Getting There

Fly

The easiest and cheapest way to reach Glasgow from overseas is by air. There are direct flights from North America and Europe. Continental Airlines (www.flycontinental.com) and American Airlines fly from New York and Chicago respectively. Air Canada fly from Toronto. It’s relatively easy to fly to get to Glasgow from Europe and Ireland. Ryanair flies from Paris Dublin and a host of other European cities. BMI Baby fly from Copenhagen, and Easyjet  and KLM from Amsterdam. There are no direct flights to Glasgow from Australia NZ or South Africa – you will need to go via London.

For flights from within the UK, British Airways fly from London and most major British cities. You can also pick up cheap flights from London on Ryanair and Easyjet.

Note: Glasgow has two airports. Glasgow international airport is located 14km southwest of Glasgow, accessible via the Glasgow Airport link bus from Buchanan Street Bus Station in Glasgow’s city centre. Prestwick Airport meanwhile is 30 miles southwest of city and services budget airlines. Trains to and from Central station leave every 30 minutes

Train & Bus

For buses Scottish Citylink links Glasgow to most major towns in Scotland. From further afield try the National Express which runs trains and coaches to/from other major destinations in England. Virgin also runs fast pendolino trains from direct to Glasgow from London. The journey time is roughly 5 hours.

Car

Car hire is a good idea if you plan to combine your visit to Glasgow with a trip around Scotland. But if you are visiting the Glasgow exclusively, public transport is preferable to dealing with the city’s traffic congestion.

Getting Around

Glasgow’s mini-underground rail system covers most of the city centre and the West End (near Glasgow University) and at a flat fare of £1 per trip (or £2.60 for a day ticket) is extremely cheap. If you need to travel further afield Glasgow is serviced by a comprehensive and integrated system of buses and suburban trains. The Travel Centre at St Enoch Square (0141 226 4826) is an invaluable resource for travellers offering information on all aspects of travel in the city and beyond. Also try Traveline Scotland (Tel: 0870 608 2608) Do note that most buses run an ‘exact fare’ policy so have the right coinage or don’t expect change.