City guide · Scotland
First date ideas in Glasgow: where to meet and how to get home
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Glasgow is a friendly place to meet a stranger for a drink. Bar staff talk to you, other drinkers talk to you, and a quiet table is never far from a busy one.
The centre splits into three handy areas: the streets around Buchanan Street and Central Station, the Merchant City to the east, and the West End around Byres Road. The Subway links the centre and the West End, but it closes earlier than you might think, especially on a Sunday.
Sort out your way home before you meet. In Glasgow that mostly means knowing your last Subway or train, or having a taxi firm's number saved.
Where to go in Glasgow
City centre
Buchanan Street, Hope Street and the arcades off Argyle Street. Busy, central and close to Central and Queen Street stations.
Merchant City
Old warehouses and side streets east of George Square, full of bars and restaurants. Lively at weekends, calmer midweek.
West End
Byres Road and the lanes off it, near Hillhead Subway station. Good if you both live that side of the city.
Around the cathedral
A short walk east of the Merchant City, with a big brewery bar that's easy to find.
Places for a first drink
Busy enough to feel relaxed, quiet enough to talk, and easy to leave. Check opening times on their own sites before you go.
- 01
The Pot Still
whisky bar · Hope Street
A family-run bar near Central Station with over a thousand whiskies, cask ale and pies. The staff will help you choose a dram, which is a decent conversation starter in its own right.
- 02
Sloans
bar and restaurant · Argyll Arcade
Open since 1797 and spread over three floors, reached through the Argyll Arcade off Argyle Street. Lots of space and lots of people, so you're never sitting in a silent room.
- 03
Babbity Bowster
pub · Merchant City
A relaxed Merchant City pub on Blackfriars Street. Sociable without being rowdy, and a short walk from the city centre stations.
- 04
Drygate
brewery bar · Near the cathedral
A working brewery with a big bar and kitchen. Plenty of seating, plenty of beer to talk about, and room to move if your first table is too loud.
- 05
Òran Mór
bar and arts venue · Byres Road
A former church at the top of Byres Road, first built in the 1860s and now a bar, restaurant and arts venue. It's a West End landmark, so nobody gets lost finding it.
- 06
Hillhead Bookclub
bar · West End
A busy West End bar with food and events on Vinicombe Street, just off Byres Road and close to Hillhead Subway station.
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Getting home
SPT says the Subway runs from 06:30 to 23:40 Monday to Saturday, but only from 10:00 to 18:12 on Sundays. The last trains leave St Enoch and Govan a little before closing, so check SPT's timetable for the last train on your circle.
First Glasgow runs night buses from the city centre on Friday and Saturday nights, with routes out to Easterhouse, East Kilbride, Cleland and Hamilton. Some of them call at Union Street by Central Station.
Trains from Central and Queen Street cover most of the suburbs. Check the last one on National Rail before the evening gets going.
Only licensed taxis can be hailed in the street or picked up from a rank. Private hire cars must be booked in advance, and if the car that turns up doesn't match your booking, don't get in.
Staying safe in Glasgow
- Keep an eye on the clock in the West End on a Sunday. The Subway closes in the early evening, so a long afternoon drink means a bus or a cab home.
- Save the number of a licensed taxi firm in your phone before you go out, so you're not hunting for one at the end of the night.
- The Merchant City's side streets are busy at weekends and quieter midweek. Walk back along the main streets rather than cutting through.
- Agree in advance that the first meeting is just a drink. Glasgow hospitality can turn one into four very quickly.
The full list is in our first-date safety checklist.
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First dates in Glasgow: questions
What time does the Glasgow Subway close?
SPT gives 23:40 Monday to Saturday and 18:12 on Sundays. The last trains leave a little before that, so check the timetable for your station.
Are there night buses in Glasgow?
Yes. First Glasgow runs night buses from the city centre on Friday and Saturday nights, including routes to Easterhouse, East Kilbride, Cleland and Hamilton.
City centre or West End for a first date?
The city centre if you're coming from different directions, because the trains and buses all meet there. The West End if you both live on that side, but remember the early Sunday Subway.