The cheapest way from Glasgow Airport to the city centre is the First Bus 500 Airport Express. It’s £2 a single, it runs 24 hours a day, and it takes about 25 minutes to Buchanan Bus Station. The fastest is a taxi or Uber at around 15 to 20 minutes, though Uber’s own page puts an average UberX fare at £29. The airport is just over 8 miles from the centre, and it has no train station.
Last checked: 24 October 2026.
Glasgow Airport to the city centre at a glance
| Way in | What it costs | How long |
|---|---|---|
| 500 Airport Express | £2 single | About 25 minutes |
| Uber | UberX averaged £29 over the past month, not a fixed price | About 15 to 20 minutes |
| Taxi | £30 to £50, says the University of Glasgow | About 15 to 20 minutes |
| 757 bus, then train | £2 for the bus, plus the train fare | 14 to 15 minutes to Paisley, then the train |
The 500’s time is to Buchanan Bus Station, its last stop, on First’s timetable. The car times are for the airport to the city centre by road.
How far is Glasgow Airport from the city centre?
VisitScotland says Glasgow Airport is just over 8 miles from the city centre, with journeys of around 15 minutes by taxi, bus or airport transfer. By road it comes out at about 9 miles to George Square on OpenStreetMap’s routing. Uber’s page for trips to the airport gives an average trip of 14 kilometres (about 8.7 miles) in 19 minutes. So call it 8 to 9 miles, and 15 to 20 minutes in a car when the roads are clear.
Glasgow Central is in the centre too, so the distance is much the same, and the 500 stops close to it.
The 500 Airport Express
The 500, which First calls the Glasgow Airport Express, is the airport’s official bus into the city. Look for the teal electric buses at stance 1 outside the terminal. It goes direct, so there’s no changing, and First says there’s room for suitcases, free Wi-Fi, and USB and wireless charging on board.
What it costs
A single is £2, thanks to the £2 fare cap that started on 7 September 2026 and is paid for by Transport Scotland. First has stopped selling return tickets, so there and back is two £2 singles. Child singles are capped too.
Under 22s and over 60s with a Scottish concession pass travel free, because First accepts those passes on the 500. Passes from outside Scotland aren’t valid.
First’s cap page doesn’t give an end date, but its notice about the change is marked as running from 7 September to 30 November 2026. If you’re flying in after that, check the fare on First’s airport page before you travel. Our Glasgow bus guide has the full cap rules.
How to pay
You can pay the driver by contactless or with exact cash, because First’s drivers can’t give change. First takes Visa and Mastercard contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay, but not American Express or Maestro. You can also buy a ticket in the First Bus app or on First’s website. Tell the driver where you’re going when you board, which Transport Scotland asks for on all the £2 fares.
How often it runs and how long it takes
First’s current timetables, for Monday to Friday, Saturday and Sunday, have buses leaving the airport at these times.
- Monday to Friday: every 10 minutes from 8.10am to 4pm, every 12 minutes until 7pm, every 15 minutes until 10pm, then every 20 to 30 minutes until midnight.
- Saturday and Sunday: every 12 minutes from 8am to 7pm, then every 15 to 30 minutes until midnight.
- Early mornings, every day: every 30 minutes from 4.30am to 7am, then every 15 minutes until 8am.
- Overnight, every day: one an hour, at midnight, 1am, 2am, 3am and 4am.
First says the trip takes as little as 15 minutes. On its timetable the bus reaches Buchanan Bus Station in about 25 minutes through most of the day, and up to 36 minutes in the weekday rush hours. In the evening and overnight it’s nearer 20.
Where it stops
From the airport the 500 calls at these stops in the city centre, in this order:
- Bothwell Street
- Bothwell Street at Hope Street, near Glasgow Central
- Queen Street Station
- North Hanover Street
- Buchanan Bus Station, stance 46, where it ends
So get off at Hope Street for Glasgow Central, or at the Queen Street Station stop for Queen Street. Once you’re in town, our city centre guide covers the area and our Subway guide covers getting around.
From the city centre to the airport
The 500 leaves Buchanan Bus Station from stance 46. First says George Square South and St Vincent Place are closed until further notice because of the Avenues works. Buses towards the airport use the stops on Bath Street (opposite Sainsbury’s) and St Vincent Street (opposite Lloyds Banking Group) instead, and don’t serve North Hanover Street or St Vincent Place.
Allow about 30 minutes, and up to 37 in the weekday rush hours. The first bus from Buchanan leaves at 4am, and overnight the buses run an hour apart, at 12.30am, 1.30am, 2.30am and 3.30am.
Uber from Glasgow Airport
Uber’s own airport page says UberX has averaged £29 from Glasgow Airport to Glasgow over the past month. UberXL averaged £42 and Comfort £34, and a second Uber page puts the average UberX fare at £25 over the past 12 months. Uber says none of these are fixed prices, and that there’s no flat rate from the airport in its app. So check the price in the app before you confirm.
Even with four of you in one UberX, £29 works out at around £7 a head, against £2 each on the bus.
