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Although not the capital of Scotland (which is Edinburgh), Glasgow is by far the biggest and most important city of Scotland, with about 2 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area.

The Subway Line (10.4 km), nicknamed Clockwork Orange, was already built in 1896, so it's one of the oldest metros in the world. Originally operated by steam engines via cable traction, the line was electrified in 1935. From 1977 to 1979 the whole line was thoroughly reformed and reopened in 1980. Some stations were renamed then (Govan Cross > Govan, Partick Cross > Kelvinhall, Copland Road > Ibrox) and Merkland Street was replaced by a new transfer station at Partick.

Trains take approximately 24 minutes for an entire circle. Most stations have quite narrow central platforms long enough for a 3-car-train. Between Govan and Ibrox, on the south bank of the river Clyde, a tunnel exit leads to the Subway's depot. Directions are indicated as "Outer Circle" (clockwise) and "Inner Circle" (anti-clockwise).

In 2003, the Underground was renamed Subway, which was actually its original name. A new livery is being tried out - basically the "Blood and Custard" that has been used on the heavy rail emus. The carmine is on the roof and lower part of the body with yellowy cream between. A new automatic control system is being installed and the old system will be removed once the new has passed trials. Some stations have a narrow island platform between the tracks but now used for one direction of travel only, since a new side platform has been created to one side. For safety reasons a barrier is being erected along the platform edge next to the track whose trains do not use the island platform.

Suburban Rail service is also provided by Strathclyde's Passenger Transport which operates on the south side of the city from Glasgow Central Station, and through two east-west tunnels, one via Central Station and another one via Queen Street Station for routes to the west, north and east. Queen Street Station, which is connected directly to Buchanan St. underground station, is Scotrail's main terminus for services all over northern and eastern Scotland (to Edinburgh every 15 minutes).

1896 - inauguration
1935 - electrification
1977 - closure
1980 - reopened

 Projects

Currently there are no plans to expand the underground network.

- OPERATION

The Glasgow Subway (Underground) operates every 4-8 minutes Mondays to Saturdays between 6:30 and 23:30. On Sundays service is restricted to 11:00 - 18:00 with trains every 8 minutes.

- FARES (2007, in British Pounds)

   Tickets valid only on the Underground:

A single journey £1.00, a return ticket £2.00
10 trips - £8.00
20 trips - £15.00

7 Day Season ticket - £9.00
28 Day Season ticket - £28.00

Discovery Ticket (one day's unlimited travel after 9:30, all day Sundays) - £1.90

   Tickets valid for all modes within Greater Glasgow:

Roundabout Ticket (A one-day travelcard valid after 9:30 for the Greater Glasgow area) - £ 4.50
Zone Cards are season tickets available for a certain number of zones, weekly, monthly or yearly passes.

Robert Schwandl: METROS IN BRITAIN. Underground & Light Rail Networks in the U.K. - March 2006, ISBN 3936573123 More info

John Wright and Ian Maclean: CIRCLES UNDER THE CLYDE - A History of the Glasgow Underground - Capital Transport, 1997 - 240 pages, A3, many colour and b/w photographs

Watson, Georges: GLASGOW SUBWAY ALBUM.- Adam Gordon, Buckingham, 64 pages, 116 colour photographs taken before the closure in 1977. ISBN 187442311