How To Get Around Glasgow Easily & Cheap

Getting to the city

Glasgow international airport (GLA) is located 13 kilometres west of Glasgow city centre at Renfrewshire. The major airline operators are British Airways, Easy Jet and Loganair. Other operators include Flybe, Thomas Cook Airlines, Jet2, TUI Airways etc. Over 130 flights connect this airport with important European cities that include London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Geneva, Dusseldorf etc.

Airport Express Bus: Buses are comfortable with extra luggage storage, free 4G wifi and USB charging points. You will get a bus every 10 minutes and 24 hours a day round the year except on Christmas day. Journey time is around 15 minutes. A single journey ticket costs 8 Pounds and an open return ticket is 12 Pounds for an adult.

You can purchase a ticket from the Scotland desks located at domestic arrival area, on board from the driver using contactless, credit or debit card or by cash. You can also purchase it online. A good option is to buy an mTicket using the mobile app. You can download the app from mTickets Site.

If you are flying into Edinburgh, you can take an Express Bus to reach Glasgow (takes 50 minutes).

Train: Train is another option to get into the city but for that you need to take McGill’s 757 route bus to reach Paisley Gilmour Street train station (around 1.5kilometres from the airport). From there you will get a train almost every 5 minutes (peak hours) to reach Glasgow central station. Journey time is around 10 minutes and a single journey ticket costs around 3.80 Pounds. First train leaves at 6:29am and the last one departs at 12:17am. Ticket can be purchased from vending machines at the station or online from ScotRail’s website.

Taxi: Taxis are pricey but a comfortable option. You will find taxi stand outside UK arrival and it takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes to reach. Approximate fare is 16.50 Pounds. Taxis are available 24 hours. To call a taxi you can dial 0141 889 1813. You can also rent a car at the airport.

You can choose from a wide range of private transport and transfer services (including airport transfers) and book online from this Viator site.

Public Transport

SPT or Strathclyde Partnership Transport is the main operator for public transportation in Glasgow and Strathclyde area along with partner companies like ScotRail, First Bus, National Express Coaches and few others.

Bus

First Bus is the leading bus operator in Glasgow and Buchanan Bus Station is the main bus terminus. Presently First Bus is operating over 100 routes to connect greater Glasgow area. You can easily visit bustling west end, historic cathedral and other parts of the city from city centre by bus. Even on weekends there are 9 night bus services that operate from city centre area. You can get detailed time table and online tickets by visiting First Bus official website www.firstgroup.com.

While waiting at a bus stop, you should raise your hand when you see your bus approaching, otherwise it may not stop. While in the bus, press the red button when your stoppage is approaching to let the driver know. Ticket from the driver can be purchased by tendering exact fare, so keep changes. To know operating times of various routes, visit Bus Timetables.

City Link buses connect Glasgow with major destinations of Scotland especially the northern part of the country. Southern part of Scotland is better connected by Megabus and National Express Coaches. You can also get around Glasgow city on Megabus.

Glasgow Hop on hop off bus ride is another great way to explore Glasgow. You can choose from 7 different languages for audio commentary while travelling on this open top bus. There are 21 stops in the entire sightseeing route. Operating time is from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Service frequency varies from 10 minutes to 30 minutes depending on season. A single day ticket costs 14 Pounds and a 2 day ticket (valid for 2 consecutive days) is 15 Pounds.

There is another ticket which is valid for 1 day hop on hop off and single day unlimited ride by Subway and it costs 17 Pounds for an adult. Tickets can be purchased from the driver on board or at the George Square stop (starting point) from the pavement staff who accept both cash and card. Purchasing online will get you some additional discount.

Subway

Subway or the Metro Rail system of Glasgow is over 120 years old and world’s 3^rd oldest underground system after London and Budapest. Two circular lines operate clockwise and anticlockwise to connect the 15 stations around the city centre and Glasgow West End. The trains are orange in colour and therefore locally known as Clockwork Orange. It takes only 24 minutes to complete one circle.