Uber’s meeting point is in the car park. Follow the signs from arrivals to pick-up zones A, B or C, and tap Directions to pickup in the app once a driver’s matched with you. Early or late flights can mean a longer wait for a driver, says Uber, and you can start a ride request once you’ve landed to see how long it may take to match you with one. You can’t book a taxi through Uber at Glasgow Airport.
Taxis from Glasgow Airport
The University of Glasgow’s guide for arriving international students says you can get a taxi from the main entrance of the terminal, and that there’s no online booking for the airport’s taxis. It expects the taxi queues to be large and recommends the First bus instead. The same guide says the fare to Glasgow averages £30 to £50, depending on what part of the city you’re going to. The top end of that is well above Uber’s average, so ask the driver for a rough price before you set off.
If you’d rather have a price before you set off, Glasgow Taxis takes airport bookings. Its airport page talks about “standard airport taxi fixed price fares” but doesn’t list a fare to the centre, so check the price when you book. The page tells you to make your way to the taxi meeting point in Car Park 2, Zone D, and says you get £5 off your return pickup if you book both journeys with them. Our Glasgow taxis guide covers black cabs, apps and fares in the city.
Is there a train from Glasgow Airport?
No. There’s no railway station at the airport, so the 500 is the usual way to reach Glasgow Central and Queen Street. It stops near both.
If you do want a train, the station to use is Paisley Gilmour Street, which National Rail lists as managed by ScotRail. It’s under 2 miles from the terminal by road, on OpenStreetMap’s routing. McGill’s runs the 757 bus between the station and the airport, and McGill’s timetable has the airport 14 to 15 minutes after Gilmour Street.
The bus is £2 under the cap, and McGill’s says you have to buy that ticket on the bus for now. You’d then pay for a ScotRail ticket on top, so it costs more than the 500 and adds a change. It only makes sense if Paisley is where you’re heading. ScotRail’s journey planner will give you the train times and fare on the day, and our Glasgow trains guide has typical fares and covers the Zonecard.
A rail link has been talked about for years. SPT, which is leading the planning for the Clyde Metro, said in 2023 that the work would also look at better sustainable transport access to the airport. Its Clyde Metro page says the planning stage that sets out the business case should finish by early 2027, and calls the whole programme long-term and likely to span decades. That’s planning, not building, so don’t expect a train soon.
Other buses from the airport
The First 77 also serves the airport, but it takes the long way round: Renfrew, Braehead, the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Partick and Charing Cross, then Buchanan Bus Station. On First’s weekday timetable it takes about an hour to an hour and 20 minutes to reach the city centre, and runs roughly every half hour in the day. It’s the one for the hospital, which is about 30 to 35 minutes from the airport, not for getting into town fast. A single is capped at £2 like the 500.
Arriving late at night
The 500 is the one to rely on after dark. It runs all night, once an hour from midnight to 4am, and First’s page lists the same £2 single fare with no separate night price. The 77 is no use late on, as its timetables have the last bus leaving the airport at 10.50pm from Monday to Saturday and 10.20pm on Sundays. Uber says you can book 24/7 in its app, though early or late flights can mean a longer wait for a driver.
Driving, drop-off and parking
From the city centre, take the M8 west and leave at junction 28 for the airport. Allow around 15 to 20 minutes when the roads are clear.
Drop-off and parking prices at the airport change, so check Glasgow Airport’s website for the current rates before you set off. If you’re leaving the car there, compare prices for your dates first.
Driving on into the city centre afterwards? Check the Low Emission Zone rules first.
Our pick
For most folk it’s the 500. It’s £2, it’s direct and it runs all night. A car might save you five to ten minutes for about £27 more at Uber’s average fare, so it’s worth it if you’re loaded with bags, travelling with kids, or landing late and don’t want to wait for the next bus. The train and the 77 aren’t worth the hassle unless Paisley or the hospital is where you’re going.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Glasgow Airport from the city centre?
VisitScotland says it’s just over 8 miles. By road it’s about 9 miles to George Square on OpenStreetMap’s routing, which is 15 to 20 minutes in a car and about 25 minutes on the 500.
What’s the cheapest way from Glasgow Airport to the city centre?
The 500 Airport Express, at £2 a single since 7 September 2026. No end date has been published, but First’s notice about the change is marked as running to 30 November, so check the fare if you’re travelling after that.
How much is an Uber from Glasgow Airport to the city centre?
Uber’s own pages show UberX averaging £29 over the past month and £25 over the past 12 months for trips from the airport to Glasgow. They aren’t fixed prices, so check the price in the app before you confirm.
How much is a taxi from Glasgow Airport to the city centre?
The University of Glasgow’s guide for arriving international students says it averages £30 to £50, depending on where in the city you’re going. Ask the driver for a rough price first, or pre-book with Glasgow Taxis.
Is there a train from Glasgow Airport to Glasgow Central?
No, the airport has no railway station. The 500 stops at Bothwell Street at Hope Street, near Glasgow Central, and at Queen Street Station.
Does the 500 run at night?
Yes. It runs once an hour from midnight to 4am, then every 30 minutes from 4.30am.
How do I get to Glasgow Airport from the city centre?
Take the 500 from Buchanan Bus Station, stance 46, or from the stops on Bath Street and St Vincent Street while George Square South is closed. By car, take the M8 west to junction 28.
