Dundee Climate and What to Bring
Dundee is a city with very little pollution so the air is fresh and clean. The city benefits from being the sunniest city in Scotland and, as it sits on the east coast, it tends to avoid more extreme winter temperatures. Between December and March you are likely to experience some snow and ice. If you are coming from a hot country you will surely find Dundee colder than your own country. You do not necessarily need to buy a lot of warm clothes (except to travel in) before you arrive here; they are plentiful and possibly cheaper in Dundee. Extra-warm clothing will help you to adjust to the change in temperature.
Average Monthly Temperature Range:
Oct-Jan: 6°C – 17°C
Feb-May: 5°C – 15°C
Jun-Sept: 18°C – 23°C
The power supply in the UK is 230 volts, 50 Hz. Bring an international travel plug, or buy one on arrival to adapt your plug to the UK socket.
A guide to living expenses in Dundee:
| Monthly Expenses | Additional Annual Expenses | ||
| Accommodation | £260 | Household items | £100 |
| Heating | £50 | Books & stationery | £400 |
| Food/household goods | £130 | Warm clothing | £300 |
| Local transport | £30 | Travel outside Dundee | £250 |
| Entertainment | £50 | Baggage/ Freight expenses | £300 |
| Telephone/Internet/Postage | £30 | ||
| Other | £100 |
Prices given are the starting prices for a single room and should be confirmed when you book accommodation. A full list of Dundee’s hotels and guest houses is available from the Dundee Tourist Board on 01382 527527 or www.angusanddundee.co.uk
Please note that it is your responsibility to arrange accommodation before you arrive in Dundee.
| ACCOMMODATION ON ARRIVAL: HOTELS AND B&Bs | SINGLE ROOM B&B PER NIGHT |
TELEPHONE NUMBERS DIALING CODE FROM ABROAD: + 44 (0) |
|
Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa, |
£89 to £220 | 0845 365 0000 |
| Scottish Artist Studio Bed & Breakfast 17a Menzieshill Road |
£20 to £35 £250 per calendar month |
01382 665879 annaanderson@blueyonder.co.uk |
| Hilton Hotel, Earl Grey Place | £79.00 – £161.00 |
01382 229271 |
| Invercarse Hotel, 371 Perth Road |
£77.00 Monday –Thursday £65.00 Friday – Sunday |
01382 669231 |
| Premier Inn, Riverside Drive |
£65.00 (this does not include breakfast) | 0870 197 7079 |
| Premier Inn, Camperdown Leisure Park, Dayton Drive, Kingsway | £60.00 Monday – Thursday £55.00 Friday – Sunday |
0870 990 6420 |
| Shaftesbury Hotel, 41 Shaftesbury Road |
£55.00 | 01382 669216 |
| Landmark Hotel, Kingsway West, Invergowrie |
£60.00 | 01382 641122 |
| Travelodge, West Marketgait | £15 to £35 | 0870 1911801 |
|
GUEST HOUSES |
|
|
|
Alcorn Guest House |
£25 to £35 |
01382 668433 |
|
Andersons Guest House, |
£30 |
01382 668585 |
|
Athol Guest House, |
£30 |
01382 801118 |
|
Cullaig Guest House, |
£23 (B & B) |
01382 322154 |
|
Grosvernor Hotel, |
£45 (B & B) |
01382 642991 |
|
St Leonard’s Guest House, |
£20 or £100 |
01382 227146 |
|
Strathdon Guest House, |
£30 |
01382 665648 |
Accommodation
During your studies in Dundee many students prefer to stay in private rented flats with friends or family. Prices of flats vary depending on the location and facilities of individual properties. You can look for flats using estate agents, property companies or you can browse through the local news paper. Click here for a list of some private letting agencies and links.
