Menu
My ERA Join ERA
Suggestions
My Era Join ERA
Home | Events | Glasgow 2026 | Sustainability

Sustainability

ERA26 Congress promotes sustainable development and global responsibility to ultimately emphasise the importance of a healthy environment for healthy kidneys

Sustainability

Sustainable travelling

Take action for the planet at ERA26 by choosing sustainable transportation.

Our goal is to continuously evaluate all measures taken and to constantly improve in terms of emission reduction and other sustainability indicators.

Public transport in and around Glasgow

Once in the city centre, the SEC – Scottish Event Campus is a three-minute train ride from Glasgow Central. If you arrive at the second Main station „Queen Street“, you’ll need to walk or get a bus to Central (5-10 min) to continue your journey by train.

There are six trains an hour (around every 10 minutes) from Glasgow Central Station to Exhibition Centre, departing from Platform 17 (low level).

For additional details, please refer to the designated section on the official website of the Glasgow Convention Bureau.

Exclusive travel offer for delegates

ScotRail Conference Rover: 5 days unlimited rail travel within the Conference Zone for just £5!

Show your congress attendance confirmation along with photo ID at any ScotRail station. Explore Scotland with up to a 50% discount on rail travel outside the Conference Zone

Strathclyde Passenger Transport operates the Glasgow Subway, which provides a circular route around the city with 15 stops. The St Enoch stop is a few minutes’ walk from Central Station.

Travelling by train to Glasgow

You can travel to Glasgow not only with plane, but also via train. Please consider this possibility to save 85% of emissions and to spare the planet! To travel comfortable and sustainable by train you may use long-distance services from several European cities (change in London, before that with Eurostar). Buy your ticket via ScotRail.

TransPennine offer a 20% discount as a standard for Group Travel.

Other providers are: Avanti West Coast, LNER, Caledonian Sleeper.

There are more than 20 direct trains per day from London. Direct trains from Edinburgh run every 15 minutes on weekdays.

Travelling with bicycle

Delegates have the opportunity to hire bikes from over 79 locations around Glasgow, including a station located on the SEC Campus. With a simple hire process (find out more here for nextbike and here for Voi) and over 300km of cycleways, it has never been easier to get around the city by bike.

Airport bus & buses in the city centre - From Glasgow Airport

Glasgow Airport Express: buses run up to every 10 minutes from Glasgow Airport (Stance 1).

The main bus operator in Glasgow, FirstBus, offer 3-, 5-, and 7-day Freedom tickets, which include a return journey from the airport to the City Centre, as well as unlimited travel on the city buses. The price includes a discount compared to purchasing the three components separately. Prices: Single £11, Day £16.50, Adult 3 Day Freedom £31, Adult 5 Day Freedom £35.50.

Airport bus & buses in the city centre - From Edinburgh Airport

You can reach Glasgow from Edinburgh Airport by bus or train, with typical travel times of about 30 minutes under normal traffic conditions.

Scottish Citylink runs direct buses between Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow’s Buchanan Bus Station every 30 minutes. Alternatively, you may take a bus to Edinburgh Haymarket and transfer to a train for Glasgow Queen Street Station. Low-level trains from nearby Glasgow Central station will get you to the Exhibition Centre stop.

Lothian Buses offers public transportation to Edinburgh Airport, including the Airlink100 express service from Edinburgh city centre, local routes, and the N22 night bus connecting Waverley station to the airport.

The primary rail connection between Glasgow and Edinburgh is at Glasgow Queen Street station, which has eight direct trains per hour on weekdays. Once in Glasgow, the SEC is approximately a a quick train journey from Glasgow Central, located just five minutes’ walk from Queen Street.

Let’s make ERA26 a bit greener!

The ERA Congress promotes sustainable development and global responsibility in different ways: the aim is to encourage environmentally friendly behaviours and to raise awareness on the importance of a healthy environment for healthy kidneys.

  1. Choose sustainable transportation: If this is possible, use environmentally compatible, public means of transportation to travel to the event location, or share a car. 
  2. Offset your CO2 emissions: If you cannot or do not want to do without your car, or if you travel by plane, you can offset your CO2 emissions by means of compensation payments. 
  3. Bring your reusable items: Bringing a refillable water bottle also helps! You will be able to fill/re-fill on site. 
  4. Recycle your lanyard: If you still have your ERA lanyard from last year, bring it along! Reusing it in Glasgow is a small step but it helps cut down on materials (production, shipping, etc.). Also, don’t forget to bring your notepads and favourite pens from home!
  5. Waste reduction: Dispose of your waste (PET, glass, paper, metal, batteries, etc.) via the separate collection systems provided at the hotel and at the event venue. 
  6. Eco-friendly city travel: Use public transportation or walk. 
  7. Go digital and reduce paper usage: Access Congress materials and schedules through our official Congress app and Virtual Congress to reduce paper waste.
  8. Energy conservation: Turn off computers, laptops and other electronic devices when not in use. Recharge them only when needed.
  9. Engage in sustainable catering:  Enjoy locally sourced food and vegetarian options provided by our caterers and avoid single-use plastics.

Social responsibility

  • The ERA Congress supports multidisciplinary encounters and diversity perspectives (e.g. prayer room, nursery).
  • Several price categories are offered to make the Congress accessible even for participants from low-income countries and to enhance the participation of students and young nephrologists.
  • The ERA Congress strongly promotes gender balance.
  • ERA take measures to ensure health safety (hygiene, thorough cleaning of facilities, medical support team) and people security (security staff).

Our ecological initiatives for ERA26

The ERA Congress is a hybrid event (on-site and virtual): the live streaming is a key action for sustainability since it improves significantly the carbon footprint related to the impact of conference travel.

The Faculty hotel and the Staff hotel are located conveniently within walking distance from the venue, which is also easily reached by public transportation.

No plastic badges are provided at the Registration desk, but only eco-friendly badge holders in sulphate cardboard.

The final programme is not printed but is available for download on the Congress website.

ERA favours local suppliers and partners (installation, A/V equipment, catering operators).

The catering services provide sustainable choices in terms of food (vegetarian options, local food) and no single-use items.

ERA keeps all Congress materials to minimum.

ERA avoids using unnecessary decorations that might create excessive waste: this year, for example, ERA has chosen re-usable inflatable rooms for the Focussed Orals area and sustainable materials.

Recycling is done efficiently at the Scottish Event Campus and the waste policy is also made clear to visitors and exhibitors.

ERA provides sponsors, exhibitors and delegated with tips and guidelines to contribute to a sustainable Congress.

ERA has had its event carbon footprint calculated annually since 2023 and decides on reduction measures based on this.

ERA supports social activities in Glasgow, with one primary school actively involved in raising awareness about kidney function.

ERA invites all industry partners to take part in the Sustainability Challenge. This initiative aims to engage exhibitors and sponsors in ERA's commitment to sustainability.

ERA is committed to being single-use plastic-free. By choosing durable, reusable alternatives, we are minimizing our environmental impact and contributing to a more sustainable future.