Glasgow Central Low Level Railway Station

This is the more local service part of
Glasgow Central and for as much as I’ve travelled through it, it’s never my favourite part of my commute. Even when it’s clean it feels cramped and dirtt. Like with Queen Street lower level, all ticket machines and shops are upstairs, but it’s a longer walk to get to any upper level services.
I’d honesty rather not go to this stop if I had a choice.
They do have Wi-​Fi in the lower level now, so it’s not just a signal dead zone for me anymore.

Going to Prestwick airport? Make sure to show your boarding pass for a discount. I only paid £3.80. Scotrail train ran on time. Clean cars. Free wifi and electrical outlets to charge your devices!

«Doon ra stairs, and unner the road» is a grand description of this part of Glasgow Central.
Devoid of the open space and bright layout of it’s upstairs cousin, this is very much the basement dwelling secret of the family. It has 2 platforms, basically pne big space with a line each side. One side goes towards Lanarkshire (Motherwell, Bellshill, Lanark, and so on) and the other heads towards Partick and further out.
Amazingly, you do get a mobile signal for Unilocaling or Tweeting or whatever it is you do to pass the time waiting for the inevitably delayed trains here. I’m not sure how that works given you are under many tons of steel and glass and traffic, but it’s a good thing never the less.
It’s by no means the worst station in Glasgow (hello, Anderston!) but it’s not worth more than a passing thought.
Have your tickets bought before you go down stairs, though. Ticket barriers are in full effect!

Glasgow Central Low Level Station has been the station I’ve used to get to and from the city for my entire life. It’s the line that Hamilton’s on, and so the only line I can use to get the train into the city.
This station is in no way pleasant, at all, and always feels dirty no matter how much they clean it. Because it’s underground it’s pretty dark and dingy and always has this horrible stale smell that never seems to go away no matter how hard they dry. Dim lighting, constantly dotted with drunks who seems to love flocking here when they’ve had far too much to drink, and lovely cold tiles lining the floor.
Have a painted a wonderful picture of this place? Yes, I think I have. The only reason it doesn’t have one star is because it gets me where I need to go, and does it’s job without hassle.

We went to Glasgow by
train coming from Troon. The day tickets for two we offered at a reasonable
price, including the public transport in Glasgow. And we didn’t need to find a
place in Glasgow where we could leave our car. It took about 40 minutes going
from Troon to Glasgow. We went to Glasgow
Central Station. This name is a promise: it is located in the city centre of
Glasgow. When we left the train at the station, we were really surprised how
beautiful the station was. Built in the 19^th century and refurbished
at the beginning of the 20^th century, it is a lovely looking place in
Victorian style. Here are some pictures of the station:
Photo link:
Photo link:
Photo link:
Photo link:
Photo link:
Photo link:
The station has
several platforms, it is rather huge. And, of course, some of the platforms
were closed due to construction works going on the same thing as at home :-) As we experienced very
good service using ScotRail: modern and clean trains departing and arriving
punctually, we can only recommend to go to Glasgow by train, if possible. We found some
information on the Wikipedia site referring to the station:

A pleasant station with several places to eat and drink for every taste. Well signposted and helpful staff and well located. This time i was returning from glasgow to Euston, had time to grab a paper in Smiths and a coffee before taking my train to London. Step outside the station for a variety of shops and taxis.

Good to sit in Glasgow Central after a hard days shopping! Usually get a hot chocolate and a magazine for the train home…:D

I really can’t say I like it down here, and would do everything in my power to avoid going here alone late at night.
It always seems to have plenty of reprobates and oddities like drunks and general loonies, which isn’t great when you have no where to hide except from two rail lines and some stone, tiled pillars. It is very dark, cold and dingy, but then what can you really expect from an underground station?
You can get trains down here to Lanark, Blantyre and Hamilton on platform 15, or SECC and Milngavie on platform 16.

I’ve spent a worrying amount of my life down here.
Travelling from Motherwell, this is where my train goes.
You can also go straight from here all the way to Lanark, through places worth travelling to like Hamilton or Blantyre.
If you go in the opposite direction, you can dive over to SECC in a few minutes and normally without paying the train fare because it is so busy.
It is, as the other reviewers have eloquently pointed out, a bit dingy.
It can be difficult to get a phone signal down here as well.

It might seem a bit silly to review an inner city railway stop but when you commute in and out of train stations everyday then I think they are as important as any other service to be reviewed on here.
If you’ve never visited Glasgow Central before then I reckon that the lower level could feel like a bit of a maze. I mean, it’s pretty straight forward but there are lots of exits and entrances.
There are always plenty of seats to go around, even at the busiest times of the day and timetables on the screens work well, are up to date and usually hassle free.
Like other people have said, it looks a bit like a dungeon. Personally, I feel pretty safe but the dark atmosphere might make late night travellers feel a little uneasy.
How about a lick of paint?

