

These timetables HAVE been updated for the changes to the bus timetables between Leven and Glenrothes.

Citylink timetables often change for the summer season see: https://www.citylink.co.uk/timetables-service-updates/all-routes/

Citylink have now released their summer 2024 timetables.

We are always happy to see the return of the summer Citylink 913 between Edinburgh and Fort William via Halbeath, Broxden and Tyndrum - which adds to the choices for getting to Fort William and Oban. (The 913 generally runs from late May to September each year.)

This 2024 summer timetables from Fishers Scottish Express HAVE been released - these are very similar to 2023 with some minor timing and stop changes.

Megabus have improved their service between Halbeath Park & Ride and Inverness to be hourly.

This website is mostly about commuting to work from Leven - showing how easy and cheap it is to live in Leven and work in Glasgow, Edinburgh or Dundee (or places on route) and commute by bus.

But that means it's also easy and cheap to have Day Trips by bus from Leven to those same places - or for people to take day trips to Leven and the East Neuk from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and further afield.

Facebook group for photos of Levenmouth.

Facebook group for photos of the East Neuk.

This page aims to provide additional information to help with the more distant Day Trips.

But first we start locally, Visit Scotland had 9 Scenic Bus Journeys in Scotland - and there amongst the distant suggestions was the Stagecoach 95 Leven to St Andrews via the East Neuk of Fife - get a Dayrider Ticket and spend the day travelling around the East Neuk hopping on and off the bus as the fancy takes you...

Times quoted on this page are for WEEKDAYS - occasionally timetables vary on Fridays - it is usually possible to do similar trips on Saturdays - travel on Sundays is generally more limited. Please check the timetables for each leg of your journey with the operator before travel.

Long distance bus travel in Scotland is provided by just a few companies:

Megabus - with main routes to Aberdeen and Inverness with connections to local buses to Leven at Dundee and Halbeath Park & Ride - timetables are best found on the Citylink website (as Citylink are one of the operators of Megabus in Scotland).

Citylink - with routes to Campbeltown, Oban, Fort William, Skye and Ullapool from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station and Inverness.

National Express - with main routes into England which can provide a useful connection to Berwick upon Tweed or Carlisle. It's always worth checking the latest timetable changes at: https://timetables.nationalexpress.com/

If you are looking to track where your Citylink or Megabus coach is, you may find https://coachtracker.uk.megabus.com/ useful. The National Express equivalent is at https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/track-your-coach

Also new to the market is Flixbus - but its services seem to change routes and timetables fairly quickly, so you need to check before using them...

Citylink and West Coast Motors used to run a daily service between Dundee and Oban, but that ceased some years ago and the nearest equivalent now runs just 3 times a fortnight during the summer season - the current service is provided by Fishers Scottish Express who with just 2 coaches run a variety of fortnightly scheduled bus services mostly starting in Dundee or nearby - services typically run from the end of March to the end of October each year.

The Stagecoach 46 runs between Leven and Dundee which makes some of the Fishers Scottish Express journeys more appealing - the 46 at 07:45 from Leven gets to Dundee at 08:49 - a brisk walk to Commercial Street should see you there just in time for an 09:00 Fishers departure - if the connection in Dundee sounds a bit risky due to potential rush hour delays over the Tay Bridge, the best bus to aim for may be the previous 46 at 06:55 - giving you plenty of time in Dundee to pick up a breakfast roll. In addition to the trip to Fort William described below there are extra journeys to Oban, Inverness, Aviemore, Pitlochry amongst others

All these long distance providers like you to book in advance to reserve your seat, but they all have different approaches - Megabus, Citylink and Flixbus make a booking charge of around £1 to £2 per booking, Fishers make no charge, National Express say they don't accept Scottish Concessionary Passes. In all cases they say that you can just turn up on the day and obtain your ticket direct from the driver - in practice there is often room on the bus - you can get a clue as to when reservations are recommended by checking the journey on https://www.travelinescotland.com/ (remember to "untick" train from the journey planner if you want to stop it offering more expensive train journeys instead of the bus you want).

Let's take a clockwise tour of possible destinations around Scotland, starting east of Edinburgh:

North Berwick: going via Edinburgh and changing in Princes Street you can use Lothian Buses service X5 or 124 with up to 3 buses an hour in each direction. 

