Moving to Glasgow as a student is an exciting new chapter, but managing your budget quickly becomes a priority. Between paying rent, food and socialising, keeping travel costs low can make a real difference. The good news is that Glasgow offers a wide range of affordable and even free ways to get around.
Whether you’re heading to lectures, exploring the city or commuting part-time for work, this guide covers the best options for cheap travel in Glasgow, along with helpful tips to save money and make student life easier.
Getting around Glasgow on foot
One of the biggest advantages of studying in Glasgow is how walkable the city is. Many student areas, such as Finnieston, Woodlands, Partick and the City Centre, are within easy walking distance of universities and colleges.
Walking is not only completely free but also a great way to discover new areas of the city, get outside and move your body!
For students living close to campus, walking is often the easiest way to answer the question of how to achieve cheap travel within Glasgow, simply because it costs nothing at all.
Cycling around Glasgow
Cycling is another cost-effective way to travel, and Glasgow has made significant improvements to its cycling infrastructure in recent years. Dedicated cycle lanes and bike hire schemes make it easier than ever for students to get around on two wheels.
In Glasgow, there’s a popular e-bike hire scheme located in locations across the city run by Voi. It allows people to rent e-bikes at a low cost, making it a flexible and affordable option.
For students who wish to cycle regularly, you may wish to consider purchasing a second-hand bike; often, this sort of purchase starts to pay for itself with use!
First Bus’s student discount
One of the most popular and accessible transport options for students is buses.
First Bus offers a student discount, which is designed specifically to make daily travel more affordable. Many of their discounted student tickets can be bought on the First Bus app, which can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play. And remember, with a National Entitlement Card, under-22s are entitled to free bus travel in Scotland.
With a valid student ID, you can access reduced fares on single journeys, day tickets and longer-term passes. Many students opt for weekly or monthly tickets and bundles, which often provide the best value if you’re travelling regularly to campus or work.
The First Bus student discount is particularly useful because:
- It covers a wide network across Glasgow
- Buses run frequently throughout the day
- It allows flexibility for different travel patterns
For students living slightly further from campus, this is often the most reliable and budget-friendly option.
Is the subway an affordable way to get around Glasgow?
Glasgow’s SPT subway, often affectionately referred to as the “Clockwork Orange” due to its orange branding and the route being just an inner and outer circle, is another excellent option for students looking for cheap travel in Glasgow.
It’s quick, easy to navigate and connects key areas including the City Centre and the West End.
Below is the full table of Glasgow’s subway adult ticket prices:
| Ticket Duration | Cost |
| Single (one-way) | £1.80 |
| All day | £3.40 |
| 7 days | £15.50 |
| 28 days | £60.00 |
| 10 weeks | £132.00 |
| 6 months | £295.00 |
| 12 months | £515.00 |
Although there’s no dedicated student discount for Glasgow’s subway, you can purchase a 12-month, unlimited travel ticket for only £515 per year. If you were to use the subway five days per week, that’s less than £2 per day for travel!
Are there student discounts for trains in Glasgow?
If you’re commuting from outside the city or travelling across Glasgow, trains can sometimes be the most efficient option. ScotRail offers a 16 – 25 railcard that reduce fares by a third for those within that age bracket, or those who are studying full-time. These railcards can be purchased for just £35 per year.
While trains may not always be the cheapest option for short journeys throughout the city, they can be useful for longer distances or when time is limited – there’s no traffic to contend with!
How to make the most of student discounts in Glasgow for travel?
There are several ways students can reduce travel costs further:
- Look into multi-journey tickets or travel bundles
- Use apps to track the cheapest routes
- Travel during off-peak times where possible
- Combine walking with public transport
Being flexible and planning ahead can make a noticeable difference to your monthly budget.
It could also be worthwhile researching the ZoneCard, which can be loaded onto a smartcard, allowing users near-unlimited travel by ScotRail, SPT Subway and most buses with a chosen zone(s).
There are a number of zone combinations to choose from, with durations extending from one day to 365 days, with flexible options offered too.
Conclusion
Glasgow offers a wide range of affordable transport options, making it easy for students to get around without overspending. From the First Bus student discount to budget-friendly cycling, there are plenty of ways to make cheap travel in Glasgow part of your everyday routine.
By combining smart travel choices with practical solutions like student storage, you can save both time and money, leaving you free to focus on enjoying your university experience – and studying, of course!
To learn more about the various storage solutions GTW Storage offers, including student storage, click here or get in touch with our team.