I planned a trip to Belfast and so had to get to Cairnryan from Dumfries, some 76 miles away. Traveline Scotland suggests that there are several options for this journey, including going by train from Dumfries to Kilmarnock; and then taking the rail connection round to Girvan where I would then pick up the Stagecoach 358 bus to Cairnryan. The single adult rail fare for Dumfries to Girvan is £32.00 (return £45.70). For Dumfries to Stranraer, a single is an eyewatering £46.70 (return £56.10).
Aside from the cost, traveling out of Dumfries and Galloway (D&G), to get to a destination within that very region, seemed a bit perverse, so I opted instead for the east to west 500 bus service from Dumfries to Stranraer.
Taking this route was also the first time that I travelled long distance on the buses operated by Houstons Coaches, the new contracted operator for this service. Until 7 August 2025, Stagecoach had operated this route for SWestrans (the regional transport authority), largely using coaches for the seven buses that operate the entire length of the route on Monday to Saturday; and the four services in each direction on Sunday.
The new contract with Houston’s provides for a similar service level, but with some timing changes; and one less bus in each direction on a Sunday. Notably, the new timetables provide for a 10 minute “comfort break” at Gatehouse of Fleet. Knowing that SWestrans has yet to install the new timetables at any of the region’s bus stops (Swestrans Board Minutes refer) it is important then to have to hand the bus timetable, available on the Council’s website [LINK]:
The timetable is available for download in PDF, which I like, as I don’t have a smart phone and prefer to have paper timetables. On that PDF, you only get the basic timing information. There is no route map, no description of the route, no Traveline Scotland contact number for information, nor the contact number for the operator (Houston’s Coaches). This is in contrast to the information that you find, for example, in the timetables that are available on the website of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport for their supported services. Room for improvement here, I think by the D&G Council.
The journey for the route is just over 2½ hours. When I travelled, I decided to break the journey by taking the 503 from Dumfries to Castle Douglas; and to pick up the 500 at Castle Douglas. The 503 (operated by local company, McCall’s Coaches) runs four times a day Monday to Saturday. It is a scenic, rural route which runs along the “Old Military Road” for much of its journey. We have Major William Caulfield, Inspector of Roads for the British Army, to thank for this legacy road, originally constructed in the 1760s. It is a narrow country lane and presents something of a challenge for the bus drivers, particularly when a heavily loaded tractor is heading straight for you, as there are not too many designated “passing places” on this route.
McCalls Coaches Mercedes-Benz Mellor Strata in SWestrans livery, on the 503 scenic route from Dumfries to Castle Douglas. Pictured here at the Loreburn Centre.
I wish that more people would use this bus, simply because of the scenery and the sense of relaxation that it engenders. Sadly, most people heading for Castle Douglas prefer the 500 or 502, both of which go straight down the main trunk road, the A75. That saves just 12-15 minutes on the journey time.
Houston’s Coaches Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 at Castle Douglas Swimming Pool
I pick up the 500 in Castle Douglas at 1000. For most of its journey, the 500 travels along the A75, the trunk road that connects the east of the region to the west. Here, the national speed limit applies, for the most part on single carriageways in each direction. I’m glad that the bus has seat belts for passengers, because the higher traffic speeds combined with the traffic mix – heavy goods vehicles to and from Northern Ireland supplemented by the occasional agricultural vehicles – makes this journey “interesting”. To reinforce that point, we pass a traffic warning sign for cattle crossing, complete with amber lights to indicate when the traffic should stop to let the cows cross the road.
The bus arrives in Stranraer around noon. I have 90 minutes or so in Stranraer, before picking up the Stagecoach 360 service to Cairnryan. This gives me time to wander along the Stranraer seafront; and to view the old ferry port of Stranraer, which now looks somewhat abandoned.
The port facilities at Stranraer, looking rather forlorn now that the ferries depart from Cairnryan, six miles north of Stranraer.
The Stagecoach 360 arrives on time at 1340 and off we go to Cairnryan. For those not familiar with the port, there are two quays: the P&O facility south of Cairnryan village; and the Stena dock around ½ mile north of Cairnryan. The 360 visits both terminals. There is a single bus stop at the P&O terminal (with an empty timetable panel). The bus and coach facilities at the Stena terminal are much bigger (multiple coach bays), but again, there are no timetables on display.
As the bus leaves the P&O terminal at 1350, heading north for the Stena terminal, looking out over the loch we pass a P&O ferry heading south to the P&O dock. I do wonder about the timing of the bus service to link up with the buses. In this instance, the 360 appears to fit better with the Stena sailings than with the P&O arrival. I was able to catch this very same bus heading north on my return from Belfast.
I arrive at the modern Stena terminal on time at 1356, which gives me a relaxing hour before boarding the ferry to Belfast. Overall, a very enjoyable journey and a relaxing one too, if you are not in any hurry.
The modern Stena Terminal at Cairnryan. The terminal offers good facilities, with comfortable seating and a café for foot passengers waiting to board.
My bus fares for this trip, as at 12 January 2026: adult single, Dumfries to Castle Douglas, £4.30; adult single, Castle Douglas to Stranraer, £10.90; adult single, Stranraer to Cairnryan, £3.40. I also paid £2.30 for a single trip on the Translink bus 96 from the Belfast Stena terminal to the city centre.
I confirm that the photographs included in this article are my own and I have not manipulated the images, other than to crop the size of the pictures to make them suitable for publication.
Steven Ardron
15 January 2026
TIMETABLE LINK:
https://www.dumfriesandgalloway.gov.uk/roads-transport-parking/public-transport/bus-ferry-timetables
