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Friday 24 Jul 2026

Commonwealth nations arrive at Glasgow Central on opening days of Games

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

From St Helena in the South Atlantic to Vanuatu in the Pacific, Glasgow Central has welcomed visitors from across the Commonwealth during the opening days of Glasgow 2026. 

Since early this week, athletes, team officials, support staff, families and friends have all been passing through the station as the Commonwealth Games get underway in the city.  

Visitors have travelled thousands of miles to take part, arriving from destinations including New Zealand and the Cook Islands, Guyana in South America and Gabon on the west coast of Africa. 

Around 4,000 people pass through Glasgow Central every hour, roughly the same as the entire population of competing nation St Helena. Station staff and Network Rail's Commonwealth Games ambassadors are on hand helping direct visitors to the four Games venues, all of which are accessible by train. 

The station's famous clock also made a surprise appearance at last night's Opening Ceremony, featuring in a performance inspired by the Glasgow tradition of "meeting under the clock". 

 

Music performers will take centre stage on the station concourse throughout the event, alongside an official Games merchandise pop-up under the clock.  

Glasgow Central Station Manager, Drew Burns, said: “You can really feel the difference in the station when an event like this comes to the city and it's amazing to welcome people from all over the world after they've travelled thousands of miles to get here. We're seeing different flags, hearing different accents and languages, and watching people take a moment to soak up the atmosphere. 

“Our job is, of course, to keep everything running safely and smoothly, but it's also a privilege to play a small part in the Games experience. Whether people are competing, supporting a team or simply enjoying the action, we're here to help them get where they need to be and make sure their visit gets off to the best possible start." 

ScotRail has added more than 1,400 additional carriages to services, providing more seats on key routes serving the competition venues. 

Customers travelling during the Games are encouraged to: 

• Plan their journey in advance. 
• Be prepared for the weather. 
• Buy tickets before boarding where ticket-buying facilities are available. 
• Allow extra time for their journey. 
• Check the latest travel information before setting off. 

More information is available at www.scotrail.co.uk/commonwealthgames.