SPT Subway
User's guide to the Subway
How to use the Subway
SPT aims to carry passengers quickly and safely, making their journeys simple and convenient.
We make every effort to make journeys as comfortable as possible, but like all underground railways throughout the world, carriages get very busy during peak hours.You can help to make journeys more comfortable by using the full length of the carriage.
Tickets can be bought at staffed ticket offices at any Subway station, or from vending machines at the stations. Cheques are accepted for transactions of over £10.00 only.
Ticket prices are based on a single or return flat fare, regardless of how long the journey is. There are also multi-journey and season tickets available that can save you time and money. Multi-journey and season tickets are for individual use only. The range of tickets and prices is displayed at each station. Tickets can also be bought at selected SPT Travel Centres.
Single and return tickets are only valid on the day of issue. Multi-journey tickets don't have a time limit.
Get more details about fares and tickets available on the Subway.
Tickets are used to operate the entry gate turnstile but aren't needed to operate the exit turnstile when you reach your destination. A valid ticket is required for all journeys and tickets must be kept for possible inspection at any point in the journey.
Any passenger who is caught travelling without a valid Subway ticket will have to pay a single fare.
Safety and security
The SPT Subway has an excellent safety record. Maintaining that record is our top priority.
- Passengers should take great care when using stairs and escalators.
- Passengers should also be careful on the platform when getting on and off trains. It is very important that you don't attempt to get on or off a train while the doors are closing.
- You should be careful when moving about inside a train while it is moving. You are recommended to remain seated at all times while the train is moving. If you are standing, you should hold on to one of the handrails.
Closed circuit television (CCTV) is used extensively in Subway stations to monitor your safety and security.
Safety is built into our trains and our procedures. The train is designed to prevent it being driven if the passenger doors aren't properly closed. If a train stops beyond the end of a station platform, safety procedures prevent it from being reversed back to the platform. If this happens, we would ask for your co-operation in continuing to the next station before returning by the other circle.
Staff are on hand at every station and should be contacted if you have any concerns about safety or security. There is a phone at the end of each platform that can be used to contact station staff in the event of an emergency.
For your safety and comfort, we provide additional staff in stations and on platforms at peak times. You can help us ease congestion and delays by following advice and instructions from staff and public address announcements.
You may wish to avoid the times just before and after major football matches. Before big games, we post notices to advise you when we expect the Subway to be busiest.
You can avoid queues by buying a multi-journey or season ticket when it's quiet.
Smoking is not permitted in stations or on trains.
The Subway is policed by Strathclyde Police who exercise their duty to help prevent crime and maintain public order on the railway.
Accessibility
SPT is committed to the highest levels of accessibility to the Subway.
Unfortunately, because the railway was originally built to an exceptionally small scale, we are limited in the facilities we can provide in stations and trains for customers with disabilities.
We can't accommodate wheelchairs but many of our stations are relatively shallow and should pose few difficulties to people with moderate levels of disability. Escalators are provided at many of the busiest stations. We provide priority seats for elderly people and people with disabilities to use in each train carriage.
Ticket offices have amplification equipment for customers with hearing problems.
Customers with sight impairment are welcomed, along with their guide dogs when accompanied. Staff are ready to help - they can stop escalators if necessary and make sure train drivers know where passengers with disabilities want to get off.
We can also carry hearing dogs for deaf passengers, and other dogs which help with their owner's disability.
Please ask for help from the staff when you enter the Subway if you have a hearing dog or a guide dog. (Please click here for guidance if intending to travel with other pets.)
Parents with young children should fold pushchairs to avoid accidents on stairs, escalators or platforms. Space on the small trains is so limited that pushchairs have to remain folded. Please ask station staff if you need help. Unfortunately, again because of space restrictions, it is not possible to accommodate large prams and pushchairs.
Park and Ride facilities are provided at Shields Road, Bridge Street and Kelvinbridge stations. These allow day-time, off-street, parking for drivers travelling on the Subway. Spaces for people with disabilities and parents and toddlers are provided at Kelvinbridge.
For additional information about the Subway stations, you may wish to visit the Describe Online website which assists visually impaired people by providing descriptions of places and environs.
Get more information about the Describe Online Guide to the Subway.
Click here to go direct to the Describe Online website (opens a new window).
SPT is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Information and assistance
Notices in Subway stations give information about special situations that may affect travel.
TV style screens at the entrance to stations give travel information such as train frequency. These screens may also be used to highlight abnormal situations.
The public address system may be used to tell you about short-term situations. You are asked to listen for announcements that may affect your journey and to follow any advice or instructions that are given. In the event of smoke being detected, the public address system will automatically tell you to evacuate the station.
SPT staff in uniform are there to help you and will provide whatever information and advice that they can.
Information panels at every station provide details such as operating times, fares and local street maps.
Leaflets describing the service and giving full details of operating times are available from station staff.
Traffic staff have been trained in customer care and meeting the needs of people with disabilities.
Park and Ride
Avoid city centre congestion and leave your car at one of the four car parks at SPT Subway stations:
- Bridge Street
- Kelvinbridge
- Shields Road
Get more information about Park and Ride.
Get more information about the new and improved Park and Ride facility at Shields Road.
Lost property
If you lose property on the Subway, please tell station staff as soon as possible - sometimes it is possible for it to be quickly retrieved.
Queries regarding lost property can be made on 0141 333 3653 (if within 24 hours of loss) or 0141 335 3276 (if more than 24 hours from loss).
Lost property can be picked up from any Subway station if retrieved within 24 hours of being lost, or from the ScotRail lost property office at Queen Street station in Glasgow.
Travelling with animals
We do not feel that the Subway is a suitable environment for pets. There is a great deal of noise, and a number of potential hazards such as the live rail.
Therefore, with a few exceptions, pets are not permitted on the Subway.
We do however allow sight, hearing and other assistance dogs to travel with their owners. We ask that you speak to station staff on arrival and let them know you are travelling with an assistance dog - we can temporarily switch off escalators to protect their paws.
In exceptional circumstances, such as when an ill pet is being taken to the PDSA, we may allow small animals in very secure pet carriers to travel. This is at the discretion of station staff. Please be aware that animals are likely to find this a stressful experience.