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Amazing Journeys Through Europe

Glasgow Central Station Tour: Know The Secrets

Glasgow Central station tour revolves around the famous congested station of Glasgow… an architecturally brilliant ensemble that dates back to 1879 and has a mystery laden past. The building is recognised to be one of the most legendary buildings in Scotland (it’s category ‘A’ listed) and it stands on the North bank of Clyde.

Once upon a time there were 8 platforms that were linked by a railway bridge over Argyle Street… an extremely picturesque sight. Several modifications and more than a century after, the Glasgow Central station is now the biggest station in Scotland’s biggest city and is the busiest in Scotland. More than 130,000 people use the station each day and the Queen Anne style architecture is highly photographed.

The station changed a lot during the years and it’s fascinating to know the history of the place plus seeing the different nooks and crannies that normally remain hidden from public view. The public of Glasgow passes through this station for their travel needs but there are lots of history and interesting facts about the station that open up once anyone goes below the concourse level. Glasgow Central station tours are exclusively operated and managed by the station authorities and for many many years historian and guide Paul Lyons (he has decades of experience in the railway industry) has been conducting these tours.

The tour kicks off in its full flavour as the group descends below the concourse level into an entirely different medieval world that’s unlike the lively and modern everyday look of the Glasgow Central Station. At the first look the soot darkened walls and the maze like tunnels may seem gloomy but the excellent narrative provided by the guide puts colour in it.

The fascinating features of the station require some introduction. The glass panelled roof (biggest glass roof in the world) has more than 48,000 pieces of glass that make it up. The station covers almost 2.2 square miles and it could take years to know it well. There is a hidden area that used to host coal and grain stores in medieval times. There was even a mortuary that was constructed here during the First World War. The bowels of the station are humid and hot and yet seem like a fascinating maze of cables, power rooms and zig zag paths.

Some historical sites like the place where mail was dragged in to load up on the Royal mail train, are mostly a part of all Central station tours. Then there are walls filled with beautiful murals of Caledonian Railway Company and the engineers who constructed the station (artwork done by Glasgow school of art students).

If you are lucky the guide will show an area that hosts several finds associated with the station. There is an antique street map of Grahamstown (a village that vanished when the station was constructed), 18 th century bottles, wheelchair and stretchers from the First World War, map of the station in its 1920 version and a pair of church headstones. There is also a gorgeously intact Victorian era platform that was sealed behind a wall and vanished from memory for about 50 years before the guide Paul Lyons discovered it. Then there are steam boiler rooms.

The guide Paul Lyons’ passion about Glasgow’s history and in depth knowledge about every crevice of the station…is legendary. Lyons takes visitors into the hidden corners of the station continuously mixing facts with interesting stories about the place and in the process creating a fascinating narrative. There are moving accounts of the First World War, famous romances connected to the station, general plight of women, economic issues etc.

There are also stories about the engineers and workers who lived and died in this building and the commoners whose lives were inextricably tied with it. It’s also appreciable that he uses Glesga Patter; Glasgow’s famous dialect and that’s laced with a healthy dose of Glaswegian humour. Glasgow’s famous dialect has been aptly showcased at yet another fantastic attraction… the People’s Palace at Glasgow Green .

Paul Lyons also opens up about his wish to see more statues dedicated to women in Glasgow (for an enlightened city, Glasgow has only 4 statues dedicated to female luminaries) and a proper museum for the Central Station. He also wants a Victorian steam locomotive and a vintage news stand to be installed in the lower level Victorian Platform… plans are already underway for these. At the end of the tour most visitors end up enthusiastically rooting for his goals.

The Glasgow Central Station website makes no mention of where the group meets the guide but Paul Lyons with his movie like long grey beard and bowler hat is hard to miss anyway!!

Duration & Timings

The tours are usually one hour long and happen on weekends and selected weekdays. The tour starts off near the information kiosk right at the heart of the station. There is a huge clock in Glasgow central station and the information kiosk is right near it.  There is a Banner announcing ‘Glasgow Central Experience’ here so you can’t possibly miss the location.

