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Getting There By Air:

Glasgow International Airport (GLA)
Tel: 0870 040 0008.
Website: www.baa.co.uk

Glasgow International Airport is located 13km (8 miles) to the west of the city center. It is Scotland’s busiest airport, with around 9 million passengers per year, flying to approximately 80 destinations.

Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, left luggage, shops, duty-free shops, business lounge, meeting rooms, Wi-Fi access, family lounge, play areas, baby-care rooms, bars, cafes, restaurants, tourist information and prayer room. Wheelchairs, toilets and telephones for the disabled are also available. Car hire companies that are represented include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and National.

Transport to the city: There are rail connections (see Getting There By Rail) to Glasgow Central station from Paisley Gilmour Street station, which is 1.6km (1 mile) from the airport. There are trains every day (journey time – 11 to 15 minutes). Paisley Gilmour Street station is linked to the airport by bus 66.

A new airport rail link has been approved and is expected to connect Glasgow Airport with Glasgow Central station by the end of 2010.

The M8 motorway links the airport with the city. The Glasgow Flyer bus, operated by Arriva (tel: 0870 040 4343; website: www.glasgowflyer.com), runs regularly to the city center. Stops include Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street railway stations as well as Buchanan bus station (journey time – approximately 20 minutes).

Metered taxis are available 24 hours a day from the front of the main terminal building (journey time – 20 minutes). Cabfly (tel: (0141) 848 4588) is the taxi management company for the airport. The fare from the airport to the city center is about £18-20.

Traveline (tel: 0871 200 2233; website: www.traveline.org.uk) provides information on all public transport.


Glasgow Prestwick International Airport (PIK)
Tel: (01292) 511 000 or 0871 223 0700.
Website: www.gpia.co.uk

Prestwick International Airport is located on the coast, 52km (32 miles) to the southwest of Glasgow, offering limited scheduled services as well as charter flights.

Airport facilities: Facilities include a tax- and duty-free shop, ATMs, bureau de change, newsagent, gift shop, prayer room, left luggage, cafes, bars, Internet kiosks and Wi-Fi access. Car hire is provided by Avis, Alamo, Europcar, Hertz, National and Sixt.

Transport to the city: Prestwick Airport has its own railway station, connected to the airport by a covered walkway. First ScotRail (tel: 0845 755 0033; website: www.firstscotrail.co.uk) operates a service with trains departing for Glasgow Central station regularly.

The A77 (which becomes the M77) is the main road route to the city (journey time – 40 minutes). Stagecoach (tel: (01292) 613 700 or (0141) 552 4961; website: www.stagecoachbus.co.uk) runs a coach service to Glasgow Buchanan bus station. The X77 service runs every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays (journey time – 50 minutes). For travel last thing at night, the bus X99 runs to Glasgow and bus X100 to Edinburgh. Pre-book on the airport’s website.

Passengers of certain airlines flying from Prestwick International Airport are entitled to a 50% reduction in their First ScotRail or Stagecoach fares to the airport from anywhere in Scotland.

Taxis are available from Ayr Black Taxis (tel: (01292) 471 600; website: www.ayrblacktaxis.com) for the half-hour journey to Glasgow’s city center.


Approximate flight times to Glasgow: From London is 1 hour 15 minutes; from New York is 6 hours 40 minutes; from Los Angeles is 11 hours 40 minutes; from Toronto is 6 hours 20 minutes and from Sydney is 23 hours 5 minutes.

Getting There By Road:

Traffic in Britain drives on the left and overtakes on the right. Main roads are designated by a letter, followed by up to four numbers – an ‘M’ indicates a motorway, ‘A’ a major trunk road and ‘B’ a minor road. The speed limits are 113kph (70mph) on motorways, 97kph (60mph) on single-lane main roads and 48kph (30mph) in built-up areas. Seat belts are compulsory and motorcyclists must wear helmets. The maximum amount of alcohol allowed in the blood while driving is 0.08%.

