Glasgow Airport to the City Centre – Transport Guide

Glasgow Airport (GLA) sits at Paisley, about 13 kilometres west of the centre, and getting from Glasgow Airport to the city centre is one of the easiest airport journeys in the UK. There are no trains directly from the terminal, but the Glasgow Airport Express, bus 500, runs around the clock from just outside the door to Central Station and Buchanan Bus Station in 15 to 25 minutes. For most people the bus is the best choice, and it’s also the cheapest.

If you land late, are travelling as a group with lots of luggage, or are staying in the West End or Southside, a taxi or an Uber can be worth the money. Here you’ll find all the options with prices, journey times and stops, and I’ll also explain how to get into the city from Glasgow Prestwick Airport further south. All prices are given in British pounds.

Quick overview: Glasgow Airport to city centre

• Glasgow Airport Express 500: no more than £2 for a single ticket thanks to the Scottish fare cap, 15 to 25 minutes to Central Station, Queen Street and Buchanan Bus Station, up to every 10 minutes and around the clock.
• Bus 77: the same low fare, a slower journey via Renfrew, Govan and Partick to the West End and Buchanan Bus Station, from early morning until late evening.
• Bus 757 and train via Paisley: a short bus ride to Paisley Gilmour Street and from there a train to Glasgow Central in about 11 minutes, from £2.45 for the train.
• Taxi: around £30 to £40 to the centre on the meter, 15 to 25 minutes without traffic.
• Uber: an UberX is typically around £28 to the centre, and pick-up is from the zones by the car park.
• Private transfer: from around £26 per person, with the driver waiting in the arrivals hall.
• Hire car: the rental companies are right by the terminal, and the M8 motorway takes you into the city or on towards Loch Lomond and the Highlands.
• Glasgow Prestwick (PIK): its own railway station by the terminal and two trains an hour to Glasgow Central in 45 to 55 minutes.

How to find the transport at the airport

Glasgow Airport has one terminal building with a smaller section called T2 at one end, so you can’t get lost. Once you’ve come through baggage reclaim and customs, you’ll be in the arrivals hall on the ground floor, and from here you walk straight out onto the forecourt in front of the terminal. The buses stop at the stances just outside the building: the Airport Express 500 leaves from stance 1, while bus 77 leaves from stance 6. There are signs everywhere and the stances are numbered, so finding the right one is easy.

The taxi rank is also just outside the terminal, while Uber picks up in zones A, B and C by the car park opposite the building. The car hire companies have their desks just outside the main terminal near domestic arrivals, and a few are at T2. If someone is collecting you by car, they can wait in the short-stay pick-up area in the multi-storey car park in front of the terminal, or for free for up to an hour in the long-stay car park, from where a free shuttle bus runs to the terminal.

1. Glasgow Airport Express 500 to Central, Queen Street and Buchanan

Glasgow Airport Express, route 500, is the official airport bus. It’s run by First Glasgow with modern electric buses that have free Wi-Fi, charging at the seats and room for suitcases. The bus leaves from stop 1 just outside the terminal, takes the M8 motorway towards the city and reaches the centre in around 15 minutes when traffic is flowing. From the airport it stops on Bothwell Street near Central Station, at Queen Street Station, on North Hanover Street and finally at Buchanan Bus Station, which you reach after about 25 minutes. Allow a little longer at rush hour.

The best thing about the bus is the timetable. It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as often as every 10 minutes during the day and less frequently at night, so it’s a genuine option even if your flight lands after midnight. You’ll find the timetable, the stops and any diversions due to roadworks at First Glasgow.

Fares and tickets

Glasgow and the rest of the Strathclyde region are part of the Scottish bus fare cap scheme for single tickets, and First Glasgow says this also applies to the airport bus. That means a single on the 500 costs no more than £2, while without the cap it costs £11. Return tickets aren’t covered by the cap, so a return at £17.50 is poor value while the scheme is running, and you’re better off buying two singles. You can read about the scheme at Transport Scotland, and I’d always check the fare in the First Bus app before you travel.

