Glasgow School of English is recognised by UKVI as a Tier 4 sponsor to bring students into the UK on Tier 4 General Student Visas under licence number 18EC8KTJ.
Glasgow has a very good travel network, but it can take a while to get used to the different ways of moving around. This section tells you a bit more the main transport systems and where to find out more information.
Much of the transport in the area is co-ordinated by
Strathclyde Partnership For Transport (SPT)
You can find out about their Travel Card system from that link. The Travel Card is a very easy way to get around and covers rail, subway, and some bus services.
If you intend to use buses for most of your local travel, or if you're going to combine buses and trains, then it's also worth investigating the
Plusbus ticketing system
www.plusbus.info/glasgow
Buses are the most common method of travel and there is an extensive network. The main bus station in central Glasgow is:
Buchanan Bus Station
Killermont Street, G2 3NP
www.spt.co.uk/bus/bus-stations/buchanan-bus-station
Many of the local bus routes are operated by First Group, who also run many of the Scottish rail services
www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/glasgow
The have some useful maps of their routes and the city at
www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/glasgow/journey_planning/maps
Other major bus companies, including those who run some of the longer-distance routes include:
The city has a small subway system - the third oldest underground railway in the world.
www.spt.co.uk/subway/maps-stations
It is a convenient and efficient way to travel.
There are two main railway stations in Glasgow, which serve destinations on opposite sides of the city.
Queen Street is the main rail station for destinations to the east and the north - including Edinburgh, to which trains run every 15 minutes during the business day and every half hour outside of peak times.
Other eastern destinations that may be of interest to anyone wishing to explore the other parts of Scotland include Stirling, Perth and Inverness.
The other notable route from Queen Street is the famous West Highland Line which runs up the North-Western side of the country with branches to Oban, from where Mull and other islands can be reached by ferry. It also goes to Fort William, which sits beneath Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in then UK. You can continue travelling to Mallaig, and from here you can reach Skye. This rail line is a visually stunning trip and an easy way to get an introduction to Scottish landscape.
The main station for destinations to the west and south, Central Station also handles most of the local trains. The main West Coast line to England, with trains to Carlisle, Manchester, Birmingham and London runs from here. There are also services to the Ayrshire coast such as Troon, Ayr and to Stranraer at the south-west tip of Scotland. From here, ferries can be taken to Ireland. You can also go to Edinburgh from this station.
Useful websites for exploring the rail services available include:
Glasgow International Airport
www.glasgowairport.com
Glasgow's main airport with routes to the USA, Canada, Spain, and major hubs such as Amsterdam and Heathrow. It also handles flights to the small Scottish islands.
There is no railway connection but it does have a frequent bus connections into the city centre.
www.glasgowairport.com/transport-and-directions/buses-and-coaches
Prestwick Airport
www.glasgowprestwick.com
This mainly acts as a hub for budget airlines, notably Ryanair. There is a direct railway connection from Prestwick airport to Glasgow.
Edinburgh Airport
Although 40 miles to the east of Glasgow, Edinburgh airport has a number of flights to and from destinations which can't be reached from Glasgow. There are direct bus connections from Glasgow.
Ferry transport is used to get across to the Scottish islands. These are more likely to be used by students for travel and tourism, rather than commuting. We regularly go on school trips that involve taking a ferry.