From May to October about every fortnight (to coincide with "neap" tides) there's also the radical alternative of taking the bus from Leven to Anstruther and catching the Forth Ferry from Anstruther to North Berwick. Since 2021 the Forth Ferry is being run by Sula Boat Trips from North Berwick. When booking your ferry journey make sure to select either "Anstruther to North Berwick Ferry" or "North Berwick to Anstruther Ferry" from the list of boat trips to make sure you book the correct direction of travel for your first journey. 

You might want to do the trip one way by Ferry and the other way by Bus?

Berwick upon Tweed: going via Edinburgh Bus Station, Borders Buses service 253 provides a slow bus every 2 hours. You could currently catch the X58 from Leven at 06:40 getting to Edinburgh at 08:40 - a 253 departs from Edinburgh Bus Station at 09:00 getting to Berwick at 11:34. A return bus at 15:00 gets to Edinburgh at 17:33 where an X58 at 17:55 will get you back to Leven for 20:00.

The National Express Service 591 runs to Berwick upon Tweed from Edinburgh. On weekdays take an X60A from Leven at 08:25 getting to Edinburgh at 10:15 for the National Express 591 at 10:45 getting to Berwick at 12:05. The return 591 is at 17:35 (Monday to Thursday) getting to Edinburgh at 18:55 for the 19:25 X58 getting to Leven at 21:10.

Beware that the stops used by Borders Buses and National Express in Berwick are different - so if you plan to travel out with one of them and return with a different operator then you need to make sure you check exactly where your bus departs from. And beware that National Express are no longer prepared to accept Scottish Conessionary Bus Passes.

Galashiels, Peebles and Melrose: Again Borders Buses provide useful routes from Edinburgh - the X95 to Galashiels and the X62 to Peebles and Melrose - Fishers Scottish Express no longer provide a service to these destinations, so you will need to go via Edinburgh.

Carlisle: The X95 can be used to get to Carlisle - though it can take around 4 hours from Edinburgh as it sometimes includes an enforced stopover somewhere between Galashiels and Hawick where the two halves of the X95 service overlap. If you catch an X58 from Leven at 05:40 it gets to Edinburgh at 07:40 - the X95 departs Stance 9 at Edinburgh Bus Station at 08:15 - this direct bus gets to Carlisle at 11:55. The last X95 bus back is at 16:11. It also runs through to Edinburgh arriving at 19:50. There is an X58 at 20:25 from Edinburgh Bus Station which gets you to Leven for 22:10 (or you might just catch an X60 at 19:55 getting to Leven for 21:30). 

National Express run a number of services between Glasgow and Carlisle. If you catch the X27 from Leven at 06:00 it is due to arrive at Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station at 08:56. The National Express 590 departs Glasgow at 09:15 and gets to Carlisle at 11:20 - if you miss this then there's a long wait for the National Express 182 at 11:15 which gets to Carlisle at 13:20.

The return 182 from Carlisle to Glasgow departs at 13:45 getting to Glasgow at 15:50 - but this didn't give you much time in Carlisle so you may need to rely on the National Express 590 departing Carlisle at 17:55 (Monday to Thursday) getting to Glasgow at 20:00 - where an X27 at 20:15 will get you back to Leven for 22:53.

If you have a Scottish Concessionary Bus Ticket it should cover your travel on all normal scheduled buses throughout Scotland and to or from Berwick upon Tweed or Carlisle - but as we have discovered, National Express no longer accept Scottish Bus Passes and Flixbus, who also provide services to Carlisle, while they accept Scottish Bus Passes between two Scottish destinations do no accept them to or from Carlisle.

Dumfries: There are a couple of ways of getting to Dumfries - Stagecoach West Scotland service X74 runs hourly from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - but slightly quicker and more scenic is the Houston's Coaches 101A from Edinburgh Bus Station which goes via Biggar and Moffat. 

Having checked that the 101/102 is running, you can currently catch an X58 at 06:40 from Leven getting to Edinburgh at 08:40 with plenty of time to connect with Houston's 101A leaving at 09:25 and getting to Dumfries at 12:30. The last bus back is the 101A at 16:30 from Dumfries, getting to Edinburgh at 19:32 - catch the 19:55 X60 which will get you to Leven at 21:30.

