Getting around Glasgow

Glasgow Airport is only around eight miles from the city centre, and you’ll find a variety of options to get you to where you need to be after touching down in arrivals. If you’re arriving late in the evening or need to head off bright and early, make every second of your holiday count by checking into the Premier Inn hotel near Glasgow Airport. This welcoming spot beside the airport can guarantee you a stress-free night’s sleep before you crack on with your trip.

For the speediest journey into the centre, jump on the Glasgow Airport Express bus. Buses leave every 10 minutes from stance 1 at the airport bus station so you’ll be at Buchanan Street bus station in 25  - very handy if you’re booked into the Premier Inn hotel near Buchanan Streetas it’s just a short wheelie suitcase trundle away. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, USB ports for charging and plenty of luggage space. Plus, it runs a 24 hour service! Single trip adult tickets are £7, a child ticket costs £4.

There are a wide range of  local buses that can drop you off centrally or a little further afield from the centre, too. Look out for numbers 77, 757, 915, X24 and 977 and you can catch all of these buses from outside the airport’s main terminal building. Single fares are £3.30 with a return at £5.

If you’re renting a car for your trip, driving into the centre is simple. The main motorway (M8) is right next to the airport meaning you can jump on quick and head east into the city. Driving will take you around 20 minutes but be sure to bear in mind traffic, taxi queues and shuttle bus pile ups in and around the airport.

Your average taxi ride into the city centre will be around £16.50. The Official Airport Taxi can pick you up from the terminal doors. Other taxi firms will pick you up from the car park pick up point, opposite the airport’s main terminal. The even better news? Taxis operate a 24 hour service so there’s no need to pre-book!

Believe it or not, some people like to cycle the route! Remember that all our hotels are bike friendly, so if it needs a clean or just to be stored, we’ve got everything covered.

Navigating Glasgow is simple thanks to the city’s subway and buses. Nevertheless, this is a city with lots to see, so getting to know the city by foot is a treat. Or just jump on a nextbike - the city’s cycle scheme.

One of the easiest ways to get around the city centre and West End is Glasgow’s subway which runs every few minutes. Pulling in at 15 stations, the six-mile loop only takes 24 minutes to complete. Stations such as Buchanan Street, St Enoch Centre and Patrick all have rail interchange connections, too. Relatively cheap, adult fares start from £1.60 with a day ticket costing £4. However, if you’re planning to stay for a while, it might be worth buying a weekly travelcard or investing in a Smartcard for a few extra discounts.

Glasgow has an extensive bus network with buses running frequently. Mainly run by First Glasgow, one tip to remember is a lot of buses will only accept the exact change for fares so don’t go handing over a fiver to the driver. Whether you’re within the city centre or heading a little further afield around Glasgow, take your pick from single, all day and weekly tickets with all-day fares starting from £4.50.

If anyone’s going to have a little extra local knowledge, it’s a taxi driver. Operated by Glasgow Taxis, hail a classic black cab (available when their yellow ‘taxi’ sign is illuminated) and expect a fare from the city centre to the West End be around £5-£6. Alternatively, mini cabs can be ordered via phone, just look out for their numbers on the back of their vehicle, and they’ll be a little cheaper than a black cab.

Hire a bike from the city’s cycle hire scheme nextbike for a quick and fun way to nip around. After registering, you can pick up a bike 24/7 with rental starting at £1 for the first half hour and find docking stations all over the city centre and West End. Don’t forget to also use the Glasgow Cycling app for cycling routes and more. If you’re bringing your own bike, remember all our Premier Inn hotels are bike friendly, so you can store it, clean it and have it looked after during your stay.

Thankfully, a lot of Glasgow’s city centre is pedestrian-friendly so getting around, finding hidden gems and shopping trips are made all the more easier. Want to know what’s really cool? Glasgow City Council have created the Glasgow Walking app for guided walks around the city that lead you to discover new and hidden places. Check out walkit.com for more community shared walks, too.

Whether you’re venturing out for a day trip somewhere local or heading further afield in the UK, Glasgow has a train station to fit the bill.

Glasgow Central is the major mainline rail terminus and it’s the busiest train station in Scotland used by 38 million people each year. Head here to catch trains that include London Euston, Manchester Airport and Edinburgh but while you’re here, take time to look around. The station is an attraction in its own right, complete with underground tunnels, catacombs and a fantastic glass roof that has 48,000 individual panes of glass. It’s so fascinating, they even run Glasgow Central Station Tours. There’s also a Premier Inn hotel near Glasgow Central Station that’s perfect if you’ve got an early morning train to catch.

Glasgow’s Queen Street station is the city’s second mainline rail station and the smaller of the two. Head here for Glasgow’s northern towns and suburbs, a shuttle service to Edinburgh and inter-city services to destinations in the North of Scotland. There’s also a Premier Inn hotel near Queen Street station should you wish to stay nearby.