The Glasgow Subway, the world's third-oldest underground system, is set to introduce driverless trains in the second half of 2026. The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), which operates the subway, confirmed that the modernisation programme is in its final stages.
The new trains, which arrived last year, are custom-built due to the subway's unique size. They consist of four cars instead of three, with open gangways to maximise space. Although capable of fully unattended operation, some staff may still be required in cabs, SPT said.
Half-height platform safety screens have been installed at stations, and a new signalling and control system is being implemented. SPT's director of transport operations, Richard Robinson, stated that the programme is the most significant investment in the subway in 45 years.
The Glasgow Subway carries around 13 million passengers annually. The driverless system will be one of the first of its kind in the UK, following the Docklands Light Railway in London, which has been fully driverless since the 1980s.
