The workshop will be held at University of Strathclyde in the Glasgow city centre.
Glasgow is a cosmopolitan city, often voted the friendliest city in the UK, and the city centre offers lots of dining options and live music. Travel connections to the Scottish highlands, with or without a car, are excellent, and the weather in May is usually quite good (by local standards). London is 4-5 hours by train, and Edinburgh less than 1 hour. Both traditional and vegetarian haggis are generally available.
Here is the webpage provided by the venue on Covid precautions and procedures once you’ve arrived.
COVID-19 Travel Guidelines
Scotland’s travel rules for people arriving from abroad ended at 4 AM on Friday 18 March. If you’re arriving in Scotland after this time, you do not need to complete a Passenger Locator, or take any COVID-19 tests before you leave for Scotland or after you arrive, or isolate when you arrive.
We are relying on official restrictions for the workshop but will strongly encourage everyone to wear masks and space themselves out during the workshop except when eating, drinking, or presenting. Anyone with symptoms should take a test before coming to the meeting.
GETTING HERE
BY AIR
Glasgow International Airport (GLA) and Edinburgh International Airport (EDI) are both convenient places to arrive. From Glasgow airport, take either the Airport Express bus #500 (15-20 min to the city center) or a white airport taxi (about £25, also 15-20 min). Advance booking isn’t necessary. From Edinburgh airport, you can get a bus to Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station which is 12 minutes from the workshop venue. You can find timetable and booking system here: https://www.citylink.co.uk/service900.php
If your flight arrives at one of the London airports, consider continuing up to Glasgow by train (see below) instead of a connecting domestic flight: usually the cost is about the same and it might be equally convenient, especially if you would need to transfer between airports (and of course environmentally friendlier!).
BY TRAIN
There are several trains per day that connect Glasgow with London in 4.5 hours: these are operated by Avanti and can be booked along other UK trains through www.scotrail.co.uk. The Caledonian Sleeper is a convenient and comfy (but more expensive) overnight train between Glasgow and London: book this through https://www.sleeper.scot/.
The two main Glasgow train stations (Central and Queen St) are a 10 min walk from the workshop venue and from each other.
GETTING AROUND
The city center is quite compact and you can likely find nice places to eat and sleep within walking distance of the workshop venue. Alternatively, the Glasgow Subway makes it easy to get back and forth between the city centre and the West End (see below). The subway consists of a single loop and is impossible to get lost on.
ACCOMMODATION
City centre hotels:
or search your favourite booking site for hotels in the neighborhoods Merchant City and George Square.
There are also many affordable and comfortable Airbnb rentals around the city: you can likely find a 1-2 bedroom flat with full kitchen for the same cost as a city center hotel room. The West End subway stations (St George’s Cross, Kelvinbridge, Hillhead, Kelvinhall, Partick) are all close to comfortable residential neighborhoods with a variety of restaurants and other shops. Hillhead subway is closest to Glasgow Uni and Byers Rd, the classic West End shopping street. The best cheesemonger in the city is IJ Mellis near Kelvinbridge subway.