Getting from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh
 

OK, now that I've finally gotten my airfare (yay!) (and paper tickets, no less, strange), we will be flying into Glasgow on June 14th (Saturday) around 1pm. We will need to get to our apartment in Edinburgh, Grassmarket area (West Bow Street). From what I can tell, these are the options. There will be 6 of us:


1. Walk. Yeah, right!

2. Bus. We have to get to the bus station a mile away - taxi should work fine. Bus takes about 1.2 hours, and takes us a couple blocks from our flat. Should cost about $15 each plus cab fare.

3. Taxi. Could drop us door to door, and would cost about $30 each.

4. Train. We have to get to the train station (another taxi ride) and then about an hour train ride. Costs about $20 per person plus cab fare. Then we have to get to our flat, again a taxi ride.

I actually think I prefer option 3, even though it's the most expensive. Door to door service might be EXACTLY what we need after the flight over, and we won't have to struggle with luggage. Opinions?

Oh, meant to add - we're not considering a flight. We will have made 2 connections already at that point, and don't want to make another :)

I would think as there are a group of 6 you would be better getting a taxi. I would prebook this in advance however as standard taxis would not take 6. Telephone no given on Airport Website is +44 (0)131 333 2255 and they should be able to quote you a price

Get the Airport shuttle bus from Glasgow Airport to Buchanan Bus Station. No need to walk any further, if your getting the bus to Edinburgh, as they leave from the same station. Edinburgh Bus Station is further from Grassmarket than Waverly train station but taxis's are available.

If you want to take the train, Queen Street Station is 5 minute walk from Buchanan Bus Station. Trains depart every 15 minutes and journey time is 50 minutes. Taxi's are plentiful from Waverly to your destination. Be aware you will need two taxi's as 5 people is the upper limit on Glasgow and Edinburgh taxis's

I already emailed for a quote from Millenium Taxi, they said £86 for the trip for the lot of us. I figure that's pretty good...

86 quid for 5 people ??

Do it !

The only other options are 2 taxis from Glasgow airport to the station (20 pounds), 5 singles to Edinburgh (35 pounds), then 2 taxis from Waverley to your hotel (10 pounds).

Do-able, but tiring and inconvenient. Pay the extra and get door-to-door service...it's worth it.

86 quid for 6 people, actually, and that's what I'm thinking is the answer :)

At that point, we will have been up for 35 hours, drained from an overnight flight, and ready to relax and not have to FIND anything!

Then it's an absolute no-brainer :-)

It's inconvenient enough at the best of times moving from airport-city-another city, but after a 35 hour day and a long flight....phew... ;-)

86 pounds for 6 is a good price...don't hesitate ! You'll be door to door in less than 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon. Have a good time !

As already said the £86 taxi ride for six is a no brainer and after a long flight you can just sit back and let someone else do the driving and navigation.
Just in case the driver has not been through to Edinburgh recently remind him that Shandwick Place is now closed to all traffic (will be closed until late July due to ongoing preparation work for the new tram system) so he will probably have to take a diversion to reach the West Bow.

Meks, thanks for that, good information!

So, anyone in Edinburgh want to meet up for a pint while we're in town? :)

I agree a booked taxi sounds best.

If you did want to take the bus, you can actually take two buses - one from the airport to the bus station in central Glasgow, and then one from central Glasgow to central Edinburgh. The total cost for my daughter and me was not much, but I don't recall exactly.

If I understand correctly, these will be the last paper air tickets you will ever see, so might as well enjoy them.

£86 is amazing - jump at that. Door to door w/ no schlepping after an overnight flight is my idea of bliss

Otherwise, next best is bus to station in Glasgow and then train to Edinburgh

&quot;<i>. . . . we're not considering a flight We will have made 2 connections already at that point, and don't want to make another</i>&quot;

well, duh! :) You can't fly from GLA to EDI unless you go by way London or Amsterdam or Inverness or some such -- or -- you could charter a helicopter. It is only 45 miles give or take

Agreed 86 quid for 6 people works out a lot cheaper than the public transport options and the advantage of being door to door with luggage is obvious. Very good deal!

GreenDragon, note previous comments- not that it matters much- that your flat is in West Bow (not West Bow Street).

I hope you have a great time. Do you have a full itinerary worked out yet?

I agree too, &pound;86 for 6 people is incredible - are you should they've got your requirements right ?! The only time I've got a taxi from Glasgow to Edinburgh was from central Glasgow, 13-14 years ago, and it was &pound;50 then ! Presumably this is for one big ('people carrier') car rather than 2 standard cars or black cabs ? My guess would have been not far off yours - maybe &pound;75 x 2.

Had the taxi offer not been so cheap I would have said bus Glasgow airport-Buchanan St &amp; Buchanan St- Edinburgh, then taxi, would have been easiest.

I think we already discussed meeting for a pint and I would have been keen, but am actually going on holiday myself the very same day ! (0615 flight out - ouch.)

I hope you have a lovely time - I'm sure you will as your planning all seems to have come up trumps (that lovely house in Edinburgh !).

I am rather obsessive about the planning, aren't I? But then so are most of us here :P West Bow - I stand corrected.

I recall you'll be in Italy - I'm sure you'll be enjoying yourself greatly!


This is our full itinerary:

Arrive in Glasgow on June 14th
Edinburgh 3 nights
Grantown-on-Spey 3 nights
Eyrland (Orkney) 3 nights
Stornoway (Lewis) 3 nights
Edinbane (Skye) 4 nights
Fionnphort (Mull) 3 nights
Killin 3 nights
Fly out of Glasgow on July 6th

We haven't planned what we are doing each of the places we are staying, but I've compiled lists of interesting things TO do, like a drive through the Castle Trail, or Callainis Stone Circle, Iona, Fingal's Cave, Fairy Glen, etc. With 6 people and 2 cars, we can pick and choose each day.

It is a lovely itinerary - I could quite fancy doing it myself ! But I do like the sun :-) What would be ideal would be being able to do both, I suppose... sigh.

I'm sure I'll see the sun. On occasion. Through the cloud cover :P