About Glasgow

Glasgow , Scotland 's largest city, lies at the very heart of the country, and is one of Europe 's most dynamic cities: steeped in culture, rich in history, but above all, alive and exciting in its elegant streets, squares, parks and gardens. It is also a thriving industrial city, with a very strong base in electronics, telecommunications, and biomedical engineering, making it the capital of Scotland 's “Silicon Glen”.

Glasgow literally means ‘dear green place', a recognition that, in addition to many ancient buildings, streets and monuments, it has over 70 parks and open spaces. Its architecture – old and new – is amongst the finest in Europe , and it has 20 of the most visited British museums and art galleries, including the world-famous Burrell Collection. It is also the home of Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and two of Europe 's most famous football teams – Celtic and Rangers. It is no surprise to discover that Glasgow hosted the UK Garden Festival in 1988, was designated European City of Culture in 1990, and became European City of Architecture and Design in 1999. Glasgow is surrounded by some of the most beautiful and varied scenery in the world.

Loch Lomond is only a half-hours drive, and the Scottish Highlands may be easily reached within an hour. Buchanan Street , Argyle Street , Sauchiehall Street , and the St Enoch Shopping Centre are a shopper's paradise, and are well within easy walking distance of one another. Glasgow 's hotels and restaurants compete with the best in Europe and offer a mouth-watering selection of French, Italian, Chinese, Greek and Mexican cuisine. The city also has a world-famous selection of Indian restaurants, and indeed has the highest density of such restaurants (per square mile) in Europe . Visitors will also find plenty of choice in accommodation and eating out to suit their own budgets.

Comprehensive information on Glasgow >

Climate

Although Glasgow is typical of Scottish weather and is often unpredictable, in general the city has a refreshing climate. October can be a dry and very pleasantly mild month, however delegates are advised to adopt a “layered system of clothing”, in case a cold and rainy spell is forecast.

Tipping

Tips are not usually included on bills. It is usual to tip about 10% in restaurants and taxis.

Transportation to Glasgow

Access by Air

Glasgow is serviced by two International Airports. Glasgow International Airport is only 15 mins drive by motorway link from the City Centre and is Scotland’s International Gateway. Frequent services are available to most European and North American destinations, and there are approximately 52 return flights to London each day. A recent £100M investment programme has more than doubled the airport’s capacity to over 10 million passengers per year. Prestwick International Airport is 23 miles south-west of the City Centre. Journey times are approximately 30 mins by motorway link, and there is also a direct rail link.

Airport Transfer
Delegates arriving at Glasgow International Airport can transfer to the City by Express Coach or Taxi.

Express Coach: Service every 15 mins from the Airport to Buchanan Street Bus Station. Single fare costs approximately £4, and journey time is about 20 mins.
Taxi: Taxis are always available. Single fare costs approximately £15, and journey time is about 15 mins.

Access by Rail
Glasgow has two main railway stations, both of which are located in the City Centre:
Glasgow Central: Links Glasgow from the south.
Glasgow Queen Street: Links Glasgow to the North, West and East of Scotland.

For information on rail travel within the UK contact the 24 hr National Rail Enquiries Line >

For more information on individual rail operators or to book tickets on-line, please visit any of the
following sites:

First ScotRail This is Scotland’s rail operator. Here you will find details on the West Highland Line, the North Highland Line and Caledonian Sleepers (overnight trains from London to Glasgow). You will also find timetables, special ticket offers and other useful travel links.

Virgin Trains and Great North Eastern Railway operate direct routes to Glasgow Central Station from London Euston and King’s Cross stations, respectively. Approximate journey time is 5hr 30min, and there are about 8 trains (per operator) each day.

The Trainline This site is a no-nonsense, direct approach to on-line travel booking, and can be used to find out times, book tickets and reserve seats from any train operator in mainland UK.

BritRail provides information on special rail passes such as the Freedom of Scotland Travel Pass, which are only available to international travellers. You will also find timetables and details on where to purchase and how to use BritRail passes. BritRail Passes are not available in the UK, and must be purchased outside the UK.

A very good train service operates between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley stations. Trains depart every 15 mins and journey time is about 45 mins. A standard day return fare is £15, but cheap day return journeys (started after 9:15 AM) cost only £8.

Access by Road

Glasgow is at the centre of a first class motorway and trunk road network which links with every part of the UK and Ireland, allowing easy access and departure from the City Centre. The main arrivals/departures are from Buchanan Street Bus Station, where connections may be made within the City Centre and to the rest of Scotland and the UK.
The major bus and coach companies offering connections to Glasgow from most cities in the UK, include Scottish Citylink and National Express.

Transportation within Glasgow

A useful web-site for transportation within and around Glasgow is www.spt.co.uk. A local bus service operates from Gordon Street at the front of Central Station, to Queen Street Station and Buchanan Street Bus Station.

Underground

The Glasgow Underground forms part of the UK’s largest local rail network outside London. It consists of two circular railway lines, linking 15 stations, and enables cross-city journey times to be kept to a minimum. Stations are easily recognised by their distinctive orange “U” signs at street level. The conference venue for the Symposium is the Teacher Building, which is less than a minute’s walk from the St.Enoch underground station.

Buses

The First Bus Group provides the city’s services. On many routes the exact fare is required, depending on the number of stops.

Low-Level Trains

The low-level platforms at Central and Queen Street Stations handle suburban trains on the Strathclyde Passenger Transport network.

Taxis

There are numerous taxi ranks throughout the City. Taxis may also be procured by hailing them in the street, provided the “availability” sign on the top of the cab is lit. The largest taxi group is Glasgow Taxis Ltd. Taxis will carry up to 5 people.

Walking

Major stores, many of the hotels, restaurants and places of interest to visit, are located within easy
walking distance of one another.