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How to get from Glasgow International Airport to Edinburgh

One of the most historically fascinating cities in Scotland is Edinburgh, its proud capital. The famous Edinburgh Castle looms over both the medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town. Be sure to explore the winding hilly streets of Edinburgh and soak up all the amazing history and Scottish culture there.

When it comes to travelling from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh city centre, you have three options; taxi, bus or train. Taking a Glasgow airport taxi is the only direct transfer option, it takes just 1 hour and 10 minutes to reach Edinburgh and costs around €110 (£90 GBP). The cheapest option is to take the Airport Express service 500 and Citylink 900 buses, which costs just £17.50 (€20.50), but you have to make a change in Glasgow, so it does take approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. Another public transfer option is to take the train. However, there are no trains from Glasgow Airport, so you will need to take the Airport Express service 500 into Glasgow city centre first. The cost for this journey is around €30 (£25.40 GBP) and it takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Welcome Pickups offers meet and greet services and a friendly introduction to Glasgow at the same price as a regular taxi. Click here to see the cost.

Comparison of the options

PRICE FOR 2PASSENGERS
OPTION PRICE DURATION AVAILABILITY
Welcome Pickups €107 70min 24/7 Book
Book
Taxi €110 70min 24/7
Bus €35 100min 05:00–23:59
Train €60 100min 24/7

How to get from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh by taxi

Taking a Glasgow airport taxi is the only direct transfer option from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh city center. The total journey time is just 1 hour and 10 minutes and you can grab a taxi 24/7 from the airport.

Cost of a taxi from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh city center

There’s no set-rate fare for a local taxi from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh. Your driver will calculate your fare based on a number of factors, like the time of day, the total journey time and the number of passengers. However, the average cost for this journey is around €110 (£90 GBP). Alternatively, you can book a Glasgow airport transfer in advance for a guaranteed rate and on-time pickup.

Cost

€110 (£90 GBP)

Trip Duration

2 Hrs 30 Min.

*Prices may vary unless booked in advance.

Convenience
Safety
Value for Money

Taxis are available 24/7 at Glasgow airport.

Where do I get it from?

The taxi rank is located just outside of the arrivals hall at the Terminal building. You will see the long line of taxis at the rank once you exit.

Convenience

Taking a taxi is by far the quickest and most convenient transfer option as it’s direct. You won’t need to carry your luggage through train or bus stations, and you won’t need to add extra time to your journey by making changes in the city centre of Glasgow.

Editor’s Note

If you want the convenience of a taxi transfer but don't want to spend €110 (£90 GBP), you can try booking a private transfer in advance with Welcome Pickups to save.

Useful Tips

As this journey is outside the central ring of Glasgow, you can often agree on a set price with your driver before leaving the airport.
Ensure your driver resets the taximeter to 0000 before beginning your journey if you didn't agree on a price upfront.
You must wear your seatbelt at all times while in a taxi in Scotland by law.

How to get from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh by bus

There’s no direct bus from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh, you will first need to take the Airport Express service 500 to Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow city centre, then take the Citylink 900 bus from there to Edinburgh. The total journey time is around 1 hour and 40 minutes making this a fairly slow transfer option.

How much is the bus from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh?

A one-way ticket on the Airport Express service 500 costs £8.50 (€10) for adults and £4.50 (€5.50) for children. A bus ticket for the City Link 900 costs £9.00 (€10.50). That’s a total journey cost from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh of £17.50 (€20.50).

You can purchase your ticket online in advance, from the app or from the driver as you get on the bus.

Cost

£17.50 (€20.50)

Trip Duration

1 Hr 40 Min.

*There's a average waiting time of 15 minutes for both the Citylink 900 bus and the Airport Express service 500 bus.

Convenience
Safety
Value for Money

The Airport Express service 500 operates from 05:00 to 00:00, and the Citylink 900 from 01:00 to 23:59.

Where do I get it from?

The Airport Express service 500 leaves from Stand 1 outside the Terminal building. You will then head to Buchanan Bus Station and take the Citylink 900 bus from there to Edinburgh.

Convenience

As there’s no direct bus from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh, this isn’t a very convenient transfer option. You will need to change buses at Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow city centre, adding effort, stress and time to your journey.

Editor’s Note

Although taking the bus is the cheapest transfer option, if you're travelling in a group or with large luggage items, I recommend taking a taxi and splitting the cost instead.

