Getting to the SEC
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This page aims to help yet you to the SEC from the likely arrival points in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
From Glasgow Airport
Because Glasgow's public transport system is non-integrated, there are journeys that are more difficult than they should be. Unfortunately, one of those is from Glasgow Airport to the SEC. If walking with luggage would cause you difficulty, taxis are by far the easiest option.
Taxi
On leaving the terminal, look for the taxi rank to your left. The white taxis will cost £25–£35 depending on traffic and will take you directly to the location you specify. All taxis will take card payments.
Taxis are available at all times.
Bus
The Glasgow Airport Express takes 15 minutes to Glasgow City Centre. Stops in the city centre are announced audibly and visually by number. To get to the SEC you will need to get off at Stop 2: Bothwell Street at Hope Street. From there you are 200m from the entrance to Glasgow Central station: follow the instructions below to get you to the SEC.
The Airport Express costs £9 for a single journey and £14.80 for an open return1) by card, with discounts for family tickets. The bus takes card payments but discounts are available (£8.50 / £14) for payment via The FirstBus app.
The Glasgow Airport Express runs from 0500 to 0000.
From Glasgow's mainline Train Stations
Glasgow Central
By Train
The closest rail station to the SEC is Exhibition Centre. It is wheelchair-accessible but still separated from the SEC by a pedestrian overpass. Walking time is approximately 8 minutes with a strong upward gradient from the SEC end to the station end of the underpass.
On arriving at Glasgow Central, follow the signage to the Platform 17: the platform is underneath the main concourse. Escalators and a lift (behind the ticket barriers at platforms 11–15) are the means of access.
A train to Exhibition Centre takes 4 minutes and costs £1.80.
By Taxi
Taxis may be found at the Gordon Street entrance to Central Station, and will cost around £10 to the SEC.
Glasgow Queen Street
By Train
There is no direct service from Glasgow Queen Street to Exhibition Centre: you will need to get to Glasgow Central. Walking between the two stations takes 15 minutes, and there is a free (to train ticket holders) shuttle bus service that runs approximately every 15 minutes from 0800 to 2000, taking 12 minutes.
By Taxi
Taxis can be found outside Queen Street Station on George Square, and a journey to the SEC will cost around £10.
From Glasgow Buchanan Street Bus Station
Buchanan Street is Glasgow's central bus station. If you arriving by coach from another city in the UK, this is where it will terminate.
Buses to the SEC all involve leaving the bus station and taking another form of transport: be that a train from Central or a local bus service. These involve an element of walking. If this may cause difficulty for you, then a taxi direct is your best option. Taxis to the SEC again will cost around £10.
Because which bus is best depends on the time of day, we heavily recommend using the CityMapper app to determine the best service.
From Edinburgh Airport
In order to get to the SEC from Edinburgh Airport, we recommend the simplest method: Taking the coach to Buchanan Street Bus Station in Glasgow. The service is the Citylink Air 900 and departs from stance D. The service runs every half hour during the day and hourly from midnight to 0500. A single journey is £14, a return £24, the journey takes around 1 hour. Once at Buchanan Street Bus Station, follow the options above.
An alternative is by bus to Edinburgh Waverley Rail Station, then by train to Glasgow Queen Street Station. This however is no more accessible and will take around twice as long and cost twice as much.