You can buy your ticket in the First Bus app, online or from the driver, who accepts both cash and contactless payment by card or phone. If there are several of you, each person needs their own ticket. Children and young people under 22 with a Scottish travel card travel free, but this only applies to Scottish residents, so as a visitor you’ll pay the standard fare.

Where should you get off?

Bothwell Street by Central Station: The first stop in the centre and the right one if you’re staying around Central Station, Argyle Street or the western part of the City Centre. From the stop it’s a couple of minutes’ walk to the station entrance on Gordon Street. Many of the city’s mid-range hotels are here, and you can, for example, check prices at Motel One Glasgow, which is on Oswald Street right by the station.

Queen Street Station: The stop at the city’s other main railway station, where trains to Edinburgh and the Highlands depart. George Square is right next door, and from here it’s a few minutes’ walk to Merchant City with its restaurants and bars. If you’d like to stay in that area, you can see hotels in Merchant City here.

Buchanan Bus Station: The final stop at the northern end of Buchanan Street, where long-distance coaches to the rest of Scotland depart. Buchanan Street Subway station is a few minutes’ walk away, and from there you can carry on to the West End if you don’t want to take bus 77. If you’re unsure which part of the city suits you, read my guide to where to stay in Glasgow, where I go through the areas and hotels.

2. Bus 77 to Partick and the West End

Bus 77 is First Glasgow’s regular local route between the airport and the city centre, and it leaves from stop 6 outside the terminal. Unlike the airport bus, it doesn’t use the motorway but runs through Renfrew, past Braehead shopping centre and the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Govan, before crossing the river to Partick and continuing past Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and Charing Cross to Buchanan Bus Station. The journey therefore takes considerably longer than on the 500, and you should allow at least 45 minutes to the West End.

On the other hand, the bus is brilliant if you’re staying in the West End or Finnieston, as it stops at Partick and Kelvingrove, where the 500 doesn’t go at all. It’s also covered by the fare cap, so a single costs the same as on the airport bus, and it runs roughly every 15 minutes during the day and less often in the evening, from early morning until late evening. If you land in the middle of the night, it’s the 500 or a taxi. If you’re staying among the cafés and parks of the West End, you can see hotels in the West End here.

Here’s my honest verdict: bus 77 isn’t for you if you’re heading to the City Centre, as you’ll sit on the bus twice as long for the same fare. But if you’re not in a hurry and you’re going to the West End, you’ll save both a change and a taxi. If you want to know what to see once you’ve arrived, I’ve gathered the best things to see in Glasgow in a separate guide.

3. Bus 757 and train via Paisley Gilmour Street

Glasgow Airport has no railway station, but the nearest one, Paisley Gilmour Street, is just over a mile and a half from the terminal. From here ScotRail runs up to a couple of trains every 15 minutes to Glasgow Central, taking around 11 minutes, and there are also trains towards Ayr, Largs and Gourock on the coast. A ticket to Glasgow Central costs from £2.45 each way when you buy a return, and you can buy it from the machines at the station or in the ScotRail app. Train times and fares are at ScotRail.

To get from the airport to the station, take McGill’s bus 757, which runs between Clydebank and Paisley and stops at the terminal. Take it in the direction of Paisley and allow 10 to 15 minutes to the station. The bus runs roughly every half hour during the day and less often in the evening, from just before 6am until late evening, and it’s also covered by the £2 fare cap. The route and stops are at McGill’s.

To be honest, this option is only worth it in a few cases. For getting from Glasgow Airport to the city centre, the Airport Express 500 is both quicker and easier, because you avoid the change. The train via Paisley makes sense if you’re heading on towards the Ayrshire coast, Largs or Gourock, if you’re staying in Paisley, or if the roads into the city are heavily congested and you’d rather sit on a train than a bus.