The subway operates from 06:30 to 23:40 Monday to Saturday and 10:00 to 18:12 on Sundays. Service interval is 5 minutes during peak hours. You can reach almost all major points of the city by subway. Get ticketing, timetable and route details from http://www.spt.co.uk/subway/. Subway Smartcard is a smart option for longer stays and multiple rides.

Train

There are two rail stations in Glasgow. The main station is Glasgow Central (GLC) from where you can move southward to reach Kilmarnock, Ayr etc. Glasgow Central is also connected with London and other destinations of England. Apart from ScotRail, Virgin Trains also operate from Glasgow Central. The other station is Glasgow Queen Street Station (GLQ). This station mainly connects northern and eastern part of Scotland like Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth etc.

The best way to explore greater Glasgow is to purchase a Roundabout ticket that will give you unlimited access to over 110 train stations in greater Glasgow area as well as to Subway. See ticketing section above for more details.

Ferry

Glasgow does not have its own ferry port. The nearest port is Troon (Ayrshire) located towards southwest of Glasgow city centre at a distance of 55 Kilometres. There are seasonal ferry service available (during summer) between Troon and Larne (Northern Ireland). Further southwest from Troon is Loch Ryan Port of Cairnryan. Distance from Glasgow city centre is around 129 kilometres. This port connects Belfast and Larne (Northern Ireland) by ferry, 6 and 9 times daily. Both ports are well connected with Glasgow by bus and trains.

Taxi

Black taxis with taxi signage on the roof are easily available in the city. Taxi fare in Glasgow is the cheapest in UK; 5 Pounds for every 2 miles (roughly 3 kilometres). The fare is higher during public holidays especially during Christmas and New Year. Charges vary depending upon companies. Hackney taxi charges 2 Pounds extra on normal rate while Glasgow taxi charges 2.2 Pounds extra. To call a taxi you can dial 0141 429 7070.

For other private taxis you may call the following numbers…

Network Private Hire- 0141 557 1110

Hampden Cabs- 0141 332 5050

Tickets & Transport Passes

A good ticketing option for a tourist is to buy a smart card. There are mainly three different types of tickets or cards… All Day ticket, Roundabout Ticket and Daytripper Ticket.

All Day Ticket is a day ticket that offers unlimited ride for 24 hours on the Subway. Ticket for an adult costs 4.10 Pounds while a child ticket is 2 Pounds (age 5 to 16 years). All day ticket can be purchased from any Subway station.

Roundabout Ticket offers one day unlimited travel by Subway and ScotRail to over 110 stations within the Greater Glasgow area. Ticket is valid from 9:00am till mid-night on Monday to Friday. It is valid for the whole day during weekends and public holidays. For an adult it costs 7 Pounds and for a child 3.50 Pounds. Tickets are available at manned counters of ScotRail stations and on trains from ticket staff.

Daytripper Ticket is a great option for tourists (especially family or couple) to roam around Glasgow. It is accepted by ScotRail, Subway and most of the buses. It is also accepted by some ferry routes in the Strathclyde region. It allows unlimited ride for a day except in night buses. There are two types; one is for two adults and up to four children which costs 21.80 Pounds and the other one is for one adult and up to two children that costs 12.30 Pounds.

This ticket has to be purchased from ticketing offices or online at zonecard.online. The ticketing offices are at Ayr bus station, Sandgate, Citylink Ticket Office at Buchanan bus station, Ticket office at East Kilbride bus station (only Saturday), Irvine Travel shop at 71 High Street and Kilmarnock bus station. Following bus operators accept Daytripper ticket… First Bus, Stagecoach, Garelochhead Coaches, Stuart Coaches, Whitelaws and Wilson’s of Rhu Ltd.

For longer stay in Glasgow a Subway Smart card is a good option. You get good travel discounts but you need to register online. Registration is free. For more information you may visit www.spt.co.uk.

