Glasgow Getting there & around

Getting around

Public transport

Glasgow has an excellent public transport system, especially the rail network. The Roundabout Glasgow ticket (adult/child £4.50/2.25) covers all underground and train transport in the city for a day.

First Glasgow (423 6600; www.firstglasgow.com) has a FirstDay ticket that allows hop-on/off travel on all its buses; it can be bought from drivers for £3 and is valid until 1am. It also covers unlimited travel in the Greater Glasgow area as far as East Kilbride or Paisley.

^ Back to top

Bus & tram

Bus

City bus services are frequent. You can buy tickets when you board buses, but on most you must have the exact change. First Glasgow publishes the complicated but useful Glasgow Mapmate (£1), which shows all local First Glasgow bus routes. Trips around the city cost on average £1. Pick up a copy of the First Glasgow Night Network brochure to find out about services running through until the wee hours.

^ Back to top

Car & motorcycle

The most difficult thing about driving in Glasgow, as with most Scottish urban centres, is the confusing one-way system. If you miss a turn-off, you can end up a long way from your destination, particularly if you get spat out on the motorway encircling the city centre – likely. For short-term parking (30 minutes to two hours) you’ve a decent chance of finding something on the street, especially away from the city centre (around the centre it’s very expensive – 30p for 10 minutes). Otherwise, multistorey car parks are probably your best bet – the St Enoch Centre in the city has free parking. Note that the West End generally, and Great Western Rd in particular, are very busy during the day and bumper to bumper during peak hour (8am to 9.30am and 4pm to 6pm).

^ Back to top

Train

Train & subway

There’s an extensive suburban network of trains in and around Glasgow; tickets should be bought before travel if the station is staffed, or from the conductor if it isn’t.

There’s also an underground line that serves 15 stations in the centre, west and south of the city (single £1). The rail network connects with the Underground at Buchanan St station. The Discovery Ticket (£1.90) gives unlimited travel after 9.30am on the Underground system for a day.

^ Back to top

Local transport

Taxi

There’s no shortage of taxis, and if you want to know anything about Glasgow, striking up a conversation with a cabbie is a good place to start.

You can pay by credit card with Glasgow Taxis (429 7070) if you order by phone; most of its taxis are wheelchair accessible.

^ Back to top