GETTING TO KNOW GLASGOW - Edinburgh and Glasgow - page 167

booklet for £19. The underground runs Monday to Saturday 6:30am to about
11:30pm and Sunday 11am to about 6pm.
The Transcentre (local ticket sales only) at the St. Enoch underground station, two
blocks from the Central Station, is generally open Monday to Saturday from 8:30am
to 5:30pm, but it closes early on Wednesday. On Sunday, the hours are 10am to 5pm.
Glasgow and the region have the largest train network in Great Britain after Lon-
don, operated by the private franchise holder First ScotRail and the quasi-public
body now called the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). Local train
services to both Central (upper and lower levels) and Queen Street (lower level only)
stations run as frequently as every 10 minutes or so during the day to destinations
in the West End and on the Southside. Service is less frequent after the evening rush
hour, and the system shuts down around midnight. While extensive, the trains are
not cheap by European standards. A typical round-trip fare is £3 to £5.50.
For families on an excursion, the Daytripper ticket is excellent. For £17.50, two
adults and up to four children (5-15 years old) can travel anywhere in the system
(including broad swaths of Ayrshire) by suburban train, the underground, most
buses, and even a few ferries. For one adult and two children, the fare is £9.80.
The main SPT switchboard is & 0141/332-6811. Hours are Monday to Satur-
day 9am to 5pm, or visit www.spt.co.uk.
Glasgow by Taxi
Metered taxis are the same excellent ones found in Edinburgh or London: the Fast
Black, which you can hail or pick up at taxi ranks in the city center. Alternatively you
can also reserve one by calling Glasgow Taxis Ltd. ( & 0141/429-7070 ). Most
taxi trips within the city cost between £6 and £16. A surcharge is imposed for late-
night/early-morning runs. There are also Glasgow Private Hire cars, but they
cannot be hailed. Call & 0141/774-3000.
Glasgow by Car
Glasgow, in reality, goes a long way toward encouraging car use with several multi-
story parking lots offering parking prices cheaper than public transport tickets. But
traffic at times is absolute murder. Metered street parking is available, but expen-
sive. Some zones in residential areas are marked permit holders only—your
vehicle may be towed if you lack a permit. A double yellow line along the curb indi-
cates no parking at any time. A single yellow line along the curb indicates restric-
tions, too, so be sure to read the signs for details of limitations.
If you want to rent a car, it's best to arrange it in advance. But if you want to rent a car
locally, most companies will accept your foreign driver's license. All the major rental
agencies are represented at the airport. In addition, Avis Rent-a-Car is at 70 Lancefield
St. ( & 0870/608-6339 ); Budget Rent-a-Car is at 101 Waterloo St. ( & 0800/212-
636 ); and Arnold Clark is at multiple locations ( & 0845/607-4500 ).
Glasgow by Bicycle
Though bikes are not as widely used in Glasgow as in Edinburgh, most parts of the
city are fine for biking. For more information on cycle hire and rentals, see p. 206 in
chapter 16.

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