But the centre is so fascinating that there's no substitute for negotiating it on foot. The streets are thronged with shoppers, students and The Big Issue sellers.
Skateboarders practise on all available inclines.
Arrival at Queen Street Railway Station plunges the visitor right into the thick of Glasgow. Statues of the likes of Robbie Burns and Queen Victoria are dotted about. The Chambers were opened by Queen Victoria in 1888 when Glasgow was rich enough to be known as the 'second city' of her vast Empire. The interior is equally grand, with a vista of gleaming Italian marble and Peterhead granite inside the entrance and sumptuous rooms, arched ceilings and friezes. Closed for a year from March 1999 for a 10 million refurbishment that will triple its exhibition space.