Travel to and around Ayrshire & Arran

By road

From England, head north towards Carlisle on the M74 and once you have crossed the Scottish border, follow the M77/A77 and signs for Kilmarnock and Ayr. The scenic Galloway Tourist Route, along the A713, is a beautiful alternative to the main roads and well worth exploring at your own pace. When travelling to the North Ayrshire coast from Glasgow, take the M8 westbound followed by the A737 and the A760.

If you plan on travelling by bicycle, take a look at our information on cycling in Scotland.

You can find out up-to-date traffic information from Traffic Scotland, and plan your route with Transport Direct.

Public Transport

For information about all public transport in Scotland, the best place to check for information and timetables is with Traveline; you can also download their handy mobile app or call them on 0871 200 22 33.

By bus

Coach links from all major cities in the UK serve the area via Glasgow. There is also a great network of local bus services operated by the Strathclyde Partnership for Travel within Ayrshire and on the Isle of Arran, where a regular bus service meets the ferry connections at Ardrossan and Brodick.   

By train

Mainline trains and the London sleeper service arrive at Glasgow Central Station. There you can board a local train to all of the major towns in Ayrshire which are also reachable from other main train routes in Scotland. Visitors heading for the Isle of Arran can take the train all the way to Ardrossan.

For all train times to Scotland and fares across the UK network, visit National Rail Enquiries.

By air

There are several options for flying to the Ayrshire & Arran - you can search on comparison sites such as SkyScanner, Travel Supermarket and Cheapflights.

In the heart of Ayrshire, Glasgow Prestwick International Airport has a number of direct flights from Europe and also has great bus and rail links to get you around the region. From Glasgow Airport, which has air links across the UK and Internationally, it takes around an hour to drive into Ayrshire and not much longer by public transport.

By ferry

Visitors from Ireland can use the Stenaline and P&O ferry services from Belfast and Larne to Cairnryan. Between March and October P&O also offer a high-speed ferry service from Larne to Troon.

Caledonian MacBrayne run regular ferry crossings between Ardrossan and Clanaig to Brodick on Arran. The journey takes only 55 minutes allowing you to relax, unwind and enjoy the views. There is also a seasonal ferry service between Lochranza on Arran and Claonaig in Argyll. The Isle of Cumbrae is only a 10-minute ferry trip from Largs.

 
Find out more about travelling to and around Scotland.