Travel to and around Dumfries & Galloway

By road

When driving into Dumfries & Galloway from the south, the M6 will take you into the east of the region. If you are setting off from the north, drive towards Glasgow and then head to the M74, which also takes you into the east. Alternatively, you can take the A77 down the coast to head to western Dumfries & Galloway.

To explore Dumfries & Galloway, and to learn more about the region while appreciating the beautiful scenery, why not try one of the three signposted touring routes in the area?

The Galloway Tourist Route follows the scenic Solway Coast and runs alongside the Galloway Forest Park, as well as passing through historic towns and villages.

The Burns Heritage Trail takes you across the landscape which inspired Robert Burns, and also encompasses museums and visitor centres.

The third route, the Solway Coast Heritage Trail, is a great way to discover the stunning coastline of Dumfries & Galloway. The  local road network makes driving between different areas both easy and convenient.

There are also a number of cycling paths in the region, 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 download their handy mobile app or call them on 0871 200 22 33. Dumfries and Galloway Council also provides useful timetable information regarding local buses, trains and ferries.

By air

Glasgow Prestwick Airport is less than an hour’s drive from Dumfries & Galloway and flights arrive here from across the UK and further afield. The best way to find the most competitive fares for flying  around Scotland is to search on comparison sites such as SkyScanner, Travel Supermarket and Cheapflights.

There are trains from Prestwick Airport train station which travel to destinations in the region such as Dumfries and Stranraer. For up-to-date information, check with National Rail for timetables.

Frequent flights also fly into Glasgow and Edinburgh airports which are both around an hour and a half from Dumfries & Galloway.

By train

There are ScotRail services which travel direct to destinations including Dumfries, Gretna Green, Stranraer, Lockerbie and Annan. In addition, there are ScotRail trains to Carlisle and Lockerbie, where you can change to a local train or bus to continue your journey. For timetable information, check with National Rail.

By bus

If you wish to arrive in the region by bus, National Express runs services from various locations across the UK to towns in Dumfries & Galloway, such as Dumfries and Stranraer. There are also Stagecoach buses from Glasgow, Edinburgh and London, in addition to a Manchester service that goes to Carlisle.

The main towns and many of the villages are connected by local bus services, which is handy for visiting attractions, restaurants and shops. Dumfries & Galloway Council provides online timetable information, as well as details of available ticket offers such as the Day Discovery Ticket, which allows a day's worth of unlimited travel on most of the local buses.

By ferry

Travelling by ferry is another great option. From Northern Ireland, there are Stena Line ferries between Belfast and Cairnryan, and P&O Ferries run a service between Larne and Cairnryan or Troon.

If you are coming by sea from the continent, there are regular ferries from the Netherlands to Newcastle with DFDS Seaways. It is then around a two-hour drive from Newcastle to Dumfries.