Glasgow is about 73 km (46 mi) by road from Edinburgh's New Town to George Square by our routing, roughly an hour on a clear road along the motorway west. From Edinburgh Airport, which sits on the Glasgow side of the city, it is about 64 km (40 mi) and 50 minutes. Rush hour on the city approaches at either end can add half an hour.
For one person travelling centre to centre, the train is the better answer: VisitScotland gives about 45 minutes between Glasgow and Edinburgh, with frequent ScotRail services. A car earns its place when you want to stop on the way, at Linlithgow Palace, the Kelpies or the Falkirk Wheel; when a family or group is travelling with luggage; or when the trip starts or ends somewhere the train does not go. With Elly8.net, a one-way run is quoted at a fixed price in the web booker, and a day with stops is booked by the hour from US$90 per vehicle, with a 3-hour minimum.
How long does it take to drive from Edinburgh to Glasgow?
About an hour on a clear road. Our routing puts the New Town to George Square at about 73 km (46 mi) and 64 minutes, and Edinburgh Airport to central Glasgow at about 64 km (40 mi) and 50 minutes. Weekday rush hours at either end can add 20 to 30 minutes.
The drive itself is straightforward motorway. What makes it worth doing by car is what lies a few minutes off the road: a royal palace, two of Scotland's best-known pieces of modern engineering and art, and, with a slightly longer route, Stirling Castle.
See Edinburgh prices and reserve
Train, bus or car: the honest comparison
| Option | Journey | Frequency | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ScotRail train, Edinburgh to Glasgow | About 45 minutes (VisitScotland) | Frequent through the day | One or two travellers, city centre to city centre |
| Citylink 900 coach | About 1 h 20 min, Edinburgh Bus Station via Princes Street and Haymarket to Buchanan Bus Station | Every 12 minutes at peak times | Lowest cost, no rush |
| Citylink AIR 900 and 902 from Edinburgh Airport | Airport to Glasgow | Scheduled | Arriving at EDI, going straight to Glasgow |
| Taxi | Fare negotiated with the driver for trips outside Edinburgh | On demand | Walk-up trips |
| Elly8.net private car | About 1 hour door to door, longer with stops | When you book | Families, groups, luggage, stops on the way |
The rail and coach details come from VisitScotland's pages on getting to Glasgow and getting to Edinburgh, which describe the Citylink 900 running every 12 minutes at peak times and taking about an hour and twenty minutes, and the train taking about 45 minutes. Edinburgh Airport lists the Citylink AIR 900 and the Citylink 902 coach among its bus connections to Glasgow.
On taxis: the City of Edinburgh Council's taxi fare table applies only within the city, and for any hire ending outside it, the fare must be negotiated and agreed with the driver before the journey. Glasgow is outside it.
The verdict is simple. If you are one person going from Waverley to Queen Street, take the train. If you are a family of four with suitcases, a golf group, a business team with a schedule, or you want to see something on the way, a car is the better day.
The best stops between Edinburgh and Glasgow
Linlithgow Palace. About 28 km (18 mi) and 35 minutes from the New Town by our routing, the ruined palace of the Stewart kings is the first and most historic stop. Historic Environment Scotland describes it as the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots and a Renaissance residence built over two centuries. Allow an hour to an hour and a half.
The Kelpies. About 12 km (7 mi) and 11 minutes on from Linlithgow, the Kelpies are a pair of 30-metre-tall horse-head sculptures in Falkirk, inspired by the working horses of Scotland's past, according to Scottish Canals. They stand in an ecopark called The Helix, and The Helix offers guided Kelpies tours. A stop of 45 minutes covers a walk around them.
The Falkirk Wheel. About 14 km (9 mi) and 16 minutes from the Kelpies, the wheel is, in Scottish Canals' words, the world's only rotating boat lift, linking the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal 35 metres above it in a half-turn that takes about five minutes. Boat trips through the lift are ticketed; in summer, book them before you set the day.
On to Glasgow. From the Falkirk Wheel to central Glasgow is about 38 km (23 mi), roughly 35 minutes.
With all three stops, the route is about 92 km of driving and a comfortable four to five hours door to door, which is why the hourly booking fits it well.
| Leg | Distance, routed | Clear-road drive |
|---|---|---|
| New Town to Linlithgow Palace | 28 km (18 mi) | about 35 min |
| Linlithgow to the Kelpies | 12 km (7 mi) | about 11 min |
| The Kelpies to the Falkirk Wheel | 14 km (9 mi) | about 16 min |
| Falkirk Wheel to George Square, Glasgow | 38 km (23 mi) | about 35 min |
| Direct: New Town to George Square | 73 km (46 mi) | about 1 h 4 min |
Planning the day
Start mid-morning. Leaving the New Town around 9:30 avoids the worst of the outbound rush hour and puts you at Linlithgow Palace soon after it opens. Check the opening times on the day; historic sites set their own hours by season.
Lunch in Falkirk or Glasgow. The Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel both have cafés, which suits families. Alternatively, keep going and have a late lunch in Glasgow.
Decide whether you are staying. If you are moving hotels, the luggage rides with you all day and stays out of sight in the car at each stop. If you are going back to Edinburgh the same evening, the full-day chauffeur is the simpler booking, and the chauffeur collects you in Glasgow at the time you choose.
Allow for the return. The evening run back into Edinburgh is usually lighter than the morning. On a Friday, or on a day with an event at Murrayfield or in central Glasgow, allow more time.
One day or two. A rushed version of both cities in one day is rarely worth it. If Glasgow is more than a stop for you, spend the night and come back the next day by train or with the car.