Useful Tips

There's very limited storage space on the bus, so travel light.
You can pay for your ticket on the bus by cash or card.
Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before the bus leaves, as they fill up quickly.

How to get from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh by train

Getting from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh by train is a fairly fast and affordable transfer option. However, no trains run directly from Glasgow airport, so you will need to take the Glasgow Airport Express service 500 bus into Glasgow Central Train Station first, then take the train from there to Edinburgh. The total journey time is around 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Cost of a ticket from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh by train?

The cost of a one-way ticket on the Glasgow Airport Express service 500 bus from Glasgow airport to the train station in Glasgow is €10 (£8.50 GBP). Then, the cost of a train ticket to Edinburgh is around €20 (£16.90 GBP). This makes a total cost of €30 (£25.40 GBP) for the train from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh.

Cost

€30 (£25.40 GBP)

Trip Duration

1 Hr 40 Min.

*There's a waiting time of 20 minutes for the train and 30 minutes for the Glasgow Airport Express service 500.

Convenience
Safety
Value for Money

The train runs 24 hours a day and the Glasgow Airport Express service 500 bus runs from 05:00 to 00:00.

Where do I get it from?

No trains run from Glasgow airport. You will need to take the bus to Glasgow Central Train Station and then get on the ScotRail train from there to Edinburgh.

Convenience

Although taking the train is somewhat affordable, there’s no way to get directly from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh by train. You will need to make a change in Glasgow city centre from the bus, adding more time to your journey and causing you to have to carry heavy luggage items with you.

Editor’s Note

If you're travelling in a group of 4 people, I suggest taking a taxi and splitting the cost as this will work out around the same price as taking the train.

Useful Tips

The train from Glasgow to Edinburgh runs 24/7.
There's limited luggage storage on the train, so be sure to travel light.
You can purchase your Glasgow airport to Edinburgh tickets online in advance to save money.

Welcome Pickups transfer

Welcome Pickups

Book a trained, English-speaking taxi driver to pick you up at the same price as a regular cab from the line

If you feel more relaxed knowing that somebody is waiting for you, you may as well book a Welcome Pickups transfer. As soon as you arrive at the airport you will be greeted by your driver. He will be waiting for you at the terminal of your arrival with a sign that has your name on it. Your driver will help you out with your luggage and together you will make your way to the vehicle. While he is driving you to your accommodation, the driver can give you some tips and recommendations on what to do during your holidays in Glasgow. Our drivers are hand-picked and speak fluent English. No need to worry about miscommunication issues that you may face with the local taxi drivers regarding your destination. Relax and enjoy your ride.

Best drivers

Hand-picked english-speaking drivers

Flight monitoring

Drivers are always on time

Quality support

24/7 email & phone support

Cancel up to 24 hours before the pickup and get an 80% refund

Edit or cancel transfers

Read more

Prices

DAYTIME
€125.0
NIGHTTIME
€150.0
Same price as a regular taxi from the line

PRICES FOR

Sedan Car

4 pax, 4 pieces of luggage

Book Welcome Pickups transfer

Welcome Pickups has a Net Safety Score of 99 of 100

We’ve introduced a metric indicating how safe travellers feel when using our services during the COVID-19 pandemic. After every ride, we ask each traveller to leave a review.

  • 20 minute gap between transfers

  • Regular Car Sanitisation

  • Contactless ride

  • Sanitiser in every car

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Frequently asked questions

How do you get from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh?

There are three options when it comes to travelling from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh city centre; taxi, bus or train. Taking a Glasgow airport taxi is the quickest option as it takes just 1 hour and 10 minutes and costs €110 (£90 GBP). Another fairly quick option is the ScotRail train, but this leaves from Glasgow Central Station, so you will need to take a bus there first. The total journey time is around 1 hour and 40 minutes and it costs €30 (£25.40 GBP). The cheapest option is to take the Airport Express 500 bus into Glasgow city and then the Citylink bus from there to Edinburgh. Taking the buses will cost around £17.50 (€20.50) one-way and will take approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.

How much is taxi from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh?

The local drivers at Glasgow airport don’t offer a set-rate fare for the journey into Edinburgh. Instead, they will calculate your fare based on the vehicle type, time of day, total journey time and the number of passengers. The average fare is around €110 (£90 GBP), but if you’d prefer a set-rate you can count on, we suggest booking your Glasgow Airport Taxi in advance with Welcome Pickups.

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