Edinburgh Airport to Glasgow (Buchanan Street)

The M8 commute, reversed

Edinburgh Airport lies on the western edge of the capital, which puts it on the Glasgow side of town. The road distance to central Glasgow is about 65 km, almost all of it on the M8, and that makes a direct coach competitive with any train. Nobody needs to go into Edinburgh city centre first.

Citylink AIR, in detail

Scottish Citylink's AIR service leaves from Stop D outside the terminal and runs to Glasgow's Buchanan Street bus station. The airport timetable shows departures up to every 20 minutes between 08:00 and 19:55; Citylink says services drop to hourly after 21:15 and continue through the night, so the route operates 24 hours a day. The quickest journeys take around an hour.

Citylink puts a single at around £15. You can book online, at the Citylink travel shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow, or pay the driver, though driver sales depend on there being seats left after pre-booked passengers, so booking ahead is safer on a busy evening. One large case or rucksack (up to 75 × 50 × 32 cm and 20 kg) and one piece of hand luggage go free; extra bags are carried if there is room, for £5 each. Seats have USB chargers and fold-down tables.

A second Citylink route, the 902, also links the airport and Glasgow via Livingston, hourly from 06:45 to 19:45. It is slower because of the extra stops, but it is useful if you are staying in West Lothian.

Rail via Edinburgh Park

The train is the alternative for people who prefer rails, or who are heading to the Queen Street end of Glasgow. Take the tram from the airport stop beside the plaza to Edinburgh Park (a few stops along the line), then change to ScotRail. Trains from Edinburgh Park to Glasgow Queen Street take about an hour on average, with up to 87 trains a day and the last at 23:45. ScotRail lists fares from £16.80 return on this route, and peak fares were abolished in September 2025, so walk-up prices no longer rise at rush hour.

Add the tram fare, though. The Airport Single is £7.90 (£7.50 online), and that pushes the rail option above the coach for a one-way trip. Rail makes most sense if your Glasgow address is near Queen Street or on the city's suburban network, or if the motorway is closed.

Driving, taxis and private cars

The airport taxi rank is run by Capital Cars in the East Terminus across the plaza. Because Glasgow is outside the City of Edinburgh, the meter does not apply: council rules say the fare must be agreed before the journey starts, so ask for a quote at the desk. A pre-booked car to Glasgow city centre starts at around £99 for a three-seat saloon and around £105–137 for estates and larger vehicles. For four people with a lot of luggage, that works out at about £25–35 each, which compares better with the coach than it first looks.

Car hire is also available at the airport, and the M8 junction is close by. Allow for congestion approaching Glasgow in the morning and evening peaks, and remember Glasgow's city-centre Low Emission Zone if you are driving an older car.

Landing after dark

This is where Edinburgh beats many airports. Citylink AIR keeps running all night on an hourly pattern, so a flight landing at 01:00 still has a direct coach to Buchanan Street. The tram stops at 22:52 and the last train from Edinburgh Park to Glasgow Queen Street leaves at 23:45, so the coach is the only public option for a late arrival. Do check the timetable for the exact overnight departure times, because an hourly coach can mean a long wait if you just miss one.

Where you end up in Glasgow

Buchanan Street bus station is at the northern edge of the city centre, a short walk from Buchanan Street itself, the Royal Concert Hall and Glasgow Queen Street station. From there, the subway at Buchanan Street and Cowcaddens and local buses cover the West End and the south side. If your address is near Central station or the river, the coach still leaves you within about fifteen minutes' walk; with heavy bags, a black cab from outside the bus station is an easy last step.

Which to choose

For most solo travellers and couples, Citylink AIR is the obvious pick: direct, cheaper than the tram-and-train combination, and running 24 hours. Rail suits those who want Queen Street or a suburban station. Groups of three or four with heavy luggage should price a private car.