*UPDATED 22nd May 2022*
The X77 is a coach/bus hybrid connecting Scotland's biggest city with Robbie Burns' hometown by the sea. It runs generally hourly with extra journeys provided at rush hours. Click here to discover other bus routes in Scotland.
The X77 is operated by Stagecoach.
Ayr
Scotland's first parliament was held in Ayr. But it is probably even better known for being the birthplace of the poet Robert Burns. You can even visit the cottage where he was born.
Creative commons, via Wikipedia
There's not just a cottage, but also a museum nearby.
To get to the museum, use Stagecoach 97 from Ayr Bus Station, and alight at the Alloway, Murdoch's Lone stop. On Mondays to Saturdays, occasional journeys on the X77 extend to run all the way to the bus stop right outside the Burns Birthplace Museum.
Click for other things to see and do in Ayr. The X77's journeys from Ayr start from stance 9 at the bus station:
The X77 is limited stop. See a full list of stops served on each journey here.
Prestwick
Prestwick was once a separate town but is now a suburb of Ayr. It's best known for its airport, which goes by the name of Glasgow Prestwick, and which is best known for being the sole place where Elvis Presley set foot on Scottish soil (or tarmac).
In the town, the X77 stops at Station Road towards Glasgow and Saunterne Road towards Ayr.
At the airport, the X77 uses this stop towards Glasgow and this stop towards Ayr on the A79 beneath the covered footbridge that connects the airport terminal with the airport's railway station:
Kilmarnock
The X77 only serves Kilmarnock in the evenings, with daytime journeys whizzing past on the by-pass. To get to Kilmarnock in the daytime, use the 4 from Ayr and the X76 from Glasgow.
Fenwick
Fenwick is a tiny village, famous for its Weavers' Society, regarded by many as the world's first co-operative. It's a lot prettier than Rochdale, I'll give it that! It lies just before the end of the M77 motorway, which the X77 takes all the way to Glasgow.
The X77 stops not in the village centre, but at unmarked stops right by the motorway...
Southbound journeys stop on this slip road directly off the M77:
... and northbound journeys stop on the other side of the bridge and right at the roundabout on the A77:
As an alternative, Stagecoach route 4 runs through the village centre, but it takes longer to get to Glasgow than the X77 does.
Glasgow
Glasgow City Chambers. Image by Kim Traynor, published on Wikipedia and used under creative commons.
Those with taste regard Glasgow as Scotland's real capital. You won't be bored here: here's three to see:
- The Mackintosh Building of the Glasgow School of Art
- Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
- Glasgow Botanic Gardens
Click here for more ideas of things to see and do in Glasgow. The X77's route in the city centre runs like this:
The blue arrows mark the route of the few journeys in the weekday peaks that terminate at the university of Glasgow.
Virtually all journeys serve Buchanan Bus Station, one of the biggest in the country. The X77 leaves from stance 6.
If you'd rather not negotiate the bus station, you can also catch the X77 from the stops on Wellington Street:
... and Waterloo Street:
Times
You can see the full timetable for the X77 on the following websites:
Here are your links for live scheduled departure boards at major stops towards Glasgow:
...and back towards Ayr:
- Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station, stance 6
- Glasgow, Waterloo Street/West Campbell Street
- Prestwick Airport, A79
Fares
The cheapest day ticket valid throughout the route, which also functions as a return ticket, is the Stagecoach West Scotland Connect DayRider at £12.60, which is valid on all Stagecoach buses in the region, but not on buses of other operators.
For shorter journeys between Ayr and Prestwick, the Stagecoach Ayr Dayrider at £4.20 is for you.
Ayr Plusbus tickets are valid on the X77 between Ayr and Prestwick Airport.
Connections
Major connections from Ayr with Stagecoach:
- 97 to Murdoch's Lone for the Burns Museum
- 14 to Troon and Irvine
- 358/360 to Girvan and Stranraer
- 585 to Largs
- X16 to Kilmarnock
Major bus connections from Glasgow:
The X77 passes by the following railway stations. Click the station name for live departures:
- Ayr
- Newton-on-Ayr
- Prestwick Town
- Prestwick International Airport
- Glasgow Central
- Glasgow Queen Street
It also passes near to Buchanan Street station on the Glasgow Subway.
Alternatives
Between Ayr and Kilmarnock, you can also use routes X16, and 4.
Between Kilmarnock and Glasgow, you can also use routes X76 and 4.
The 4 serves all stops along the full length of the X77's route, but with some variations and it doesn't use the motorway, so a journey to or from Glasgow will take a lot longer and won't cost you any less. All of these buses are operated by Stagecoach.
The other alternative is the train. Find timetables here and fares here. An anytime adult single between Ayr and Glasgow is currently £9.80, an off-peak (after 0900 weekdays) adult day return is £11.70 and an anytime adult day return is £17.70.
Long Distance Footpaths
- River Ayr Way starts in Ayr
- Ayrshire Coastal Path runs through Ayr and Prestwick
- Clyde Walkway passes through Glasgow
Discover more Great Scottish Bus Routes here.
All of the information in this post is correct at the time of writing, but please check the relevant links before travelling.
