How to Spend One Day in Glasgow: Day Trip from Edinburgh to Glasgow

Glasgow is more of a typical European city than Edinburgh, as Glasgow has more of a classic downtown, picturesque square near the train center, and student friendly areas.

Is it worth it to go to Glasgow for a day?

We opted to set up base in Edinburgh in favor of a day trip to Glasgow, as my Scottish friend told me it can be done in a day – and we found that if you maximize your time, she was more than right.

Can you do a day trip from Edinburgh to Glasgow?

We found it well worth it to station ourselves in Edinburgh and opt for a day trip to Glasgow, as Edinburgh is catered more to tourists with more to see and do than Glasgow itself. Even more so, traveling between the two cities is easy, cheap, and fast – making it worthwhile to do a day trip from Edinburgh to Glasgow.

George’s Square in Glasgow outside of Queens Street Station; September 2024

Keep reading more below for our itinerary on our day trip to Glasgow from Edinburgh.

Getting to Glasgow

Trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow seemingly ran every hour or even half hour depending on the time. The ticket was around 16£ for a round trip ticket, making it very affordable and a worthwhile day trip from Edinburgh.

We got on the 10am train to Glasgow from Edinburgh, and arrived at around 11am.

Sights to See in Glasgow

All of the good stuff you want to see in Glasgow is further away from the Queen Street Station that you’re likely to arrive at.

Uber is good in Glasgow, and there’s also a public bus – but we opted to walk to our first stop.

Here’s a list of the things we did and saw in Glasgow, in order:

Kelvingrove Park

Serving as Glasgow’s, “Central Park” – we stopped in a cute cafe right near the park’s entrance and chatted up with some locals who recommended we explore the West End – which initially wasn’t on our list.

Cozy Cafe in Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow; September 2024

Massive Greenery, hills, bridges, benches – it’s the perfect place to stop and get a break from the busier parts of the city, but the real main event will be eyeing you in the distance.

Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow; September 2024

2. Glasgow University

As my Socttish friend told me, it was “freshers week” – which refers to the “back to school” period when everyone is arriving to the dorms, partying socializing, and having fun.

You can wander right into the campus after climbing a few stairs directly from Kelvingrove park. You’ll soon realize that Kelvingrove park is essentially Glasgow University’s backyard – making all of the students very lucky to have both the West End and such as massive green space at their fingertips!

Approaching Glasgow University from Kelvingrove Park; September 2024

The University of Glasgow quite literally looks like Harry Potter, so be sure to wander around and take pictures while enjoying this medieval “going back in time” scenery!

Inside the Campus of Glasgow University; September 2024

3. Explore the West End

Steps away from Glasgow University, the main road (Byres Road) will take you all the down with the option to stop at several cute cafes and shops before heading to your next stop in Glasgow.

While the West End has a lot of stores and restaurants, it is also a beautiful residential area – the local at the cafe told us this is the most desirable place to live in Glasgow as you have easy access to fun activities without compensating for a quiet residential life.

Apartments in the West End in Glasgow; September 2024

4. Ashton Lane

Hidden off of Byres Road, this is one of the cutest little side streets I have ever seen in my life!

Exploring Ashton Lane in Glasgow; September 2024

Drenched in charm, little pubs, and even a local movie theater – this is a must see while in Glasgow!

By this time, it was around 3pm – and we felt ready to head back to Edinburgh. We headed back to George’s Square via Uber and caught a 4:30pm train back to Edinburgh and to eat at another pub in the Scottish capital.

I hope this little day trip to Glasgow itinerary help you decide what to do on your day trip to Glasgow. Honestly, it can be done in a day – even if you want to see museums or trek all the way out to Glasgow Cathedral.

Want to see our day in Glasgow in Action?

Check out my YouTube video below!

Need more advice for your trip to Scotland? Click here for blog posts on Edinburgh and the Isle of Skye.