The equivalent day trip via Glasgow goes as follows: catch the 06:00 X27 from Leven to Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station arriving at 08:56, where there's a change to the X74 departing from Stance 9 at 09:10 getting to Dumfries at 11:20. The last bus back is the 17:45 from Dumfries getting to Glasgow at 19:55 - catch the X27 at 20:15 getting to Leven at 22:53.

For a bit of variety you could travel out via Edinburgh and back via Glasgow or vice versa.

Ayr and Prestwick: Stagecoach West Scotland service X77 runs from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station to Ayr via Prestwick around twice an hour, so you can make up your own day trip to Ayr by going via Glasgow any day of the week.

But on alternate Thursdays from 21st March 2024 there is also the choice of using Fishers Scottish Express only needing one change of buses in Kirkcaldy. The X58 at 08:55 from Leven now runs on both schooldays and school holidays. It gets to Kirkcaldy at 09:25 - walk to Stance 14 for the 09:39 departure of Fishers Scottish Express service 263 arriving in Ayr at 12:30. Return departure at 15:30 getting to Kirkcaldy at 18:15 for a connection with the 18:30 X58 from Stance 4 getting into Leven Bus Station at 19:05 - if you miss this there is an X27 at 18:35 getting to Leven at 19:03.

Largs: McGill's have a bus route they call the Clyde Flyer - buses 901 and 906 provide a service roughly every 30 minutes during the day from Glasgow Bus Station Stance 50 to Largs Railway station following the coast road.

Fortnightly on alternate Wednesdays from 27th March 2024 there is a faster cross country service from Fishers Scottish Express. As with the trip to Ayr, you can catch the 08:55 X58 from Leven getting to Kirkcaldy at 09:25. Walk to Stance 14 to board the 09:39 Fishers Scottish Express service 260 arriving in Largs at 12:18. The return departs at 15:30 and arrives in Kirkcaldy at 18:10 where you cross to Stance 4 for the 18:30 X58 getting you back to Leven for 19:00.

Livingston: Stagecoach Express City Connect service X51 runs hourly between Ferrytoll and Livingston so you can use the Stagecoach Bus Planner to plan your shopping trip, catching an Edinburgh bus between Leven and Ferrytoll. Using Fishers Scottish Express can be slightly quicker as it saves on waiting time at Ferrytoll but times and routes vary each day of the week and there are extra services in the run up to Christmas which can be confusing. At Livingston Stagecoach X51 buses changed on 16th August 2021 to use Stance G, Fishers Scottish Express buses use the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Coach Park in both directions.

Callander: Getting to Callander on most days typically involves changing buses three times - use our Glasgow timetables (changing once) to get to Forth Valley Royal Hospital where you catch a 38 to Stirling Bus Station where you change to a 59 for Callander. The 59 is hourly at best, with long gaps on schooldays. So, it's useful to know that Fishers Scottish Express provide two services where you only need to change buses once. From 29th July 2024 there is a new alternative route using the hourly Stagecoach Express X22 between Dunfermline and Stirling, rather than the 38 from Forth Valley Royal Hospital to Stirling Bus Station which often runs every 20 minutes - in terms of speed of travel there is little to choose between these routes...

You can spend a short day in Callander fortnightly on alternate Fridays from 22nd March 2024. As with the trip to Ayr, catch the 08:55 X58 from Leven getting to Kirkcaldy at 09:25. Change to Fishers service 257 departing at 09:39 arriving in Callander at 11:42 the return bus is at 15:00 getting to Kirkcaldy at 17:00 where an X58 at 17:30 will get you back to Leven at 18:00.

On the alternate Thursdays from 28th March 2024 you can spend a longer day in Callander. When running start by catching a 43 at 07:35 from Leven to Glenrothes arriving at 08:14 for the Fishers Scottish Express service 266 departing at 08:30 arriving in Callander at 10:40. The return bus is at 17:17 getting to Glenrothes at 19:17 for a 44A at 19:38 getting back to Leven at 20:18.

Having got to Callander there's a Trossachs Explorer bus that runs from 1st July to 30th September that will take you to Aberfoyle via Loch Katrine if you wanted to explore the area further. 

