Logistics
Ground transport options - EDI to St Andrews
Train
There are trains to Leuchars from all three Edinburgh stations (Waverly, which is deepest into Edinburgh and furthest from the airport; Haymarket, which is closer to the airport; and Gateway, which is closest to the airport but probably only has one train per hour). Haymarket and Gateway can both be accessed by trams from the airport. It's also possible to take a bus (747) from the airport to Inverkeithing (which is on the way from Edinburgh toward Leuchars) and catch the train there. The duration of travel between the airport and St Andrews is fairly similar whether you go through Haymarket or Gateway or Inverkeithing (usually 1.5-2 hours), so it really just depends which option is most convenient at a given time. Googlemaps generally offers up-to-date information about transport options.
If one takes the train, it's probably best to purchase an open-ended return ticket (the return can be taken any time within a month of the initial trip), which is much cheaper than buying two separate tickets. These tickets can be purchased with a card or cash in a machine or at a ticket counter. Tram tickets can also be purchased with a card at a machine. Bus tickets must be purchased on board with cash.
Shuttles
There are also a couple shuttle services that go directly from the airport to any destination in St Andrews. These range between £19-35 per person (for a spot in a share taxi, with prices depending partly on how many others sign up for the same ride), or as little as £60-70 for an entire vehicle. Large vehicles can be arranged if necessary. Particularly for those traveling at the same time or with lots of bags, this would be most convenient.
One service operates through facebook and requires messaging the page to ask about availability/prices at a given time. They can take individual people in share taxis or provide entire vehicles: https://www.facebook.com/standrewstaxishuttle/ Two others just have online sign-ups: https://www.standrewsshuttle.com/ http://www.standrewsairporttransfer.co.uk/
The local scoop
“What I and most of my friends do is catch the train from the relatively new station, Gateway, which is effectively now the airport station, reached by a tram ride from the central part of the airport, that takes just a few minutes to get to Gateway, and the train takes you to the St Andrews local station, Leuchars.
That train ride is nice, taking you over the Forth Bridge and then along the coast for part of the journey, where you see sea and beaches. I prefer that to sitting in a taxi/shuttle on the road, which takes about 1.5 hours anyway, so would not get you here much sooner.
The main alternative is the taxi/shuttle options . . . which I suppose might be preferred if you had a lot of luggage to cart.”
Leuchars to your Final Destination
Either take the bus from Leuchars to your final destination and then walk from the nearest bus stop, or take a taxi from Leuchars to your final destination. The bus and the taxis leave from the same place. It should be easy to find. The bus runs every 10 mins during the day and every 30 mins during the evening. It takes 15 mins to get to St Andrews and costs £3.40 before 7pm (with an even more discounted rate for students) and £2 after 7pm. This bus runs between St Andrews and Dundee, so visitors should just be sure to get the one going in the direction of St Andrews. The St Andrews bus stop (St Andrews Stagecoach Depot) is probably a 5-minute walk from McIntosh Hall and a 5-10 minute walk from the B&Bs.
McIntosh Hall: Abbotsford Cres, St Andrews KY16 9HT, UK +44 1334 467035
Cleveden House: 3 Murray Pl, St Andrews KY16 9AP, UK +44 1334 474212
Nethan Guest House: 17 Murray Park, St Andrews KY16 9AW, UK +44 1334 472104
Five Pilmour Place: 5 Pilmour Place, Saint Andrews KY16 9HZ, UK +44 1334 478665
Check-in information
Room check-in is at McIntosh Hall when you arrive. Reception is open until 22:00. After that you will have to call a phone number to reach a warden, who will check you in. Once you are settled in, you may have time to orient yourselves to campus before DISI check-in and dinner at the dorm followed by our opening reception at Lower College Hall.
DISI "registration" is at McIntosh Hall on July 29 from 14:00-18:00. Erica, Jacob, and Stephanie will greet you there! If you are checking in late and won't be able to pick up your registration materials, please let us know.
Safety and dorm liability
McIntosh Hall info.
Please review the McIntosh Hall Safety Briefing, which you will need to sign for submission after your in-person safety briefing.
Google map of DISI - below
Things to do and see around St Andrews
Please take a look at this very thorough tourist guide Erica Cartmill expertly compiled!
DISI dress code
There is no dress code for DISI, but some have asked about the level of formality. We don't consider ourselves are particularly formal bunch, and some of the days will be long, so we suggest wearing what you feel comfortable and productive in. There will be a nicer dinner or two at which you will spend time with some of the grantees of TWCF and DISI faculty, so consider what you'd be most comfortable in in that setting and have an outfit for that. But most of the time things will be pretty casual.