Debating about where to shop or eat in the city centre can be difficult given there are a variety of places to chose from.
But another debate to be had is often discussed before we leave - where do we park?
Naturally we want to chose the cheapest option but like any major city, Glasgow’s spaces are few and far in between, and, with Christmas on the horizon, those readily available are likely to cost you dearly.
So to save you the trouble of driving in circles on the lookout for a cheap and easily manoeuvred spot, we’ve taken a look at both park and ride and city centre options - all bearing in mind how much cash you’ll have to part with.
Free parking
- Old Rutherglen Road
- Yarrow Gardens
- Melrose Gardens
- Kirkland Street
- Lyndhurst Gardens
The closest space to the city centre is Old Rutherglen Road which is around a 30 minute stroll into Glasgow.
On-street parking
- Southpark Terrace
- Southpark Avenue
- Great Western Road
- Glasgow Street
- Caledonian Crescent
- Cecil Street
- Lilybank Gardens
- Byres Road
- Cresswell Street
Sauchiehall Street
Some road may be limited to a maximum stay of two hours so be wary of that.
Thankfully pay and display options are easier nowadays thanks to a handy little thing called RingGo. This allows you to pay by card over the phone or via their app available on the Apple or Google Play store - a lifesaver for when you have no cash.
Q-Park Sauchiehall Street is located next to the main shopping streets of Glasgow and is a short walk away from the Royal Concert Hall and main shopping centre, Buchanan Galleries. It has 372 parking spaces, 11 of which are disabled spaces
- Entry from 00:00 to 08:59: £2
- Entry from 09:00 to 13:59: £2.50
- Entry from 14:00 to 23:59: £2
- Up to 24 hours: £25
You can stay beyond 24 hours but the tariff of £25 will repeat after each 24 hour.
Other long-stay parking includes King Street’s NCP pay and display car park where two hours will cost you £5.50, 10 hours £7.50 and 24 hours £15.
RCP Parking will cost you £1.80 per hour, or £6.00 for an all day stay on the aptly named Cheapside St which is about a 12 minute walk to central station - but Anderston Rail Station is nearby if you’re willing to spend your savings on a return ticket.
Overnight parking
You are permitted to park your car in any of these council parking spots that are free after 6pm, but if you have a Motorhome or Caravan, there is a large lay-by just by Glasgow Airport that allows overnight parking.
There are some council car parks in Glasgow with unrestricted height limits so you can park in these and stay locally.
- Brown Street
- Washington Street
- Dunlop Street
The spaces available in Brown Street, for example, are open 24 hours a day. You can enter and exit the car park multiple times throughout the duration of your booking and bonus, it's only a seven minute walk from Glasgow Central Station.
You can enter the above locations, or any location to find the nearest RingGo here. It will let you know how much it will cost, how full the car-park is and the maximum time you are allowed to stay.
Subway Smartcard
A guaranteed space? Yes please!
The subway offers a Park and Ride all day ticket. This includes a return journey on the underground for just £5. There are hourly options for Smartcard holders as well as weekly, monthly and annual tickets.
- Shields Road Subway station: 839 spaces
- Bridge St: 183 spaces
- Kelvinbridge: 150 spaces
| Park and Ride (all day parking and return journey) | £5.70 |
| Smartcard PAYG parking up to 30 minutes | £0.60 |
| Smartcard PAYG parking up to 1 hour | £1.20 |
| Smartcard PAYG parking up to 2 hours | £2.70 |
| Smartcard PAYG parking up to end of day | £5.70 |
| Parking only (28 days) all car parks | £53 |
| Park and Ride 7 day adult ticket | £27 |
| Park and Ride 28 day adult ticket | £105 |
| Park and Ride 6 month adult ticket | £540 |
| Park and Ride annual adult ticket | £960 |
| Lost ticket fee | £3.20 |
| Overstay day rate | £5.70 |
| Season add on | £2.70 |
You can read more about their smartcards here.
Fed up of the car?
There are a number of ways to travel around Glasgow - and it's not just by car or bus.
If you want to head out but also get some fresh air, why not rent a bike using Nextbike’s cycle hire system?
You can grab a People Make Glasgow branded bike from sites like Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Kelvinbridge Subway, St George's Cross and Kelvinhaugh Street / Argyle Street in the west end and Buchanan Street Bus Station, Glasgow Caledonian University, the Gallery of Modern Art and the University of Strathclyde in the city centre, as well as at Glasgow Cathedral, the Barrowlands and City of Glasgow College (Riverside Campus).
The bike will cost you £1 per half hour, or £10 for anywhere between five and 24 hours (advance registration required, and there is an option for annual subscription).
You can find out more about that here.
Got a gig at the Hydro?
A little-known lifehack here - and a reason to treat yourself to dinner. If you have tickets for a show at the SECC or SSE Hydro and you’re wondering how best to get there, consider a meal out at the Rotunda nearby. The historic building houses four restaurants, from burgers and fries to classic Italian - and parking is free for customers, meaning you can toddle over to your big gig full of good food and confident that you won’t return to a parking ticket.
Visit our traffic and travel section here.
