Home › Getting home from the Hydro
Getting home from the Hydro (and the SEC)
The gig's over, everyone's heading for the doors at once, and it's probably raining. Here's how to get home, checked on the official SEC, OVO Hydro and SPT pages on 21 Oct 2026.
The short version
- Train: Exhibition Centre station is right next to the campus, linked by a covered walkway. It's one stop (about 3 minutes) from Glasgow Central Low Level.
- Subway: there's no Subway stop at the SEC. And on a Sunday the Subway closes at 6.12pm, so it's no use after a Sunday-night show.
- Taxi: the Glasgow Taxis pick-up and drop-off point is outside the SEC Armadillo, or call 0141 429 7070.
- Bus: Stagecoach X19 stops on Finnieston Street, a few minutes' walk away.
- Times: the Hydro usually confirms event timings 2–3 days before, on the event page, so check it before you plan the trip home.
Rail works on Hydro weekends (from the SEC's own travel page, 21 Oct 2026):
- Sat 24 and Sun 25 Oct 2026: no trains between Rutherglen and Exhibition Centre via Glasgow Central Low Level.
- Sat 31 Oct and Sun 1 Nov 2026: no trains between Partick and Rutherglen. Some services are diverted via Glasgow Queen Street Low Level or Glasgow Central High Level.
Check the National Rail journey planner or ScotRail before you go.
By train: Exhibition Centre station
- The SEC has its own station, Exhibition Centre. A covered walkway links it to the campus, and there's a lift to street level.
- From Glasgow Central there are about six trains an hour (roughly every 10 minutes) from Platform 17 (Low Level), and the ride is about three minutes.
- If you arrive at Queen Street, you'll need to walk or get a bus to Central first.
- Last trains: they vary by night and by engineering works, and we haven't published a time here because we couldn't confirm one for every night. Check the National Rail journey planner on the day.
By Subway: mind the Sunday
- Subway hours: Mon–Sat 6.30am–11.40pm, Sunday 10am–6.12pm (SPT).
- On a weeknight in October 2026, SPT's live board showed the last trains leaving Govan at 11.16pm and St Enoch at 11.28pm. On late nights, those are the times that matter.
- There's no Subway station at the SEC. SEC's advice is that St Enoch is a few minutes' walk from Central, so you can change between the train and the Subway there.
- Fares start at £1.80 for an adult single, and you can pay with contactless.
By bus
- The SEC says three bus services serve the campus. The one it names is Stagecoach X19, which stops on Finnieston Street, a few minutes' walk from the venue.
- For other routes, night buses and live times, use Traveline Scotland.
By taxi
- The Glasgow Taxis pick-up and drop-off point is outside the SEC Armadillo.
- Call Glasgow Taxis on 0141 429 7070 and book to SEC, Glasgow, G3 8YW.
- Black cabs take five or six people. If the yellow light is on, you can flag one down in the street.
- The SEC puts a taxi from the city centre at around £7. Expect queues after big shows.
- There are also taxi ranks at Central, Queen Street, Buchanan Bus Station and most big hotels.
On foot
- The Clyde Walkway runs right past the SEC, and footbridges cross the Clydeside Expressway at the front and back of the campus.
- Bells Bridge and the Millennium Bridge cross to the Science Centre and BBC side. The Clyde Arc ('Squinty Bridge') is a little further east.
- Walking to Finnieston or back into town can beat the queues. Wear a hood: it's an exposed riverside walk.
Being picked up or driving
- The OVO Hydro drop-off and pick-up zone is to the west of the SEC Centre. Agree a meeting point before the show, because phone signal can be patchy in a crowd.
- There's a multi-storey car park on the east of the campus.
Sunday-night show checklist
- Assume no Subway after 6.12pm.
- Check that trains are running that weekend (see the rail works above).
- Save the Glasgow Taxis number (0141 429 7070) or book ahead.
- Agree a pick-up point west of the SEC Centre if someone's collecting you.
Sources, checked 21 Oct 2026: SEC: trains · SEC: taxis · SEC: bus · SEC: walking · OVO Hydro: how to get here · SPT Subway · SPT timetables
Going to a gig this week?
Every Thursday's issue has a Getting About section: Hydro dates, Sunday Subway warnings and rail works for the next 10 days.