Private letting agencies and links
| AKG Property Group 169 Blackness Road Dundee DD1 5PH 01382 666 676 www.akgpropertygroup.com |
J & E Shepherd 13 Albert Square Dundee DD1 1XA 01382 322005 email: management.dundee@shepherd.co.uk |
|
Dudhope Properties |
Albany Property |
|
Dundee District Council |
Dundee-based web sites on accommodation: |
Travelling to Dundee
Once you arrive at one of the two main International airports in Scotland (Edinburgh or Glasgow), you can travel to Dundee either by taking a taxi from the airport (this will cost around £100 or more) or by taking the frequent (and cheap) public bus connections from the airport to Edinburgh city centre and then getting a bus or train to Dundee.
From Edinburgh Airport: The bus link from Edinburgh Airport to City Centre costs £3.50 one way and more details can be found at their website. Tickets can be purchased at the Onward Travel or Airport Information desk in the UK arrivals hall or on the bus itself. The journey takes approximately 25 minutes and terminates at Waverley Bridge, near to both the main railway station (Waverley Station) and the bus station. You can also exit the bus at Haymarket Station, where you can catch a train to Dundee. From Glasgow International Airport: all bus stops are located on the terminal forecourt. There are frequent services to Glasgow city centre and all services have drop-off points at various locations in the city, including close to Queen Street railway station and Buchanan Street bus station, where train and bus lines go to Dundee. Single fare to the city centre is £4.50 and the approximate journey time from airport to city centre is 25 minutes. Check Glasgow Flyer for more information.
By Rail
Dundee is on the main East Coast route with direct services to Newcastle, York and London, and to Carlisle, Preston, Coventry, Birmingham, Oxford, Bristol, Reading, Southampton, Bournemouth and Plymouth. There are overnight sleeper services from London, the south coast and the West Country. Rail journeys to the other major cities in Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow) take approximately 1 ¼ hours, and the regular service from London King’s Cross takes only six hours. The railway station is about 20 minutes walk from the College and there are usual taxis waiting at the station.
Train times can be found from Network Rail, Scotrail, National Rail or by calling the National Rail Enquiries Centre on 08457 484950.
By Coach
Day and night coach services (operated by National Express, Stagecoach, Citylink and Megabus) are available to major cities throughout the UK, including London. Dundee’s main bus station is on Seagate, approximately 20 minutes walk from the College campus. Edinburgh’s main bus station is at St Andrews Square, a two-minute walk from Waverley Railway Station. Glasgow’s Buchanan Street bus station is a five minute walk from Queen Street Railway station.
National Express
Citylink
Megabus
Stagecoach Bus
By Air
Dundee Airport is three miles to the west of the city centre (only five minutes drive from the College). Taxis are available at the airport, and car hire may be pre-arranged. Free car parking is available to all ScotAirways passengers. There are scheduled flights to and from London City as well as Birmingham and Belfast. All flights connect with many other international destinations. Further information on flights to Dundee airport is available from ScotAirways (08701 424 343), Eastern Airways (01652 680 600) or Dundee Airport Information Desk (01382 662 200).
Scotland’s international airports, which can all be reached by road within two hours or less, are:
- Edinburgh – 0844 481 8989
- Aberdeen – 0844 481 6666
- Glasgow – 0844 481 5555
- Prestwick – 0871 223 0700
Finding the Al-Maktoum College
From Dundee Rail Station
We are a 10-15 minute walk from the train station. Otherwise, taxis are available upon request from outside the station. It will only take a few minutes and cost around £5.
By Bus
We are just 10 minutes from the City Centre. Buses 22 and 22B stop in front of the College’s main door.
Local Transport
Travel Dundee, part of National Express Group plc, operates a comprehensive network of high frequency local bus services within the city. With award-winning bus shelters, modern fleets and real-time information, catching a bus is now easier and more enjoyable than ever before.
Tickets and Prices
There are a range of tickets, saver fares and travel cards that offer great flexibility and value for your Travel Dundee journeys. There are a number of ways you can buy a ticket to travel on buses. The easiest way is to get on board and ask your driver for the best ticket for your journey. Alternatively visit Dundee Travel Info for more information about travelling around Dundee.
Taxis
There are several taxi companies in Dundee; here are a few of them:
- Dundee Private Hire – 01382 203020
- 505050 Taxis – 01382 455 222
- Skycabs – 01382 500 555
- Tay Taxis – 01382 450 450