The minimum age for driving is 17 years. Overseas driving licenses and International Driving Permits are valid for driving in Britain for up to one year. Insurance is mandatory. In addition to licenses or permits, overseas visitors using their own car should bring registration documents and check with their insurance company as to whether a Green Card is needed.

Breakdown service and general motoring information is available from The Automobile Association (AA) (tel: 0870 600 0371; website: www.theaa.com), the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) (tel: 0870 572 2722; website: www.rac.co.uk) and Green Flag (tel: 0845 246 1557; website: www.greenflag.co.uk).

Emergency breakdown services: AA (tel: 0800 887 766); RAC (tel: 0800 828 282); Green Flag (tel: 0800 051 0636).

Routes to the city: Glasgow is linked to Edinburgh by the M8 motorway (passing west to the airport and the Clyde Coast) and to England by the M74, which becomes the M6 further south, toward Manchester and Birmingham. From Birmingham, the M40 continues southeast to London. The Clyde Valley Tourist Route, a more scenic route that runs through the valley parallel to the M74, has distinctive brown and white signs to guide motorists.

Approximate driving times to Glasgow: From Edinburgh – 1 hour; Manchester – 3 hours 50 minutes; London – 7 hours.

Coach services: Coaches arrive at Buchanan bus station, Killermont Street (tel: (0141) 333 3708). Information on all coach and public transport is provided by Traveline (tel: 0871 200 2233; website: www.traveline.org.uk) and bookings are made with the individual operators.

Scottish Citylink (tel: 0870 550 5050; website: www.citylink.co.uk) offers regular coach services between Glasgow and Edinburgh (journey time – 70 minutes). Longer distance services from most major Scottish towns and cities (including Campbeltown, Fort William, Skye, Inverness and Aberdeen) are also available. National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website: www.nationalexpress.com) operates nationwide services from London, Manchester and other destinations.

Getting There By Rail:

Virgin Trains (tel: 0845 722 2333; website: www.virgintrains.co.uk), National Express East Coast (tel: 0845 722 5111; website: www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com) and First Scotrail (tel: 0845 755 0033; website: www.firstscotrail.co.uk) operate the majority of services to Glasgow. National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950; website: www.nationalrail.co.uk) provides 24-hour information for all train companies in the UK. The rail service is not always completely reliable; delays and schedule changes occasionally occur. Rail service can also be pricey at peak times or if not booked in advance.

Glasgow is served by two main rail stations – Glasgow Central station, Argyle Street, has train services from London and other English cities, while Queen Street station, Queen Street, receives services from Edinburgh and the north of Scotland. Facilities at Glasgow Central include a travel center, ATMs, bureau de change, left luggage, shops, cafes and bars. Taxis and car hire are also available nearby, while buses link the station with Queen Street station and Buchanan Street bus station. Facilities at Queen Street station are a little more basic. However, this station is adjacent to the main shopping precinct.

Rail services: Virgin Trains operates West Coast mainline services to London Euston, while National Express East Coast runs services on the East Coast mainline route to London Kings Cross via Edinburgh. There are up to 15 direct services a day and the journey takes between 4 hours 25 minutes and 6 hours. First ScotRail offers a night-train service on the ‘Caledonian Sleeper’ to Euston (journey time – approximately 7 hours). First ScotRail also offers services from Oban, Fort William, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness, as well as a regular service from Edinburgh (journey time – 50 minutes) to Queen Street station and from Carlisle, Largs, Lanark, Ayr, Kilmarnock, East Kilbride, Dumfries and Stranraer to Glasgow Central station.

Getting Around:




Public Transport
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) (tel: 0871 200 2333, for the Traveline information hotline; website: www.spt.co.uk) is the region’s passenger transport authority and manages the underground. You can also obtain information and tickets in person from the Travel Center, St Enoch Square (Monday to Saturday 0830-1730) and at Buchanan bus station (Monday to Saturday 0630-2230 and Sunday 0700-2230). There are also Travel Centers at domestic arrivals at Glasgow Airport and Hillhead underground station.

