Glasgow airport to Edinbugh city centre

Terre

Is there a non-stop service between Glasgow international airport and Edinburgh city centre. As far as I can tell there isn't, although Citylink offer one ticket but it includes a change at the bus station in Glasgow.
Anyone know the handiest way for this trip would it be the bus/train or bus it all the way or any suggestions? It will be a return weekend journey.

coylemj

You need to get yourself to Queen St. (Glasgow) railway station and from there you can catch a train direct to Edinburgh. The Glasgow airport website says that the 'First 500 Glasgow shuttle' will take you to Queen St. station, looks like a very frequent service (go to the link below and scroll down for the timetable) and takes just 21 minutes......

http://www.firstgroup.com/greater-glasgow/routes-and-maps/glasgow-airport-shuttle-service-500

For train services anywhere in GB, I'd strongly receommend you install the 'National Rail' app, you'll recognise the old British Rail logo on the iTunes or Google Play store.

Vic_08

Terre wrote: »

Is there a non-stop service between Glasgow international airport and Edinburgh city centre. As far as I can tell there isn't, although Citylink offer one ticket but it includes a change at the bus station in Glasgow.
Anyone know the handiest way for this trip would it be the bus/train or bus it all the way or any suggestions? It will be a return weekend journey.

There is no direct service from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh.

That through ticket on Citylink is only valid on the 915 service from Glasgow Airport-Buchannan Bus Station which only runs twice daily.

The First Bus 500 Airport-City and train from Queen Street would be the quickest, simplest option, both are frequent, every 15 minutes and the 500 drops off outside Queen Street before going to the main bus station

TBH the fares on the 500 (link in previous post) are high for a 20 minute trip, the Duo return is the best value if there are two of you travelling.

The local bus route 77 (also run by First) is cheaper, around £2.50 from what I recall but First Glasgow don't have the fare listed on their website and even more helpfully it is an exact fare, coin only route. It is also much slower than the 500, 1 hour vs 20 minutes and is less frequent at every 30 minutes.

A rail off-peak single Glasgow-Edinburgh is £12.50, there are no open returns, annoyingly a day return is £12.60 for Glasgow-Edinburgh.

For a return trip an off-peak return ticket Glasgow- Eskbank at £17.40 is cheaper than 2 Glas-Edi singles and is 100% valid for use Glasgow- Edinburgh without ever going to Eskbank.

For these routes off-peak means valid on all train at weekends or any train after 09.15 mon-fri, they are walk-up fares, no need to book ahead.

The 900 Citylink coach Glasgow-Edinburgh is slower that the train 1h20 vs 55 minutes but is cheaper. Open return is £11.40 online, they may be more expensive bought at Glasgow bus station.

If you can stick to a fixed departure time very cheap fares can be got on megabus.com (£1 fares are available on most departures if you book far enough in advance) but these can not be transferred so if you miss the selected departure a new full price ticket is needed.

The Scottish Citylink network is a bit of a whizz with this, the cheapest advance purchase fares are only available through the megabus website NOT the Citylink one.

Cosmo Kramer

The two places are surprisingly poorly connected. Glasgow Airport has control over who is allowed to serve their airport by road and they use it to sell exclusive access to bus and taxi companies at extraordinary prices - meaning that it's an expensive place to get out of and no direct Edinburgh service is viable for any company to put on.

However, you can book a train ticket from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh. You get a shuttle bus from the airport to Paisley Gilmour Street station, a short train trip from there to Glasgow Central, 5 minute walk to Glasgow Queen Street and the train from there to Edinburgh. It's all on one ticket though, so might be cheaper and easier than any route that involves the 500 airport bus, which must be one of the most expensive airport buses relative to the distance involved anywhere in Europe.

LXFlyer

coylemj wrote: »

You need to get yourself to Queen St. (Glasgow) railway station and from there you can catch a train direct to Edinburgh. The Glasgow airport website says that the 'First 500 Glasgow shuttle' will take you to Queen St. station, looks like a very frequent service (go to the link below and scroll down for the timetable) and takes just 21 minutes......

http://www.firstgroup.com/greater-glasgow/routes-and-maps/glasgow-airport-shuttle-service-500

For train services anywhere in GB, I'd strongly receommend you install the 'National Rail' app, you'll recognise the old British Rail logo on the iTunes or Google Play store.

Best in mind that Queen Street main station is closing for five months from March and that trains will be diverted.

JCX BXC

If at all possible try fly to/from Edinburgh airport, although considering your asking its probably not.

Vic_08

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

However, you can book a train ticket from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh. You get a shuttle bus from the airport to Paisley Gilmour Street station, a short train trip from there to Glasgow Central, 5 minute walk to Glasgow Queen Street and the train from there to Edinburgh. It's all on one ticket though, so might be cheaper and easier than any route that involves the 500 airport bus, which must be one of the most expensive airport buses relative to the distance involved anywhere in Europe.

I didn't mention it as it is a bit of a faff with the connections and walk from Central-Queen St. Also a through ticket would have to be bought from a UK rail website and posted to Ireland which they all charge for so wouldn't really save much money.

If using that link there is also an hourly semi-fast train at xx.03 and slow train at xx.17 (and the two-hourly crosscountry via Carstairs) from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh to avoid the walk to Queen St.

lxflyer wrote: »

Best in mind that Queen Street main station is closing for five months from March and that trains will be diverted.

From the 20th March.

There still will be 6 direct trains per hour Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level) - Edinburgh (4 via Bathgate and 2 via Falkirk) instead of the 8 there currently is. Journey time will be 15-20mns longer.

Terre

Cheers guy, great great help. It's before the 20th so should be grand