Travel Information - Travelling to and around the city

Getting to Glasgow

Glasgow is easy to reach and a cost effective, whether you’re based in the UK or further afield.

The city is served by three international airports and boasts the largest rail network in the UK outside of London.

• 2 international airports: Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh Airport
• Glasgow Airport is just 15 minutes from the city centre
• Glasgow has two major train stations, Glasgow Central serving the South and Glasgow Queen Street serving Edinburgh and the North. Both stations are located in the heart of the city
• Daily direct trains from London – average journey time is just over 4 hours

Getting around the City

Glasgow is a very compact city and easy to get around on foot.  For ideas of the best routes in the city and surrounding areas to follow by bike, check out the Sustrans website

The city has a very extensive and efficient public transport system:

• Need to travel between Central Station and Queen Street Station? Check out ScotRail's handy walking routes or bus link service at scotrail.co.uk.  A Roundabout ticket gives one-day unlimited travel on ScotRail and Subway services to over 110 stations in the Greater Glasgow area. More information on the Roundabout ticket can be found at spt.co.uk.

• The subway is one of the easiest ways to get around the city centre, west end and southside of Glasgow. Running every 4 minutes at peak times, it takes just 24 minutes to complete a circuit of the 15 stations.  You can either buy a single ticket or, if you’re here for a few days, you might want to get a Subway Smartcard, which offers the best fares and you can top up as you go. Visit the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) website for more information.

• Glasgow Central Station links Glasgow by rail to the south, with Glasgow Queen Street Station operating routes mainly to Edinburgh and the north. Visit the ScotRail website for information on all routes and timetables. 

• First Bus Glasgow operates over 80 routes across the city and has a variety of tickets to choose from, including day tickets allowing unlimited travel in your selected area all day, or a weekly ticket if you’re staying here longer. For the cheapest prices, download the First Bus App where you can buy and store tickets on your phone, plan your journey in advance and track the arrival of your next bus.

  First Bus also operate an express service between the city centre and Glasgow Airport with a journey time of around 15 minutes. Visit glasgowairport.com for more information.

• Glasgow’s cycle hire scheme, OvoBikes, is a cost effective, green and healthy way for delegates to get around the city. Bikes are available to hire from various locations around the city.  Visit OVO Bikes website to find out how it works.

• Taxis in Glasgow are cost effective and easily accessible.  Glasgow Taxis operate 5 and 6-seater cabs in and around the city. If their yellow light is on, they can be flagged down on the street, or alternatively, call +44 (0) 141 429 70 70 to book. Check out the Glasgow Taxis website for more information.