Oban: The alternate Thursday Fishers Scottish Express service 266 mentioned above starting from 28th March 2024 departing Leven on the 07:35 number 43 goes via Callander to Oban arriving at 12:27. The return journey starts from Oban at 15:30 and gets you back to Glenrothes at 19:17 and the 44A at 19:38 getting to Leven at 20:18.

In their summer season Fishers also do a weekly service to Oban (made up from two fortnightly services - the 222 and the 248) on Wednesdays that involves getting to Dundee for 09:00 - starting on 20th March 2024. But beware that the return to Dundee is too late for the direct 46 to Leven  and we recommend that you catch the 46 from Dundee bus station at 19:05 - this bus changes its service number to a 41 in Cupar - stay on the bus to Kennoway shops where you arrive at 19:56 - a number 49 at 19:57 will take you the long way round to get back to Leven for 20:30 - from Monday 19th August 2024 you can choose to change at Cameron Bridge train station instead  if you prefer as the two buses follow each other between Kennoway and Cameron Bridge.

The reduced Citylink timetables require you to go via Glasgow to get to Oban - catch the 09:10 number 46 from Leven  change at Victoria Hospital to an X27 arriving in Glasgow at 12:00. Transfer to the 12:30 Citylink service 975 arriving Oban at 15:29. The return journey is at 18:15 getting to Glasgow at 21:19 for the 22:00 X24A to Kirkcaldy arriving at 23:51 where you can catch an X61 at 00:10 arriving in Leven at 00:40. 

If you want to get to Oban earlier, catch the 05:15 X27 getting to Glasgow at 08:06 for the 08:30 Citylink 975 getting to Oban at 11:38.

During the Summer season from 29th March 2024 there is also a 10:20 departure from Glasgow - catch the 07:10 X27 from Leven arriving in Glasgow at 10:00 where the 977 at 10:20 will get you to Oban for 13:24.

The Citylink 913 runs from 20th May to 29th September 2024 - when this bus is running you can catch an X27 at 08:10 from Leven arriving at Halbeath at 09:23, change to the Citylink 913 departing at 09:43 and arriving at Tyndrum at 12:10, change to a 977 departing at 12:18 and arriving in Oban at 13:24. You are recommended to book with Citylink to guarantee your connection.

The return journey starts with a 977 at 16:10 from Oban arriving at Tyndrum at 17:16 for the 17:23 departure of the 913 arriving at Halbeath at 19:47. You may prefer to wait until 20:50 for an X27 to get you back to Leven for 21:58. But to keep moving you could catch an X59A departing Halbeath at 20:15 getting to Glenrothes at 20:44 where you can catch a 43 at 21:16 getting to Leven at 21:53.

Fort William: Once a fortnight on alternate Tuesdays starting 19th March 2024 Fishers Scottish Express service 226 allows you to take a day trip, with the direct 46 from Leven to Dundee this trip becomes simpler - but the change on the outbound journey may be a bit tight. So we suggest that you start by catching the 06:55 46 from Leven Bus Station to Dundee arriving as early as 07:59 allowing plenty of time for delays on the Tay Bridge and enough time to get breakfast in Dundee. A short walk takes you to Commercial Street for the 09:00 Fishers Scottish Express service 226 arriving in Fort William at 12:07. Make sure you catch the return bus at 15:30 it gets back to Dundee for 18:39 where we recommend that you catch the 46 from Dundee bus station at 19:05 - this bus changes its service number to a 41 in Cupar - stay on the bus to Kennoway shops or Cameron Bridge train station where it should connect with a 49 back to Leven for 20:30.

There is a reduced timetable Citylink day trip to Fort William that gives you a little bit of time there - to have lunch and take in the view - take the 06:50 number 44 from Leven changing in Glenrothes to an X24 arriving in Glasgow at 09:30 - transfer to the Citylink 915 departing at 10:00 and arriving in Fort William at 13:16. At 14:35 there's a 919 to Inverness arriving at 16:40. At 17:35 there's a Megabus M90 getting to Halbeath at 20:45 - you might just catch an X27 at 20:50 which gets to Leven for 21:58, otherwise catch an X59A at 21:15 which with a change to a 43 in Glenrothes gets you to Leven at 22:53.

