Aeroplane, Glasgow

Glasgow has 2 airports. Glasgow International is the main one (located at Paisley, 8 miles away). Glasgow Prestwick is a little further away - 32 miles in total.

It is now the local hub for Ryanair, offering cheap flights to a wide range of European destinations. A couple of other airlines use it too - Aer Aran and Wizz caught my eye. I counted 34 destinations on the website as I was writing this.

I used Prestwick last weekend (July 09) for the first time in many years (maybe 12-15). The last time, Ryanair had just started its operations and the airport had been largely unused (except for freight) for a while, and it was pretty unattractive. Now it has come up to scratch, although still very much aimed at the budget airline market.

It has a good train link to Glasgow city centre - the station is only 100m from the terminal. It is only 30 minutes by car (outside rush hours) - motorway or dual carriageway all the way.

One word of warning - the long term parking is expensive. Cost me £20+ for 36 hours, whereas later this month I have 6+ days at Edinburgh Airport for £40+.

Historical background - for a long time (until the early 90s, I think) Prestwick was the only Scottish airport which was allowed to operate transatlantic flights. This was some weird deal between the UK/US governments. Prestwick is great if you live in Glasgow or SW Scotland, but at that time was utterly useless for the rest of the country (the road links have improved a lot since then). That policy was eventually abandoned, so that Edinburgh and Glasgow now offer transatlantic flights.

I took my first flight to New York from Prestwick - July 1974, with BOAC (became part of British Airways about that time) on a Boeing 707. It was also an important cog in the Laker Airways wheel - the pathfinder for budget airlines. Used that service several times in the 70s.

There are two airports in or near Glasgow. The first is 30 miles to the south west in Prestwick (see my Prestwick pages), Glasgow Prestwick Airport, and there is a train that runs each half hour from the airport to the centre of Glasgow that takes about 50 minutes journey time. If you arrive by Ryanair this is the airport you will fly into.

The main Glasgow Airport is to the West of the city. It is possible to get flights to pretty much anywhere from here. If you are travelling with Easyjet you will fly into this airport.
http://www.seeglasgow.com/seeglasgow/getting-here/arrival-by-air

If you are travelling to or from the airport by train get off at Paisley Gilmour street and take the airport shutle bus (number 66). You can buy a train ticket that includes this bus journey. At the train station the bus top is just outside - if you're not sure where anyone there will tell you where it is.

If going to the West End of Glasgow there is a bus which will go there from the Airport (Glasgow Int) arriving at the Botanic Gardens (Top of Byres Road). You can buy a one journey tacket or all day ticket if you are going to be getting about Glasgow the same day. I think the cost is £3 which is excellent value.

Glasgow has its own Airport, West of the city at Junction 28 of the M8 motorway.

General train info
Genreal coach info
General Airport car parking

Traffic camera's

Two airports service the Glasgow metropolitan area, Glasgow International Airport and Prestwick International Airport. Prestwick is a bit far from Glasgow's city centre and requires you to take a train to get there. Glasgow International is a mere bus ride from the city centre. From Prestwick, you can fly to the major European cities with the budget airlines. Glasgow International on the other hand is the gateway to the United States and connects to the other big airports in Europe.

To get to Glasgow Int'l, take the citylink bus. To go to Prestwick Int'l, you must take a train in the direction of Ayr.

Due to a remarketing of Prestwick Airport, Glasgow now has two airports.

Glasgow Airport is on the SE fringe of the city and has been expanded several times in recent years to now have a well equiped terminal. Access to the airport is only by road - may have a raillink one day but only after countless feasability studies.

Glasgow Prestwick International Airport is according to thier website "just 32 miles from Glasgow City Centre". Edinburgh Airport is only 39 miles away, perhaps it can rebrand to Glasgow Edinburgh Airport? Anyway despite of this it has an excellent road and rail links into Glasgow.

Fly! the airport is only 10 min by car, there are plenty of taxis outside, and a bus service runs you to city centre there is also a good train network and buses from all over the UK
Buses there are hundreds of them going to all parts of the city. (try www.firstglasgow.com for info) they have recently introduced a FIRST DAY ticket for ?2.20 which you can use on all their buses all day.
There is also a limited underground (subway) system which is cheaper and faster but as i said limited. There is a travel centre in St. Enochs Square where you can get timetables for all services.
A car is only a good idea if you plan to use Glasgow as a base, as the city (like most) is busy with traffic (remember we drive on the left:) and there is a confusing one way system which has recently changed and even i dont know where i'm going lol.

When arriving into or leaving from the Glasgow Prestwick Airport - Ryanair flights etc, you get a 50% discount on the airport train from the Glasgow Central Station, you pay £ 2.50 for the 43 minute journey. The final destination when departing Glasgow is Ayr. During the day, the train runs every half hour.