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Glasgow subway to extend weekend opening hours

News imageGetty Images The inside of a Glasgow Subway. A man sits on one of the seats which face each other along the long corridor of the vehicle. He looks at his phone and sits next to a sign which says the next stop is Buchanan StreetGetty Images
The Glasgow subway usually shuts just after 18:00 on a Sunday

Opening hours on the Glasgow Subway will be increased on Fridays and weekends when the modernisation of the line is complete.

Under the new schedule, trains will be available from 06:30 to 23:30 on Sundays. They will also run for an extra hour on Fridays and Saturdays, closing at 00:30.

From Monday to Thursday, it will continue to run from 06:30 to 23:30. The new operating hours are expected to start some time in 2027.

The changes were approved on Friday by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), which runs the Subway.

There have been repeated calls over the years for extended hours on Sundays. At present, services run from 10:00 to 18:12.

It is hoped the longer hours will boost the number of passengers opting for public transport.

SNP councillor Angus Millar, the city's 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."

News imageGetty Images/ZICC One of the new Glasgow subway trains is stationary on a platform. The train is white with orange doors and it is full of people. There is no one on the platform and the train doors are closed. Adverts can be seen behind the train.Getty Images/ZICC
The proposals would see the subway staying open later at the weekend

SPT members were told that the increased hours will be possible once modernisation of the Subway network has been completed. The upgrade 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 Friday's meeting said the introduction of driverless trains involves "significant, ongoing discussions with the respective trade union".

It adds 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.