Travelling to Dumfries & Galloway
the hills of Dumfries & Galloway
Dumfries & Galloway stretches from the border with England, along the Solway coast to the Irish Sea, making it easy to reach by car, plane, train or ferry.
The region is reachable within a matter of hours from many parts of the UK - perfect for a last minute visit or a longer escape to the countryside.
By road
From the south, the M6 motorway leads you straight into the east of the region, if you are coming from the north, head towards Glasgow and take the M74 which also runs through eastern Dumfries & Galloway or head into the west via the A77 down the coast.
Dumfries & Galloway has a great network of local roads which makes for excellent stress-free touring. Why not take one of the signposted touring routes - The Galloway Tourist Route, Burns Heritage Trail or the Solway Coast Heritage Trail - for a great way to explore different parts of the area?
Plan your route, hire a car, see live traffic information or find out more information on driving in Scotland.
By public transport
There are many public transport links to Dumfries and Galloway find out which option suits you best by considering the options below and using a journey planner such as Traveline Scotland.
By bus
National Express offer coach rides from across the UK to various towns in the region including Dumfries and Stranraer. Other bus companies including Stagecoach provide regular buses from cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Manchester to Carlisle. From Carlisle you can catch one of the local buses which will take you into the heart of the region.
By rail
Scotrail runs services either direct to Dumfries, Annan, Stranraer and Lockerbie or to Carlisle, where you can switch on to a local train or catch a bus to get around the region. Carlisle and Lockerbie are accessible by Virgin Trains from across the UK on the main west coast line. See National Rail for detailed maps and timetables.
By ferry
Travel by ferry from Ireland or Europe for a relaxed start to your trip. Ferry crossings between Ireland and Scotland run from the Northern Irish ports of Larne and Belfast and both travel to Cairnryan. There are several ferries every day and depending on the particular service, you could arrive in Scotland in only an hour.
If you are coming from Europe, ferry services also run regularly from the Netherlands to Newcastle in the north east of England which is only 90 minute’s drive from Dumfries & Galloway.
By air
The closest airport to the region, Glasgow Prestwick International, is situated less than an hour away in neighbouring Ayrshire and regularly welcomes inbound flights from across the UK including London, Stanstead and Derry. There are train connections from the airport to Stranraer and Dumfries as well as other stations in the region.
Scotland’s two main airports, Edinburgh and Glasgow, are both reachable within an hour and a half and flights come in from all the main UK and Irish airports. Regular services fly between London and the Scottish airports allowing easy transfer from the UK’s capital.
By cycle
Dumfries and Galloway is an ideal destination for a long distance cycle tour as national routes link Dumfries and Galloway to Cumbria as well as the rest of Scotland. There are hundreds of miles of routes in the area, including accessible off-road forest trails, long distance routes on quiet roads and mountain biking adventures.
Where to find out more
Staff are on hand in all our VisitScotland Information Centres to offer help on transport and much more. Further travel information can be obtained in advance from Traveline or by calling 0871 200 2233.
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