The alternative route through Stirling
If castles interest you more than canals, go by Stirling instead. Stirling Castle is about 63 km (39 mi) and an hour from the New Town by our routing, with the Great Hall and the Royal Palace, which the castle describes as the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots. From Stirling to central Glasgow is about 46 km (29 mi), roughly 36 minutes. Linlithgow and Stirling together make a full day of Stewart history, ending in Glasgow for dinner.
What a driver from Edinburgh to Glasgow costs
There is no fixed price-list fare for Glasgow on the Edinburgh page, because the right booking depends on the route.
One way, direct. Enter your Edinburgh address and your Glasgow address in the web booker for an instant fixed price, all-in per vehicle and charged in US dollars. This suits a hotel-to-hotel move with luggage.
A day with stops, or a return trip. Book by the hour. The Edinburgh hourly chauffeur costs US$90 in a business sedan, US$115 in a business SUV, US$135 in a First Class SUV, US$145 in a First Class Sedan and US$180 in an Executive Sprinter, with a 3-hour minimum. As arithmetic only, five hours in a business SUV comes to US$575 for the vehicle.
A full day there and back. The full-day chauffeur costs from US$665 in a business sedan, US$850 in a business SUV and US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter, the simpler choice for Edinburgh to Glasgow and back with stops both ways.
All Elly8.net fares are per vehicle and include the chauffeur, taxes and standard gratuity; parking and road charges are billed at cost. The full list is on the Edinburgh fares panel.
| Vehicle | Seats and bags | Hourly, 3-hour minimum | Full-day chauffeur |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | 3 passengers, 2 bags | US$90 | US$665 |
| Business SUV | 6 passengers, 6 bags | US$115 | US$850 |
| First Class SUV | 6 passengers, 6 bags | US$135 | US$995 |
| First Class Sedan | 3 passengers, 2 bags | US$145 | US$1,070 |
| Executive Sprinter | 12 passengers, 12 bags | US$180 | US$1,325 |
Who books this drive
Families moving between the two cities. Many North American itineraries spend a few nights in each. A one-way car with all the luggage, stopping at Linlithgow and the Falkirk Wheel, turns a transfer into a sightseeing day.
Arrivals at Edinburgh Airport bound for Glasgow. The airport is on the Glasgow side of Edinburgh, about 50 minutes from central Glasgow by our routing. The chauffeur meets you inside arrivals with a name board, tracking your flight; see airport transfers.
Business travellers. A day of meetings in both cities is a classic use of the corporate roadshow day, from US$810 in a business sedan, US$1,035 in a business SUV and US$1,620 in an Executive Sprinter. See roadshow chauffeur and corporate accounts.
Groups and events. For concerts and conferences in Glasgow, an Executive Sprinter keeps a group of up to twelve together, with the car waiting for the return. See event transportation.
Golfers and walkers. Clubs and boots need an SUV or a Sprinter. Loch Lomond lies northwest of Glasgow; our signature Edinburgh day trip to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs is a ten-hour package from US$830 in a business sedan, on the packages page.
Practical points
Driving on the left. Scotland drives on the left, and the motorway junctions around both cities are busy. Many visitors who are happy to drive in the Highlands still prefer a driver for the city ends. Our chauffeur vs car rental comparison sets out the trade-offs.
Glasgow pickups. Glasgow is not one of our listed cities, but the Edinburgh desk books the run both ways; quote a Glasgow pickup in the web booker.
Timing around events. Rugby internationals at Murrayfield sit beside the road between Edinburgh and the motorway, so match days slow the start. In August, festival traffic in central Edinburgh adds time to the first few miles.
Child seats. Request them when you book, with the ages, and the partner fits them before pickup.
Who drives. Rides in Edinburgh are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer; see the fleet and city to city car service.
Other drives from Edinburgh
St Andrews is the other classic drive, about 85 km (53 mi) north across the Firth of Forth; read Edinburgh to St Andrews by private driver or train. For getting around Edinburgh itself, see Edinburgh taxi or rideshare and Uber in Edinburgh.
How to book
- Route. Enter your Edinburgh pickup and your Glasgow address, with any stops.
- Vehicle. Choose the vehicle for your party and luggage.
- Reserve. The web booker gives the fixed price for a one-way run; hourly and full-day bookings are on the Edinburgh price list. Confirmation arrives by email.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card. See the cancellation policy.
The same desk books Manchester, London and Dublin. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is it quicker to drive or take the train from Edinburgh to Glasgow?
Centre to centre, the train is quicker: about 45 minutes, according to VisitScotland, against about an hour by car on a clear road. The car wins on door-to-door journeys with luggage, for groups, and when you want to stop at Linlithgow, the Kelpies or the Falkirk Wheel on the way.
How much is a private driver from Edinburgh to Glasgow?
A one-way run is quoted at a fixed price per vehicle in the web booker. A day with stops is booked by the hour, from US$90 in a business sedan and US$115 in a business SUV with a 3-hour minimum, or as a full day from US$665. All fares are all-in.
What is worth stopping for between Edinburgh and Glasgow?
Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots; the Kelpies, two 30-metre horse-head sculptures; and the Falkirk Wheel, the world's only rotating boat lift. Together they add about three hours to the drive. Stirling Castle is the alternative on a slightly longer route.
Can a taxi take me from Edinburgh to Glasgow?
Yes, but Edinburgh's council tariff applies only within the city. For a trip ending outside it, the fare must be negotiated and agreed with the driver before you set off. A pre-booked car fixes the price, per vehicle, before you travel.
Can you pick us up at Edinburgh Airport and drive to Glasgow?
Yes. The airport is about 64 km (40 mi) from central Glasgow, roughly 50 minutes by our routing. The chauffeur tracks your flight and meets you inside arrivals. Enter the airport and your Glasgow address in the web booker for the fixed price.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show. Refunds go to the original card. To change a date, message the 24/7 desk.