Indicative Prices & Booking

The dates for Glasgow Central tours are published about 6 weeks in advance and you will find the dates on the calendar on the official website. The white dates are all unavailable ones and the pink dates are all sold out ones. All other dates are available ones and you can click on a date of your choice to book it.

The price per adult is 13 pounds. The money earned from the tour goes back into making the tour and station even better. A beautiful memento booklet is presented to the visitors at the end of the tour.

The tour is amongst the top tours of Glasgow and is almost always fully booked. You need to book it only through the official website and well in advance.

Here is the Booking Website .

Note: Minimum age is 12 years old. The tour takes visitors along dark cramped places. Also the tour takes visitors to places well below the platforms via steep flights of stairs into abandoned tunnels. There is a lot of stair climbing involved and it’s not suitable for people with mobility issues. Even healthy adults would need to wear comfortable walking shoes to get on this tour.

Location & Contacts

• Best places to visit in Glasgow
• Glasgow Tourism
• Scotland Tourism
• Europe Tourism

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PLEASE NOTE: The minimum age is 12 years old. Children aged 12-15 years must be accompanied by an adult and there is a maximum of three 12-15 year old children per accompanying adult.

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Plan your visit

All the information you need to make the most of your day.

Entry is free

Opening hours.

Monday-Thursday and Saturday: 10am-5pm Friday and Sunday: 11am-5pm

Monday-Thursday and Saturday: 10am-4.30pm  Friday and Sunday: 11am-4.30pm Last orders are at 3.15pm daily, after which a selection of sandwiches and cakes are available.

Getting here

Direct services from Glasgow city centre to: •  Pollokshaws Road:  routes 57/57A, there is a bus stop directly opposite the park entrance •  Shawbridge Street:  route 3, alight at Shawholm Crescent •  Dumbreck Road:  routes 34/34A, alight opposite Haggswood Avenue

Journey times are approximately 20 minutes.

For up to the minute travel information please visit the First Bus Journey Planner.

Direct services from Glasgow Central Station to:

• Pollokshaws West: Located on Pollokshaws Road, the nearest entrance to Pollok Country Park is at 2060 Pollokshaws Road, less than a 5 minute walk. Exit station, turning left onto Pollokshaws Road and you will see the park entrance shortly after on your left. •  Shawlands:  Located on Pollokshaws Road, 10 minute walk to the Pollokshaws Road entrance of Pollok Country Park. Exit station, turning right and follow Pollokshaws Road to park entrance on your right.

Journey times are approximately 10 minutes.

For more detailed information on trains from Glasgow Central to Pollokshaws West | Train Times (scotrail.co.uk)

For more detailed information on trains from Glasgow Central to Shawlands | Train Times (scotrail.co.uk)

Shuttle bus

A free electric shuttle bus operates in the park. The bus runs 7 days, 10.00am-6.15pm in a 20-30 minute loop, linking the park entrance at 2060 Pollokshaws Road to The Burrell Collection and Pollok House. The bus has wheelchair access and capacity for one wheelchair at a time. Dogs are allowed on the bus, subject to capacity, with priority given to assistance dogs.

Please note, only assistance dogs are permitted inside The Burrell Collection.

Pick up at Pollokshaws Road entrance is at the following times:

10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:30, 4:00, 4:30, 5:15*, 6:15*

*Note these services leave from The Burrell Collection bus stop only and exit the park around 20 minutes later.

Walking and cycling

The main park entrance at 2060 Pollokshaws Road now has improved surfacing and separation between pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. Through the restriction of car movement, pedestrians and cyclists can now also enjoy priority access on the main park routes including Pollok Avenue.

Pollok Country Park is an ideal place to visit by bike and can be easily reached by Route 7 and 75 of the National Cycle Network, which run through the park, or by using the local link routes. You can also visit by bike via the nearby rail and bus stations.