4. Taxi from Glasgow Airport

The taxi rank is just outside the terminal, and the airport’s own white taxis, around 180 cars, are waiting around the clock, so there’s no need to book in advance. In the evening and when several flights land at once, though, there can be a bit of a queue. The taxis are metered, and there’s no official fixed fare to the city centre. You can read more on Glasgow Airport’s taxi page.

Expect to pay around £30 to £40 to the City Centre and Merchant City, and a bit more to the far end of the West End or Southside. The journey takes 15 to 25 minutes when there’s no traffic on the M8. Treat these as rough prices, as fares are adjusted regularly. Most taxis take cards, but ask before you get in.

A taxi makes sense if you land late and you’re tired, if you have a lot of luggage, or if you’re heading somewhere far from the bus stops. But with the fare cap on the bus, the difference is big: four people can ride the 500 for £8 in total. For one person going to the city centre, a taxi is pure luxury.

5. Uber from Glasgow Airport

Uber operates from Glasgow Airport, and pick-ups are from zones A, B and C in the car park area opposite the terminal. When you come out of the arrivals hall, leave the building, walk straight ahead towards the car park and follow the signs to the zones; the app will tell you which zone your car is waiting in. Uber gives average prices of around £28 for an UberX to the city centre and around £41 for a larger UberXL, but the price follows demand. You can see the details at Uber.

The advantage is that you know the price before you set off, and you don’t have to explain the address. Price-wise, Uber is usually a little cheaper than a taxi, but more expensive when lots of flights land at once. Wait until you have your luggage before booking, as the walk to the pick-up zone takes a few minutes and the driver isn’t allowed to wait long.

6. Private transfer

A private transfer is a pre-booked car with a driver who waits in the arrivals hall with your name on a sign and drives you straight to your hotel’s door. In Glasgow, it’s honestly not necessary for most people, as the airport is so close to the city that both the bus and taxis do the job perfectly well. Prices start at around £26 per person, so it makes most sense if you want the price sorted before you leave home, if you have children and need a child seat, or if you’re a larger group needing a minibus.

Book a private transfer from Glasgow Airport here.

Remember to enter your flight number when booking so the driver can keep track of any delays, and check how many people and suitcases the price covers. The transfer must be booked at least 10 hours in advance, so it’s not something you can arrange in the arrivals hall.

7. Car hire from Glasgow Airport

Glasgow Airport is one of the best places to pick up a car for a road trip around Scotland. Avis, Dollar Thrifty, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt all have desks at the airport, and most are just outside the main terminal near domestic arrivals, while a few are based at T2. You’ll find the overview on the airport’s car hire page. The easiest way to compare prices is via car hire at Booking.com.

The airport sits right next to the M8 motorway, so you’re in the city in 15 to 20 minutes, and via the Erskine Bridge and the A82 you can reach Loch Lomond in under an hour. From there the road continues to Glencoe, Fort William and the Isle of Skye, and I’ve written about a road trip to the Highlands with Glencoe and the Isle of Skye if you’d like some inspiration. If you’re staying in several places along the way, you can also read my guide to where to stay in Scotland.

In Glasgow itself, however, a car is mostly a hindrance. The city centre has a Low Emission Zone where non-compliant vehicles are fined £60, and the fine doubles for repeat offences, so check that your hire car meets the rules and read more at Glasgow City Council. Parking in the centre is expensive, and most hotels have no free parking. My recommendation is therefore to take the bus into the city and only pick up the car at the airport on the day you head out into the countryside.

From Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) to the city centre

Glasgow Prestwick is the city’s second airport, located at Prestwick in Ayrshire, about 50 kilometres south-west of Glasgow, so even though the name says Glasgow, it’s a completely different journey. On the plus side, the airport has its own railway station, Prestwick International Airport, connected to the terminal by a covered walkway. From here, ScotRail runs two trains an hour to Glasgow Central, and the journey takes 45 to 55 minutes. Trains run from around 6am until just after midnight, and on Sundays from around 9am to 11pm, so check the timetable if you land late, or early on a Sunday.

