Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, is a dynamic cultural hub known for its creativity and character. As a UNESCO City of Music, it offers a vibrant live music scene that reflects this year’s conference theme, The Rhythm of Revolution. Easily accessible from London, Edinburgh and Manchester, Glasgow is well connected by train, bus and air, making it a convenient gateway to Scotland.
Glasgow is compact and easy to navigate, making it simple for conference participants to explore on foot or by bike. The city centre offers pedestrian-friendly streets, green spaces and clearly signposted routes between key venues, hotels and transport hubs. Please take a look at the useful links on this page to plan your journey.
Glasgow by train
Glasgow is well-connected by train, making it accessible from European cities. For overseas travellers, flying into a hub such as London, Paris or Amsterdam and continuing by train to Glasgow offers a comfortable, relaxing and scenic way to start your journey.
- Route: Edinburgh– Glasgow
- Travel Time: Approx 1 hour
- Highlights: A frequent connection between Scotland’s two largest cities. Trains run every 15-30 minutes, offering a comfortable journey through the heart of Scotland.
- Plan your trip: ScotRail
- Carbon savings: Train travel reduces CO2 emissions by approx. 80–85% compared to car travel (one-way per passenger: car 25kg | train 4kg).
- Route: London – Glasgow
- Travel Time: 5 hours
- Highlights: Enjoy the scenic landscape on the journey, passing through some of the UK’s beautiful countryside, like the Midlands and the Scottish Lowlands.
- Plan your trip: National Rail, LNER or ScotRail
- Carbon savings: Train travel reduces CO2 emissions by approx. 85% compared to flying (one-way per passenger: Flight 150 kg | Train 22 kg).
- Route: Amsterdam – London – Glasgow
- Travel Time: 11 hours
- Highlights: Take the Eurostar from Amsterdam to London, enjoying the high-speed service under the channel, then transfer in London to a domestic train to Glasgow, passing through some of the UK’s most scenic landscapes.
- Plan your trip: Eurostar, National Rail, LNER or ScotRail
- Carbon savings: Train travel reduces CO2 emissions by approx. 80–85% compared to flying (one-way per passenger: Flight 220 kg | Train 42 kg).
- Route: Paris – London – Glasgow
- Travel Time: 9 hours
- Highlights: Travel in style from Paris to Glasgow with Eurostar to London St Pancras then from London Euston to Glasgow Central. Enjoy the diverse European countryside along the journey.
- Plan your trip: Eurostar, National Rail, LNER
- Carbon savings: Train travel reduces CO2 emissions by approx. 80% compared to flying (one-way per passenger: Flight 135 kg | Train 23 kg).
- Route: Frankfurt – London – Glasgow
- Travel Time: 11 hours
- Highlights: Travel from Frankfurt to Glasgow by high-speed rail and enjoy the scenic views across Germany and the British countryside.
- Plan your trip: Deutsche Bank, Eurostar, National Rail, LNER
- Carbon savings: Train travel reduces CO2 emissions by approx. 85% compared to flying (one-way per passenger: Flight 210 kg | Train 30 kg).
Glasgow by plane
Flying to Glasgow is the quickest way to reach the city. Glasgow Airport (GLA) is the main international airport, offering flights across the UK and to major European cities like Amsterdam and Paris. The airport is located just 15 minutes from the city centre by taxi or airport shuttle. Upon arrival, there are several options to reach the conference venue, the Scottish Event Campus (SEC).
A direct taxi ride takes around 15 minutes and costs approximately 20–30.
Take the 500 Airport Express Bus to Glasgow Central Station. From there, catch a train to Exhibition Centre Station, which is adjacent to the SEC. The travel time is approximately 30 minutes and costs around £10. Tickets can be purchased at the station.