Glasgow Airport Express Fare Drops to £2
Getting between central Glasgow and Glasgow Airport has become much cheaper, with the Airport Express 500 now included in the £2 bus fare cap in Strathclyde. The adult single previously cost £11, so the change cuts £9 from a one-way airport journey. Unlike a flash sale, the fare is not tied to a limited ticket allocation, although it applies only to eligible single journeys on participating services.
Service 500 runs 24 hours a day between Buchanan Bus Station and Glasgow Airport, with journeys taking about 15 minutes and buses operating up to every 10 minutes. The £2 fare is available to visitors as well as residents, with no promotional code required. Scottish concessionary cardholders can continue travelling free with an eligible National Entitlement Card.
What the £2 Airport Fare Actually Covers
- Service: Glasgow Airport Express 500.
- Adult single: £2, down from £11.
- Buying: on board, including Tap On Tap Off.
- Return: no return ticket; two eligible singles cost £4.
- Bus changes: each additional service requires a separate fare.
- Refunds: contactless refund requests go through First Bus customer services.
- Availability: the fare cap is currently in force, with no published end date.
Service 500 is useful for both early departures and late arrivals because it runs 24 hours a day. In central Glasgow, the main departure point is Buchanan Bus Station, stance 46, while airport buses leave from stance 1. The service also stops near Central and Queen Street stations, and the buses have dedicated luggage space, making the £2 fare practical for travellers arriving in Glasgow by train.
At £2, the express bus now costs less than Glasgow Airport’s paid express drop-off, which charges £7 for up to 15 minutes, although drivers can also use the Long Stay car park free for up to one hour. The strongest saving is therefore for travellers who can use Service 500 directly; anyone making connections should price the whole journey rather than assuming every leg costs £2.