There’s no ticket office at the station, so you buy your ticket online, in the ScotRail app or from the conductor on the train. ScotRail quotes fares from around £6.20 each way when you buy a return, and the airport says air passengers can get half price on the standard fare by showing their flight confirmation to the conductor, so have it ready. Alternatively, Stagecoach’s express bus X77 runs between Ayr and Buchanan Bus Station, stopping on the A79 outside the airport, and takes around 45 minutes to Glasgow. Taxis wait just outside the terminal, but the ride to Glasgow is long and expensive. All the options are listed at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

Getting back to the airport

To get to Glasgow Airport, take the Airport Express 500 from Buchanan Bus Station, where it leaves from stance 46, or from one of the stops in the city centre. The route to the airport isn’t quite the same as the one coming in, and it’s sometimes diverted because of roadworks in the centre, so check your nearest stop in the First Bus app the evening before. Because the bus runs around the clock, it’s also a good option for early morning flights, but allow extra time during the morning rush hour, when the M8 is often packed.

A taxi or an Uber from the city centre costs roughly the same as on the way in, and both can be booked for a specific time. If someone is driving you, they can drop you off in the short-stay drop-off area in the car park in front of the terminal for £7 for up to 15 minutes, or for free for up to an hour in the long-stay car park, from where a shuttle bus runs to the terminal. If you’re returning a hire car, follow the signs for car rental return and fill up the tank beforehand, otherwise the rental company will add a fee.

Glasgow Airport isn’t big, but on mornings during the holidays there can be long queues at security, so be there 2 hours before departure. If you’re flying home from Prestwick, remember that the train only runs twice an hour and starts later on Sundays, and plan accordingly.

Which option should you choose?

Here’s my recommendation based on where you’re staying:

City Centre and Central Station: Take the Airport Express 500 to Bothwell Street by Central Station for no more than £2. You’ll be there in about 15 minutes and can walk to most hotels in the centre.

Merchant City and George Square: Take the 500 bus to Queen Street Station or North Hanover Street, then it’s a few minutes’ walk from there.

West End and Finnieston: Take the 77 bus to Partick or Kelvingrove if you’re not in a hurry. Otherwise, take the 500 to Buchanan Bus Station and continue on the Subway, or grab a taxi for around £30 to £40 if there are several of you with luggage.

Southside: Here I’d take a taxi or an Uber, as there’s no direct bus from the airport, and by bus you’ll have to change in the city centre.

If you land at night: The Airport Express 500 runs around the clock, so it’s still the cheapest option. Taxis also wait at the terminal, and Uber runs all night.

Heading on to Edinburgh: Take the 500 to Queen Street Station, where trains to Edinburgh Waverley run several times an hour. If you’re landing in Edinburgh instead, I have a guide to getting from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre, and for accommodation, a guide to where to stay in Edinburgh.

Touring Scotland: Pick up your hire car at the airport, either when you land or on the day you leave the city, so you avoid driving and parking in the centre.

Practical tips for getting from Glasgow Airport to the city centre

Buy single tickets for the bus. The fare cap only applies to single tickets, so a return or a day ticket on the airport bus costs more than two single journeys. Check the price in the First Bus app before you travel, as the scheme is a political decision that could change.

Have your card ready. The driver on the 500 takes contactless payment, so there’s no need to have cash on you before you land.

Check which airport you’re landing at. Many low-cost routes fly to Glasgow Prestwick rather than Glasgow Airport, and the two airports are about an hour’s journey apart. If your ticket says PIK, it’s the train from Prestwick you’ll need.

Don’t get into just any car. Use the taxi rank outside the terminal or a car you’ve booked yourself in the app, and don’t accept offers from drivers who approach you in the arrivals hall.

Expect rain. The bus stops and taxi rank are outdoors, and the weather in Glasgow changes quickly, so keep a jacket in your hand luggage. If you’re heading on to the Highlands, you can read my guide to where to stay on the Isle of Skye before you get behind the wheel.

Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇

• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers

Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?