Glasgow PlusBus ticket/pass is a nice option to travel around greater Glasgow by buses. It is accepted by First Bus, McGill and Stagecoach bus services. It also allows travelling to/from the Glasgow University campus. A day ticket costs 3.80 Pounds for an adult and 1.90 Pounds for a child while. However if you have a Rail card, it costs 2.50 Pounds for an adult. Weekly pass costs 15.50 Pounds.

Tickets can be purchased from any manned ticketing offices at any national railway station, ticket vending machines at selected national rail stations and online from any Scotland based Rail operating websites. Online ticket can be delivered to your address or else you can collect it from a station ticket office or ticket vending machines.

A UK National Railcard gives additional discounts on rail tickets as well as on other passes and tickets.

Read: Great Travel and Transport Passes to get around Glasgow.

Day trips by Train

There are multiple options to take day trips by train and enjoy the marvelous landscapes of Scotland. Because of its location Glasgow is an ideal place to base your day trips and explore the highlands and other tourist attractions.

Visit Loch (Lake) Lomond for a great day trip to western highland. Take a train from Glasgow Queen Street station to Balloch. Trains operate from early morning at an interval of 30 minutes and the journey time is around 40 minutes.

The journey to West Highland line has been voted as World’s best train journey. Take a train from Glasgow Queen Street to Arrochar and Tarbet station. This place is located at the northern part of Loch Lomond. Trains operate from early morning and there are numerous trains throughout the day. The quickest journey time is 46 minutes.

A quaint little town on the Scottish coast is Oban, another great place for a day trip from Glasgow Queen Street station. Average journey time is 3 hours 8 minutes. First train leaves at 5:20am and the last train from Oban for Glasgow is at 8:36pm.

Biking

Glasgow administration actively encourages biking as an eco-friendly transport. There are over 300 kilometres dedicated cycle track in and around the city. You can take either guided bike tours or rent one and explore the city on your own. The public cycle hire scheme in Glasgow is operated and maintained by Nextbike with 43 docking stations and over 400 bikes. You can download Nextbike’s app on your phone to rent a bike quickly. First 30 minute rent is 1 Pound. Know about different cycle routes and other details by visiting www.cycle-route.com.

Car Rentals

Car rental rate in Glasgow depends on the season apart from companies and model. The rate is highest during Christmas and lowest in February. Summer sees moderate rates that start from 15-17 Pounds a day. To hire a self driven car you must be over 21 years and must possess either an IDP (International Driving Permit) or your home-country driving license along with a valid passport. Here are a few well-known car rental companies…

Hertz- hertz.co.uk

Enterprise Rent-A-Car- enterprise.co.uk
Alamo Rent A Car- alamo.co.uk
Avis- avis.co.uk

Scooter/Motorcycle Rentals

Keep in mind that weather condition in Glasgow is quite unpredictable before you go for a scooter hire. You can hire a scooter/motorcycle with your home-country driving license. The rate is higher than car rental. The hire rate varies from 40 Pounds per day up to 200 pounds per day depending upon model, company and the season. Here are a few well known scooter and motorcycle rental companies…

Cupar Motorcycles- cupar.co.uk/bike-hire.php
Rent A Motorcycle- https://rentamotorcycle.co.uk/

2Wheel Travel- http://www.2wheeltravel.co.uk/
Open Roads- https://openroadscotland.com/motorbike-hire-scotland/

Transport Tips

Always keep enough changes while travelling on a bus (if you are not using any day ticket or pass).

Most of the city area is quite walkable. Try to take a guided walking tour.
Private taxis are cheaper than usual black taxis… you need to call one over phone.
You can get the best and most authentic experience of Glasgow by visiting south side and East end of the city.

Your Glasgow visit will be incomplete if you do not take a stroll or a bike ride along the River Clyde. There is a popular saying ‘Glasgow made the Clyde and Clyde made the Glasgow’.
Whenever you need help (such as road direction etc), do not hesitate to ask because people of Glasgow are regarded as the friendliest people in Scotland.