Where to stay in Kilmarnock

Kilmarnock, meaning "the church of Mernóc", also colloquially referred to as Killie, is a town and former burgh in East Ayrshire situated in southwest Scotland. The town has served as the administrative centre of East Ayrshire Council since 1996, and is the region's main commercial and industrial centre.

Kilmarnock grew up in the 19th and early 20th centuries from a small market town into a busy industrial centre, then went into decline. One illustrative example is its best-known product, Johnnie Walker whisky. John Walker (1805-1857) was a general grocer, and a teetotaller. Brewing and distilling were traditional farm trades in Ayrshire as elsewhere, but small scale, erratic in quality and heavily taxed, which fostered illicit stills and smuggling. The Excise Act of 1823 greatly reduced tax and facilitated legal distilling, and Scotch whisky blossomed into a profitable large scale industry.

Getting in

Trains from Glasgow Central run every 30 min, taking 50 min, with the last train shortly after 23:00. They continue every couple of hours to New Cumnock, Sanquhar, Dumfries, Annan, Gretna and Carlisle. (Don't use this route from England, take the fast train from London to Glasgow then change.) The railway station is central in town. There is a staffed ticket office and machines, toilets and a waiting room. There is level access to Platforms 1, 2 and 3, and a lift to Platform 4. Stagecoach Bus X76 runs hourly from Glasgow Buchanan station, taking 40 min. The last bus is at 9:30PM.

Getting around

Bus 1 runs east every 15 min to Galston, Newmilns, Darvel and Priestland. Bus 2 runs east to Hurlford. Bus 3 runs north to Onthank Drive. Buses 5, 6 and 7 run northeast to New Farm Loch. Bus 9 runs north to Kilmaurs and Stewarton. Bus 50 runs south to Mauchline, Auchinleck and Cumnock.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.