Visitors are welcome to make use of covered cycling racks in front of The Burrell Collection. Bikes and e-bikes will also be available to hire within Pollok Country Park as part of the  NextBike Cycle Hire Scheme . The standard NextBikes are due to be installed in Spring 2022, with e-bikes in early Summer 2022.

Find out more about improvements to Pollok Country Park.

Pollok Country Park and The Burrell Collection can be accessed by car at 2060 Pollokshaws Road, via junction 2 of the M77. The postcode for the museum is G43 1AT.

Access to Pollok House is via Dumbreck Road, near Junction 1 of the M77.

Car access into and around the park has changed:  please note there is no longer access through the middle of the park for cars.

There are two public car parks, The Burrell Collection Car Park via Pollokshaws Road and The Riverside Car Park at Pollok House via Lochinch Road. Routes to both car parks are signposted.

Please also note that National Trust members cannot park in The Burrell Collection Car Park for free.

**Parking charges have increased**

Glasgow City Council increased parking charges across the city as part of the Council Budget Announcement for 2023/2024.

The new charges have been applied to all Council-owned pay and display car parks, including those in Pollok Country Park at The Burrell Collection, the Riverside car park for Pollok House and Nether Pollok.

Blue Badge parking remains free in all car parks, subject to display of a valid permit.

Find more information on the council website , including information on how to contact the council regarding RingGo: Follow this link .

Accessible parking bays are provided in front of the museum and parking is free for blue badge holders. Please ensure the badge is prominently displayed. There are 19 bays specifically marked. 

Parking charges will apply as follows: • Monday-Sunday 10am-6pm • £5 for up to 4 hours • £10 for all day • Pay with cash (coins only) via Pay and Display machines or using the RingGo app (see signage for instructions). Please note RingGo does NOT accept payment via QR code.

You can download the RingGo app before you travel here.

Please be aware we cannot guarantee parking spaces will be available and once the car parks are full, park staff will redirect cars out of the park.

EV Charging

There are 6 electric vehicle charging points located at the Riverside car park near to Pollok House.

Download the floorplan for all the details on the new galleries, dining options and other visitor facilities.

Burrell Floorplan

Accessibility and visitor facilities, getting into and moving around the museum.

Access to the building has been improved with two additional entrances, including the new main entrance with step-free, level access from the car park into the ground floor of the building.

The new central hub, with stairs and lifts in the middle of the building, provides access to all three floors.

Digital displays have been introduced with the use of BSL, captions and 10 languages.

Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow from the reception desk, on a first come, first served basis.

A hearing loop is available: instructions to access are available from reception.

Only assistance dogs are permitted inside the building.

Changing places

The Burrell is the first museum in Scotland with two changing places toilets, alongside 9 additional accessible toilets and an accessible lift.

The Burrell has a range of dining options including two coffee stops as well as the main restaurant with a new outdoor terrace. All serve excellent, innovative Scottish produce.

Find out more about dining options at The Burrell Collection.

The Burrell Collection shop has an inspiring range of products, many of which are exclusive to The Burrell and include pocket money priced items. We hope you will be enthralled and amazed with the range of products on offer that can't be bought elsewhere. There's something for everyone!

Visit our Online Shop.

Additional Facilities

• Baby changing
• Baby feeding space in our quiet room
• Fridge for medication on request
• Water fountains

There are 5 indoor picnic areas within the museum, and visitors are welcome to bring their own food and drink to enjoy. 

AccessAble Guide

Visit AccessAble's website for a comprehensive guide of our facilities.

Visit the website by clicking here.

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Visit this web page to find out more about photography, filming and sketching guidelines at Glasgow Museums venues.

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Galleries and displays

1M82 0709 Glasgow Central to Manchester Airport Departing on 31st August 2024

• UID C29918, identity 1M82 TSC 21730001, headcode 8009
• SO - 08/06/2024 to 14/12/2024
• Express Passenger
• Great Britain (Network Rail, TPS)
• Reservations compulsory
• Trolley service
• TRUST ID 071M82MA31
• Activated 31/08/2024 06:09