Edinburgh's Airport is obviously closer to the city, but some of the cheapest flights to Edinburgh are via Glasgow airport. Glasgow airport is around an hour from Edinburgh by car (although takes longer if traffic is heavy). There are good bus and train services between Scotland's two largest cities, so you don't necessarily need a car.
Glasgow Airport Flight information
Getting to and from Glasgow Airport
With the nearest railway station, Paisley's Gilmour station, a mile away from Glasgow Airport the best public transport option is bus to Buchanan Street station at George Square, and then get another bus from there to Edinburgh or a train from the adjacent Glasgow Queen Street station.
You used to be able to buy a bus ticket at Glasgow airport through to Edinburgh City Centre (St Andrew Square), although now it seems you have to buy two tickets separately.
There are several bus services between Glasgow airport and Glasgow City Centre.
- Glasgow Airport Express (Service 500) The airport's official express bus leaving Stance 1. It's around a 15-minute trip into the city centre on a modern bus with free wifi and USB charging. Drop-off and pick-up points are St Vincent Street near Central Station, George Square near Queen Street Station and Buchanan Bus Station. Single tickets are £8.50 (£14 open return) for adults and £4.50 (£7 open return) for kids with discounts available. Buy on the app or pay 50p more cashless on the bus.
Local buses
There are more roundabout options for getting to Edinburgh with a combination of local buses and other bus or train. These local buses leave from outside the airport terminal. - First 77 Hospital Connect First Glasgow's local bus from Stance 6 ends at Buchanan Street station where you can connect with a bus (or train) to Edinburgh. Extra stops means the bus takes an hour but it's a couple of pounds cheaper (£6.30 for a network ticket).
- McGill's 757 You could take this if linking with a train at Paisley to take you to Glasgow Central Station. Probably easier to get the 500 Express into town though and get the Edinburgh train at Queens Street train station (next to Buchanan Street bus station).
Edinburgh-Glasgow Connection
Buses and trains run regularly between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
You'll probably have to change buses at Buchanan Street bus station for a bus to Edinburgh.
For Edinburgh trains, walk to the adjacent Glasgow Queen Street train station. It's a few pounds more expensive to go by train to Edinburgh Waverley or Edinburgh Haymarket. It's around 50 minutes trip and the trains run as often as every quarter hour at peak time.