Getting here
Glasgow is in west central Scotland. It’s Scotland’s largest city and is easily accessible from the rest of the UK and overseas by train, sea, road, and air.
Train
Glasgow is well connected to the rest of the UK by 2 main train stations:
Glasgow Central Station links Glasgow to the south of the UK.
Glasgow Queen Street Station operates routes mainly to Edinburgh and the north of Scotland.
Visit ScotRail, TransPennine Express, and Avanti West Coast to book your tickets. Alternatively, to view all available routes from across the UK, check out the Trainline.
If you’re travelling from London to Glasgow, the Caledonian Sleeper offers a comfortable overnight train. You’ll arrive refreshed and ready to explore the city. Visit Caledonian Sleeper to book your tickets.
Sea
From Northern Ireland
You can travel to Scotland by ferry from the major ports of Belfast and Larne in Northern Ireland. Ferries dock at Cairnryan in the southwest of Scotland, with a bus service taking passengers to the city centre in 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Visit Stena Line for more information.
From mainland Europe
You can also travel from mainland Europe. You can arrive in either:
Hull is in the northeast of England, where it’s around a 4-hour drive to the Scottish border. The ferry leaves from Rotterdam.
Newcastle is about 2 hours and 40 minutes from Glasgow. The ferry leaves from Amsterdam.
Find out more at P&O Ferries and DFDS Ferries.
Road
Scotland has an extensive motorway road network. Glasgow is linked to the following places:
Edinburgh with the M8.
Stirling with the M80.
West coast of Scotland with the M77.
England on either the A1, M6 or M74.
For more information on Scotland’s road network, visit Transport Scotland.
Air
Glasgow has 3 international airports, with connections across the UK and the world.
Glasgow Airport is the closest airport to the city centre. Catch the express bus service outside the terminal and arrive in Glasgow in around 15 minutes. The teal-coloured buses are fully electric and depart every 10 minutes. Visit Glasgow Airport and First Bus for more information.
Glasgow Prestwick Airport is 32 miles (51km) from Glasgow. It is very accessible, with train and bus services to the city centre. Find out more at Glasgow Prestwick.
Edinburgh Airport is 39 miles (63km) from Glasgow. There is a direct bus service from the airport to Glasgow’s Buchanan Bus Station, which takes around 1 hour. Head to Edinburgh Airport for more information.
There are regular direct trains between Manchester Airport and Glasgow Central. The average journey time is 3 hours and 45 minutes. Find out more at Manchester Airport.
Many London airports fly directly to Glasgow Airport, including:
London City
London Gatwick
London Heathrow
London Luton
London Stanstead
If you can’t get a direct flight to Glasgow or Edinburgh, London Heathrow is a common entry point for international travellers.
Visas
Most travellers to the UK, except British and Irish citizens, need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit or transit. Visit our useful information page for guidance.
Page last updated: October 2025