Getting Around, Glasgow Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Glasgow, Scotland, UK)

Central Glasgow is easy to travel around by foot and many of Glasgow's most popular tourist attractions are located in the city centre. However, if you plan to travel further afield, you will need to use the extensive Glasgow public transport system, which includes buses, coaches and Glasgow trains, or alternatively hire a car. Glasgow is located close to many other interesting towns, cities, tourist attractions and important landmarks, and many visitors also travel outside of the city of Glasgow, into the surrounding areas. The Strathclyde Passenger Transport authority has a number of travel centres located at convenient points throughout Glasgow and provides the latest travel information for buses, coaches, trains and Glasgow's underground railway network.

Renting a car is often the preferred method of transport for excursions from Glasgow and it is relatively easy to travel around the Glasgow area by car. There are a number of major roads situated on the outskirts of Glasgow, which provide fast and convenient routes when travelling both to and from Glasgow.

Airports / Arriving by Air

Glasgow is served by a number of airports, the closest and most convenient of which is Glasgow International Airport (GLA). Other airports serving the city include Glasgow Prestwick International Airport (PIK) located 51 km / 32 miles from Glasgow's city centre and Edinburgh Turnhouse Airport (EDI) situated just 67 km / 41 miles from the centre of Glasgow. All these airports are within easy travelling distance of Glasgow by either train, coach or car.

Glasgow Airport (GLA) Guide

Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) Guide

Car Rental

Glasgow is a busy city and is well served by a number of main roads, providing Glasgow with excellent connections throughout Scotland and England. Although the traffic in and out of Glasgow can be heavy during peak commuting hours (07:30 to 09:30 and 16:30 to 19:30), driving in central Glasgow is fairly easy. Several roads in Glasgow are one-way only and part of the city centre is restricted to buses and taxis. Many tourists staying in Glasgow choose to rent cars and these are the best method of transport when travelling outside of the city, to explore the surrounding Scottish countryside and nearby towns, and Edinburgh is less than one hour's drive from Glasgow. There are plenty of parking garages and off-street parking areas available in Glasgow, although many areas are restricted to residents only and parking permits are required. There are also park-and-ride services, where you can park your car on the outskirts of Glasgow and travel into the centre by bus.

Book your Glasgow Car Rental here.

By Foot

Glasgow is exceptionally well pedestrianized and one of the best ways to travel around Glasgow is by foot. This is an popular way to see some of Glasgow's numerous tourist attractions, museums, galleries and landmarks. Finding your way around the centre of Glasgow is very straightforward and many of the town's major sights and attractions are within easy walking distance of each other.

Buses and Coaches

Tel: +44 (0)141 333 3780
Buses in Glasgow are heavily used by both locals and tourists alike and provide a particularly inexpensive way to travel in Glasgow and the surrounding areas. Glasgow buses and coaches travel to many other towns and cities nearby Glasgow, including Edinburgh, and there are also regular bus and coach services that travel to London.

Glasgow buses are frequent and you can buy your tickets when you board the bus, although most buses in Glasgow require the exact change. Bus passes are available for set periods and these can be particularly convenient when travelling in Glasgow and there are bus stops throughout Glasgow, with bus timetables and route information. Glasgow's bus station is the Buchanan Bus Station and is situated in Glasgow's central Buchanan Street. Buses in Glasgow are operated by Scottish Citylink, travelling to Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Fort William and Portree, and also Stagecoach Express, which provides regular bus travel to nearby Edinburgh, St. Andrews, Glenrothes and Dundee.

Coaches in Glasgow are operated by National Express and regularly travel to the London Victoria Coach Station, London Heathrow Airport and also provide direct links to Birmingham, Cambridge, Carlisle, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

Trains

Tel: +44 (0)8457 484950
Glasgow's train service offers good connections throughout Scotland and there is an extensive suburban train network in and around Glasgow. There are two main mainline train stations in Glasgow, the Queen Street Station on West George Street, which serves Edinburgh and the north of Scotland, with regular trains every 15 minutes, and Glasgow Central Station on Gordon Street, which provides travel to the west coast of Scotland and the south of England. Glasgow's train stations are centrally located in Glasgow and are within easy walking distance of each other. Tickets should be purchased before travel if the train station is staffed, or alternatively from the conductor on the train itself.

Glasgow also has a busy underground train network, often referred to as the 'Clockwork Orange', which serves 15 stations in Glasgow city centre, west Glasgow and south Glasgow. This popular underground train system is a single, circular train line that loops between Glasgow city centre and the West End of Glasgow. The Glasgow underground train system is a fast, convenient and inexpensive way to travel in Glasgow and runs between Monday to Saturday from 06:30 to 23:30 and on Sunday from 11:00 to 17:45.

Taxis

Tel: +44 (0)141 429 7070
Taxis in Glasgow are one of the most convenient ways to travel around the Glasgow area and are usually reasonably priced. There is no shortage of taxis in Glasgow and taxis can be easily caught from taxi ranks in Glasgow town centre, or outside of the main railway stations, including Gordon Street, Union Street, North Hanover Street, Buchanan Street and Queen Street, and at Glasgow International Airport. Glasgow's has around 1,500 licenced taxi cabs, which are usually black and easy to identify. Also in quieter areas of Glasgow, taxis can be ordered by telephone and there are a number of reputable taxi firms that your hotel can recommend. Additional taxi charges in Glasgow are often made for luggage, travel late at night, extra passengers and travel on public holidays, and many Glasgow taxis now accept credit cards.

Bicycles

Bicycles are a popular way to travel around recreational areas of Glasgow and much of Glasgow is generally very flat. There are also numerous cycle trails and pathways throughout Glasgow, many of which are particularly scenic. Glasgow has a number of bicycle rental shops available in the Glasgow area, which rent bicycles by the day or week, including mountain bikes.