Travel

Getting to Glasgow

Glasgow is located in west central Scotland.

It is Scotland’s largest city and is easily accessible from the rest of the United Kingdom and overseas via plane, train, road and sea.

Airports

Glasgow is served by 3 international airports, with connections across the UK and the world:

  • Glasgow Airport is only 15 minutes from the city centre with an express bus service from outside the terminal.

  • Glasgow Prestwick Airport is very accessible with a 45-minute train or bus ride to the city centre.

  • Edinburgh Airport has a direct bus service from the airport to Glasgow’s Buchanan Bus Station which takes under an hour.

Glasgow Airport provides a fleet of airport taxis. You can access them directly outside the terminal. No pre-booking is required.

To pre-book airport transfers, the University of Glasgow regularly use Glasgow Taxis or there is also an extensive Uber network in Glasgow. You will need to set up the app to access this.

Rail

Glasgow is well connected by train from across the UK by 2 main stations:

  • Glasgow Central Station links Glasgow to the south

  • Glasgow Queen Street Station operates routes mainly to Edinburgh and the north

Avanti West Coast runs several daily services to London with a journey time of approximately 4 hours 30 minutes.

The Caledonian Sleeper connects London to Glasgow with overnight services.

Eurostar international high-speed railway service connects European mainland destinations to Glasgow via London (St Pancras station).

Train travel can usually be booked up to three months in advance. Bookings with all train companies can be made via The Trainline.

Glasgow Green © Glasgow Life / Paul Watt Photography

Getting around Glasgow

Glasgow is easy to get around on foot, by bike, public transport or taxi.

Walk

Plan your route with Glasgow City Council’s walking app. If you have a little more time, the Council also have a number of history and heritage trails to follow.

Cycle

Getting around Glasgow by bike is easy, the City are part of the OVO bikes scheme with a pay as you ride option.

Public Transport

Glasgow is served by a subway, bus network and local rail services.

Travel cards are available for various durations for travel across all three services.

Taxi

The University of Glasgow regularly use Glasgow Taxis or there is also an extensive Uber network in Glasgow. You will need to set up the app to access this. Glasgow Convention Bureau also provide a shortlist of recommended private hire companies.