Coach and Minibus Hire in the United Kingdom

Aberdeen Minibus Hire for Deeside, Castles and Whisky Country

Aberdeen is the gateway to Royal Deeside, cliff-top castles and Speyside's distilleries. With a driver, your group can see a surprising amount of the north-east in a day and everyone can enjoy a dram.

The Low Emission Zone

Since June 2024 a Low Emission Zone has covered a small part of the city centre, along Union Street and from Schoolhill down to Willowbank Road. It applies to minibuses and coaches as well as cars, day and night, every day of the year. Diesel minibuses generally need Euro 6 and coaches Euro VI. If a Blue Badge holder is on board, the vehicle is exempt.

Ford Transit minibus cabin with blue and grey seats
Ford Transit minibus cabin with blue and grey seats

Landing at Dyce

Aberdeen International Airport is about 6 miles from the Castlegate, which on a clear run is a 15–20 minute hop. The airport lists what coaches pay by length of stay, yet names no particular spot for collecting groups, so the driver will confirm exactly where to meet. P&J Live, the big arena and conference venue, is close by, which makes airport hotels handy for events there.

Flying into Aberdeen

Places your group will want to see

  • Balmoral Castle — Royal Deeside, about 50 miles west; grounds and gardens open daily from April to the end of July
  • Dunnottar Castle — Cliff-top ruin about 2 miles south of Stonehaven
  • Duthie Park and the David Welch Winter Gardens — Riverside park and glasshouses
  • Footdee and Aberdeen Beach — Fishing village at the harbour mouth and the beach esplanade
  • Old Aberdeen and King's College — Historic university quarter and St Machar's Cathedral
  • Aberdeen Maritime Museum — Shiprow, overlooking the harbour
  • Aberdeen Art Gallery — Schoolhill, city centre

Where groups usually stay

  • Royal Deeside (Banchory, Ballater, Braemar) for touring groups
  • Bridge of Don (north)
  • Beach esplanade
  • Airport / Dyce and P&J Live (Bucksburn)
  • City centre (Union Street and Union Square, by the station)

Castles and distilleries

Crathes Castle and Dunnottar, the cliff-top ruin near Stonehaven, are each about 30 minutes away. Fyvie Castle is about 45 minutes. Balmoral is about an hour and a quarter up Royal Deeside; visitors can see its grounds and gardens each day from April through July only, so plan a royal-themed tour for spring or early summer.

Dufftown and Speyside whisky country are about the same distance, which suits a relaxed distillery tour with a driver taking care of the road.

For a longer stay, touring groups often base themselves out in Banchory, Ballater or Braemar, so each morning starts in the hills rather than in city traffic.

In and around the city

Aberdeen itself rewards a slow day: the Maritime Museum on Shiprow looks over the harbour, the Art Gallery sits on Schoolhill, and Old Aberdeen has King's College and St Machar's Cathedral. Finish in Footdee, the old fishing village at the harbour mouth, or with a walk along the beach esplanade.

Your questions

Can you take us to the Orkney or Shetland ferry?

Yes. Overnight ferries leave from the passenger terminal at Jamieson's Quay in the city-centre harbour, so it's a short run from most hotels.

Is Inverness close enough for a day trip?

At about 105 miles, allow two and a quarter hours in each direction. That's a long day, so many groups make it the first leg of a Highland tour instead.

Where do cruise passengers usually come ashore?

The bigger ships tie up these days at South Harbour, the newer quay in Nigg Bay just south of the city. Let us know your ship and the time you're due ashore.

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