Glasgow is served by a 15-station underground system known as the ‘Clockwork Orange’ or the Subway, which runs in a 10km (6-mile) loop through the city center and the West End, every four to eight minutes, Monday to Saturday 0630-2330 and Sunday 1000-1800. There are connections to overland rail services at Queen Street station via Buchanan Street underground and to commuter rail services at Partick station. Underground tickets are available from ticket machines or counters, which are located in the station.

The suburban commuter rail network, run by First ScotRail (tel: 0845 755 0033; website: www.firstscotrail.co.uk) on behalf of SPT, is the largest in Britain outside London. Services run between 0630 and 2400, although different services vary, with later starts at the weekend. National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950; website: www.nationalrail.co.uk) provides 24-hour information on timetables and fares. Tickets are available from ticket machines or counters, which are located in the stations.

These services are complemented by an extensive bus network, which is provided by a number of competing operators, with First being the main provider (tel: 0871 200 2233, for the Traveline information hotline; website: www.firstgroup.com). Services run roughly between 0600 and 2300 Monday to Friday, with a slightly later start at the weekend. However, some specific routes continue through the night. Tickets are available (exact change only) from the driver.

The Discovery Ticket pass offers unlimited underground travel for one day (not valid before 0930 Monday to Saturday), while the Roundabout Ticket allows for unlimited travel by train and underground for one day (not valid before 0900 Monday to Friday). The Daytripper Ticket is valid for the underground, rail, most buses and some ferries. Passes are available at Travel Centers and larger rail stations.

Taxis
Taxis are widely available and black hackney cabs can be hailed on the street. All are licensed and have meters fitted. Tipping is appreciated but not compulsory. The largest operator is Glasgow Taxis (tel: (0141) 429 7070; website: www.glasgowtaxis.co.uk).

Driving in the City
Glasgow’s city center is fairly compact and most hotels are centrally located, so a car is not necessary for getting around. Nevertheless, general driving conditions, parking and access generally is good. The rush hours of 0700-0930 and 1600-1830 are best avoided.

There is a 24-hour car park at Concert Square, which is constantly manned. For theatergoers, two ticket machines within the car park offer cheap tickets after 1800, which can be bought before going to the theater. These are valid all evening.

Car Hire
The minimum age for hiring a car is 25 years – drivers aged 23 to 24 years might be able to hire a car, although an extra charge applies. Overseas driving licenses and International Driving Permits are accepted. The hire price includes legal liability, third party and public liability, which are all required by law.

In addition to a number of local car hire operators, Avis, 70 Lancefield Street (tel: (0141) 221 8328 or 0870 608 6339; website: www.avis.co.uk), Budget, Glasgow Airport (tel: 0844 581 2252; website: www.budget.co.uk), Europcar, Kingston Bridge Trading Estate, Unit 4 Watt Street (tel: (0141) 418 0040; website: www.europcar.co.uk), Hertz, 138 Hydepark Street (tel: (0141) 204 1405 or 0870 850 2657; website: www.hertz.co.uk) and National, 76 Lancefield Quay (tel: (0141) 204 1051; website: www.nationalcar.com), are also represented in Glasgow.

Bicycle Hire
Bicycles are available for hire from West End Cycles, 16-18 Chancellor Street, Partick (tel: (0141) 357 1344), and from Alpine Bikes, 4 Couper Street (tel: (0141) 552 8575; website: www.alpinebikes.co.uk).

There are plans to extend the 120km (75-mile) Glasgow Cycle Network to 375km (233 miles). This is expected to be completed by 2012. The network is linked to the 16,093km (10,000-mile) National Cycle Network, which includes a path from Glasgow to Loch Lomond. The national cyclists’ organization, the CTC (tel: 0870 873 0060; website: www.ctc.org.uk), can supply information on local cycling clubs. Sustrans (tel: (0131) 539 8122 or 0845 113 0065; website: www.sustrans.org.uk) provides a list of free cycling publications and information on the National Cycle Network on its website.

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