It’s on rare occasion that I take a train from Glasgow Central low level station. However, somehow I am mortified by how much I’ve forgotten since the previous visit.
It’s easy to miss, the easiest way to access it is on Argyll Street on the entrance under Central bridge.
It’s a bit like going to a Subway station, without the long descent, and a bit like what I imagine entering middle earth to be like. It’s like a dungeon with two tunnels, reminiscent of how I imagined the underworld in Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere.
Queen Street’s low level stations are a lot more comfortable and — despite being bright yellow — more aesthetically pleasing. Despite appearances, however, it is a good train line with regular services and comparable prices.

Glasgow Central Low Level is the grimier hidden basement of its more upmarket level upstairs, however I have to say I much prefer it. Down here, you’ll find much more useful links to places such as the Exhibition Centre and Partick, or in a different direction to Blantyre, Hamilton and far flung places that I am yet to visit.
Used more by locals for shorter journeys around the Glasgow and beyond, this little underground tunnel is the key to the city and offers quick and efficient transportation for just a quid or two depending on where you’re going. The no nonsense nook that sees tons of trains pass through it each day and is a great little part of the station.

I actually really like the dinginess of this station. The dark lighting, low ceilings and peculiar smell all remind me of the opening credits of 80s detective drama «The Equaliser», and the dungeonesque atmosphere at least make it a far more interesting, if pungent place to while away a few minutes waiting on a train.
Service is as efficient as you’d expect for Glasgow Central, with trains going both east and west every few minutes.

Although technically the ‘low level’ station is really just part of the main Glasgow Central station, I am reviewing it separately A) because it appears as a separate station and many people will view it that way and B) because the reviews about Central station have concentrated purely on the main ‘high level’ platforms.
The ‘low level’ is basically just Central station’s platforms 15 and 16, which are situated underground and serve the ‘low level’ Argyle Line between Milngavie and Dalmuir to the west, and Larkhall and Lanark to the south. It consists of a single island platform, which is more than long enough to accommodate the large numbers of commuters that use it.
Although there is a very frequent train service both ways and no ticket barriers (which avoids hassle when rushing for a train), the low level platforms could really do with an upgrade to more modern standards. The place looks as though it is still living in the steam era. It is decidedly unclean and dusty, with not even half as much seating as Queen Street Low Level. They aren’t even proper seats for the most part either.
A station with a great train service, but by god does it need a facelift.

Der Bahnhof ist O.K. Moderne Elemente teilen sich hier den Charm der viktorianisch wirkenden Fassaden. Habe in deutschland eher mehr schlechtere als bessere Bahnhöfe erlebt!

The station has been refurbished in recent years but it still retains some of the more endearing original features. As you walk through the station you can’t help but notice the vast expanses of wrought iron work.
As far as stations go it’s pretty good. It’s right in the city centre for easy access to all of Glasgow’s main attractions either on foot or onwards by tube from one of the many tube stations in Glasgow. If you don’t want to or don’t have time to leave the station there are a number of shops within the station itself along with café’s, fast food outlets and even a hairdressers!

This is a great, older fashioned train station which, although its evolved over the years, still retains some of its old world charm.
The station is well equipped and has several boutique style shops and cafes including Peckhams and even a Marks and Spencers Food shop.
The station is invariably busy but it’s efficiently run so you’re rarely held up longer than necessary.
It is however pretty shocking that passengers/​customers have to pay to use the toilets (although they are very nice toilets!).
The only other criticism I have of the station is that it is always freezing — but then I doubt there’s much that can be done about that!

A good sized station, it is the bigger of the 2 city centre stations. Some good pubs are in it to provide some light refreshment whilst waiting for trains (esp good if you have to wait for a while on the next one). Has Burger King and some other places you can grab food on the go. There are public toilets (which were 30p to use the last time I was there) and they have showers too for some reason.
Has ticket machines and beware at peak times they have conductors checking your ticket when you get off so keep your ticket! Beware if your train is on platform 11a as it is the furthest away platform in the whole place, you are almost in Paisley by the time you reach it!

As far as railway stations go, this is one of my favourites.
The other reviewers have pointed out that it a masterpiece of ornate ironwork (Is this your inspiration, Alastair?), it has a huge variety of shopping experiences and is a hubbub of activity at all times of the day and night.
We have often passed through on our way to all places north of here when I’m not in the mood for driving or we’re flying out to the islands from Glasgow airport. Almost every time there have delightful people promoting something or other, with free samples — guaranteed to get on the right side of scots.

I love this station and have seen it change throughout the years. Of course, it’s beautifully modernised now with all the attractive shops with their curved fronts, and they are laid out well — there’s a really spacious and un-​cluttered feel to the station. It’s also well looked after and as clean as it’s possible for a station to be!

All under cover the main entrance to the station features ornate ironwork Glasgow Central Station is much busier and bigger than Queen St. Trains from the west arrive and depart, as well as the across border trains.
It is a fair walk from the entrance to the platform so please allow extra time to catch your train. There is also a lower level platform.
There’s a good number of shops, from Boots, Burger King, various pubs, pastry and coffee shops. There is also the Station Hotel at the entrance to the station.
There are public toilets (although these are not free).
It is busy all the time and is patrolled by the Transport Police.