The Tall Ships Races return to Aberdeen for the first time in 28 years

The Tall Ships Races will come to Aberdeen from Saturday 19 to Tuesday 22 July 2025, with a standalone concert planned for Friday 18 July.

Aberdeen will come alive with The Tall Ships Races, Europe’s largest free family event with fun for all ages. Enjoy the sights and sounds of 50+ Tall Ships, street food markets and quayside bars, STEM activities, a funfair, 60 trade and charity stalls, headline acts and free family entertainment!

The main Tall Ships Races event is free to attend. However there will be some events, including Quayside Concerts, where a ticket will be required.

For more information on the four days of exciting festivities which will be taking place in Aberdeen during the Tall Ships Races 2025 please visit the Tall Ships Races Aberdeen website(external link, opens in a new tab).

You can use the train to travel to and from the event

It is expected that tens of thousands of spectators will attend the Tall Ships Races event, so travelling by train will minimise road traffic congestion and reduce the carbon footprint of the event.

Travelling by train is also a comfortable and relaxing way of getting there. Enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Scotland on the way - and as we say here at National Rail, nothing beats window seats!

Which railway station should I travel to?

Use Aberdeen station for the Tall Ship Races Aberdeen event.

Frequent ScotRail train services connect Aberdeen with nearby towns such as Huntly, Insch, Inverurie, Kintore, Dyce, Portlethen, Stonehaven, and Laurencekirk, as well as Scottish cities including Inverness, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Additional seating capacity will be added to ScotRail trains running to and from Aberdeen throughout the event. There will also be extra late night trains to get you home after the concerts on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. These will depart at 23:30 from Aberdeen to Montrose, and at 23:35 from Aberdeen to Inverurie

Longer distance trains, including the Caledonian Sleeper trains, also serve Aberdeen from numerous locations across Britain.

You can plan your journey to Aberdeen by train using our National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner.

Aberdeen station will be open throughout the event. But please note that Aberdeen station pick up and and drop off point will be closed to the public from Friday 18 July, and will reopen on Wednesday 23 July. Blue badge parking spaces and access for taxis will still be available. If this affects your travel plans and you have limited mobility, please contact ScotRail's assisted travel team (details can be found on ScotRail's accessible travel page, or see our Passenger Assistance section below).

Is Aberdeen railway station near to the event?

Yes. The Tall Ships event entrance is just a 10-minute walk from Aberdeen railway station, or you can use public transport to get to the quayside in Port of Aberdeen's North Harbour. The harbour will be transformed into a world-class event space, with a spectacular forest of masts as more than 50 vessels from across the globe berth there, ready to welcome visitors on board.

Where can I find advice, such as arranging Passenger Assistance?

ScotRail’s travel advice page for this event contains some helpful information, a summary of their Passenger Assistance information can be found below.

Passenger assistance:

If you need assistance with your journey with ScotRail, you have two options:

Turn up and go

If you do not have time to book assistance in advance, you can turn up and request assistance from ScotRail's on train staff or station team. Staff are trained to look out for customers that appear to need help on platforms before the train leaves the station.

If you are using an unstaffed station, you can speak to a member of staff via a Help Point.

Book in advance - ScotRail recommend you book passenger assistance

You can book assistance via ScotRail:

• By visiting any staffed station on the ScotRail network.

• Online: Assisted Travel booking form (actioned between 07:00 and 22:00)

• Passenger Assistance App by Transreport: available for download from App Stores; find out more.

• Free Assisted Travel Helpline: 0800 046 1634. Phone bookings can be made any time of day, any day of the week.

• Assisted Travel Textphone: 18001 0800 046 1634 (for deaf and customers who are hard of hearing)

The Passenger Assistance details for ScotRail are listed above. But please note that any train company can organise Passenger Assistance for your entire journey, even if you are travelling on multiple services. Visit the National Rail Passenger Assist page for details.

Can I get an Advance train ticket to travel to Aberdeen?

You can make your journey easier by buying your train tickets in advance.

A full range of train tickets, including Advance tickets when available, can be purchased before your journey to Aberdeen. Some train companies offer seat bookings too – check out our Advance tickets page for more information on the savings that can be made for your trip.

Can I use my Railcard to buy tickets?

Yes. You can use your Railcard on tickets, including Advance tickets, for even more savings on your journey to and from Aberdeen. A Railcard saves up to 1/3 on rail fares across Britain and is just £35 for 1 year. Once you purchase your Railcard, you can download your card straight to your phone – it couldn’t be easier. With average annual savings of up to £188, you’ll have made the cost of your Railcard back in just 1 or 2 trips. Find the best Railcard for you at Railcard.co.uk.