Glasgow Subway opening hours to increase after plans approved

The opening hours for Glasgow’s Subway will be increased on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when driverless trains are introduced.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), which runs the Subway, approved the proposed changes at a meeting on Friday.

Calls have repeatedly been made for extended hours on Sundays, with services currently only running from 10am to 6.12pm.

Under the new schedule, trains would be available from 6.30am to 11.30pm on Sundays. They would also run for an extra hour on Fridays and Saturdays, closing at 12.30am.

From Monday to Thursday, it would continue to run from 6.30am to 11.30pm. It has been suggested that the new operating hours will start in 2027.

Early morning commuters on Sundays, shift workers and people on nights out in the city are expected to benefit from the changes.

The plan has been welcomed by Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, who said: “This will see increased services over the weekend, making it easier for people to travel into Glasgow.

“These additional services, alongside the introduction of contactless payments, are welcome progress in helping to modernise the network and improve accessibility for workers, residents and visitors alike.”

Cllr Angus Millar, SNP, city convener for transport, said: “All of us who use public transport in Glasgow will be delighted with this decision.

“It’s something we’ve been moving towards for a long time, and now this firm commitment to extended operating hours is hugely welcome.

“When the proposals emerged this week, there was a genuine sense of excitement at a move that could really energise our evening economy and give thousands of Glaswegians a safe and cost-effective option home from work or a night out.”

SPT members were told that the increased hours will be possible once the modernisation of the Subway network has been completed. This includes unattended train operation and platform screen doors at all stations.

Extending the operating times is expected to cost £900,000 annually, according to an SPT report. It is anticipated that increased demand will allow the “extended services to operate on a broadly cost-neutral basis in the medium to long-term”.

A report to today’s meeting states the introduction of driverless trains involves “significant, ongoing discussions with the respective trade union”. It adds that there would be a two-year review period to ensure the extended hours are “effective and financially sustainable”.

Based on an average revenue of £1.80 per journey, around 500,000 extra passenger journeys per year would be needed to cover the anticipated operating costs, according to the report.