Local Travel
An earlier version of this article was originally published in January 2024 for Landing Zone, the Glasgow 2024 Blog. It was written by Mark Meenan, Facilities Division Head.
Taxis
Glasgow Taxis (https://www.glasgowtaxis.co.uk/) are the distinctive black cabs you see around the city — you can book them, but you can also hail them if you see one passing in the street. (If available, the yellow taxi sign will be lit.) There are a number of taxi ranks around the city where you can pick one up — notably, outside both Central and Queen Street stations, as well as outside the Armadillo at the SEC itself. They have their own app you can install.
GlasGO Cabs (https://glasgocabs.co.uk/) is a newer company that covers the city. These cabs must be booked in advance; they have their own app as well.
There are a number of other taxi companies that are local to different areas of the city. They tend to do short trips around the area that they are based in, as well as trips from their bases to the city or the airport. If you have booked an AirBnB or similar accommodation in a different part of the city, then a web search should give you details of the nearest small taxi company.
In terms of the big international names, Uber operates in Glasgow.
Trains
Scotrail offers a special Conference Rover pass which provides unlimited travel between rail stations in the Glasgow Conference Zone. This pass costs just £5 for five days travel; you will need to show your membership badge to buy one.
Exhibition Centre Train Station (on the Argyle Line, Low Level) is the closest train station — there is a lift and stairs that bring you to street level, then a covered walkway takes you over the road and to the front door of the SEC. Trains from Exhibition Centre go into the city — the first stop is Anderston Station. The station entrance is under the motorway flyover, close to the Marriott Hotel; a short walk (on a pedestrian pavement) will take you to the Hilton Hotel. The next station is Glasgow Central (Low Level), which is close to the Grand Central Hotel (part of the station), the Radisson Blu, Motel One, Yotel, Leonardo, and Clayton.
There is another route that takes you to the north of the city, which involves a change of train: You head in the other direction to the next stop, Partick; change platforms (there are only two); and head back to the city, taking the other branch line. Charing Cross is the next station. It is close to the Sandman Signature, Novotel, and Dakota hotels. The stop after that is Queen Street (Low Level), near the AC hotel and a short walk to the Ibis Styles (George Square) and Mercure. Then it stops at the High Street Station where the Moxy Glasgow Merchant City is located.
Buses
Lots of buses go from the City Centre along Argyle Street. You can get off near Finnieston Street, walk towards the river, turn right past the Moxy Hotel, and you will see the Hydro and SEC.
The closest bus is the Stagecoach X19 service which travels along the riverside. Let’s look at its route from the Village Hotel (where we will have some events) into the City Centre:
- There is a bus stop outside where you can get the Stagecoach X19 back into the city. (From the Village Hotel, you would normally walk to the SEC and Crowne Plaza Hotel along the Festival Walk and Bell’s Bridge.)
- The next stop, across the river, is also the closest stop to the SEC — on Lancefield Quay, between Elliot Street and Finnieston Street. It is also close to the Hilton Garden Inn, the Radisson Red, Campanile, Moxy, and Courtyard.
- There are two further stops along this road before the bus turns left onto Oswald Street, just before the railway bridge. The Leonardo ad Clayton hotels are on the other side of that bridge — the first stop on Oswald is probably the best to use for the Leonardo or Clayton and (if it reopens in time) The Virgin Hotel. Also around here, between that and the next stop, are the Yotel, Motel One, and Radisson Blu hotels. You pass Central Station on your right—built into that is the Grand Central Hotel; the second stop is best for that hotel.
- The bus continues turning left into West George Street. You pass The Address (the next stop is best for this hotel). It will then pass the Glasgow Queen Street train station before turning right onto North Frederick Street (best stop for the AC Hotel and Ibis Styles in George Square).