For the summer season between the end of May and the end of September we recommend using the Citylink 913 - the connections are described above under "Oban" - departing on an X27 at 08:10 - you don't need to change at Tyndrum and the 913 arrives in Fort William at 13:36. The return bus is at 16:00 which will get you back to Leven at 21:53 or 21:58 depending on the connection you make at Halbeath.

You are recommended to book with Citylink to guarantee your return seat.

Pitlochry, Aviemore and Inverness: You can use Megabus to take a day trip to Inverness, Pitlochry or Aviemore any day of the week. For 2024 the timetable via Halbeath is much improved, with services roughly every hour, and you are much less likely to need to change at Broxden Park & Ride.

Traveline Scotland have some interesting suggestions of how to get to Inverness - including suggestions to use the 46 to get to Dundee then a Flixbus to get to Broxden before changing to a Megabus to Inverness - but as there can be problems crossing the Tay Bridge, I suggest that you concentrate on going via Halbeath Park & Ride.

An X60A at 06:15 gets you to Kirkcaldy for 06:45 - an X61 at 07:10 gets to Halbeath at 07:33 - a Megabus M90 at 07:48 via Pitlochry, Dalwhinnie & Aviemore gets to Inverness at 11:11.

Northbound services continue hourly, and this year there's always a direct bus without needing to change at Broxden - you may find our Glasgow page or Traveline Scotland useful in suggesting how to get to Halbeath.

There is one daily Megabus service on route M91 which stops at more places on the route towards Inverness: Blair Atholl, House of Bruar, Newtonmore and Kingussie for example. For the 2024 season it departs Halbeath at 09:48 and gets back at 20:17. (Catch the X27 at 08:10 from Leven and get back to Leven around 21:58.)

There are a number of return buses from Inverness, you can even depart Inverness as late as 20:00 and still get back to Leven for just after midnight - it's best to book your ticket with Megabus.

Fortnightly during the season there is also a Fishers Scottish Express service 228 to Pitlochry, Aviemore and Inverness on Thursdays from Dundee starting on 21st March 2024.

The 46 to Dundee makes more of Fishers trips to Oban, Inverness, Pitlochry, Aviemore and elsewhere accessible with the possibility of an 07:45 departure from Leven but a more complicated return journey because the return 46 turns into a 41 in Cupar...

Aberdeen: The fastest way to Aberdeen is probably by Megabus from Dundee. If you miss your booked Megabus you may be tempted to catch the Stagecoach X7 between Dundee and Aberdeen but the journey time on the X7 is 2 hours 30 minutes compared with around 1 hour 30 minutes on the Megabus, so it's generally quicker to wait for the next Megabus. 

From 2024 the Megabus service between Dundee and Aberdeen runs twice an hour for much of the day - there are also a number of late night/early morning services. If Megabus is busy or you just fancy a change, it may be worth trying out Flixbus instead who also run a service twice an hour from a stop on West Marketgait by the Overgate Centre: https://bustimes.org/stops/6400PT00117 ? And from Tuesday 22nd October 2024 ember run an hourly service to Aberdeen from the stop outside Dundee Railway Station: https://bustimes.org/stops/640017235 - it could be difficult deciding which service to use and we probably recommend using TravelineScotland to find the fastest journey, remembering to "untick train" to avoid the more expensive solutions...

For 2024 the Megabus service between Dundee and Aberdeen runs 3 times an hour from Thursday to Sunday, if that helps...

The X7 comes into its own if you are wanting to go to places like Stonehaven or Montrose. The Megabus timetables are found most easily on the Citylink website as Citylink is one of the three companies who run the Megabus services.

Below are a selection of Summer 2024 Citylink/Megabus timetables which may be useful:

Going further? Traveline Scotland (who have a new local rate number - 0141 465 1878) can be useful for finding other journeys, remember to "untick" Train if you are looking for bus only journeys. Citylink are the major provider of services to places like Ullapool and Skye timed to catch ferries to the islands. The John O'Groats Ferry used to have an associated express bus between Inverness and John O'Groats, but this hasn't run since Covid arrived. And the John O'Groats Ferry isn't operating in 2024! So now you probably need to look at the Stagecoach X99 service from Inverness which runs all year and connects with ferries at Scrabster or Gill's Bay.