RAIL passengers in Scotland are being warned to prepare for significant disruption as a major programme of engineering works gets under way this weekend.
ScotRail services between Glasgow Central and Kilmarnock, Dumfries and Carlisle, as well as routes linking Kilmarnock with Ayr and Stranraer, will be affected by the works.
Replacement buses will operate on a number of routes while Network Rail carries out improvement works between Barrhead and Dumfries.
From Saturday until September 13, rail replacement buses will replace trains on affected sections of the route.
Additional bus services will operate between Barrhead and Kilmarnock or Dumfries from August 29 until September 11.
Between 29 August and 13 September, buses will replace trains between Barrhead/Dumfries & between Kilmarnock/Troon as @NetworkRailSCOT work on improving the railway at Kilmarnock Station. Be sure to leave extra travelling time and check the app/website for more info. ℹ️… pic.twitter.com/k0DXBuKwEA
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 26, 2026
Passengers travelling between Kilmarnock and Stranraer from Monday to Saturday will be able to use replacement buses between Kilmarnock and Troon, where they can connect with rail services to and from Ayr.
There will be no scheduled train services between Kilmarnock and Ayr or Stranraer on Sundays during the works.
On Saturday, September 12, buses will replace trains between Barrhead and Kilmarnock and Carlisle, while no scheduled services will run between Kilmarnock and Ayr or Stranraer on Sunday, September 13.
The disruption comes as Network Rail undertakes a £13.5 million project to modernise the track layout at Kilmarnock station.
Engineers say the upgrades are designed to address infrastructure constraints which currently require trains to slow down when passing through the station.
The project will include improvements to the track layout south of platforms three and four, allowing trains to enter and leave the station more efficiently.
Network Rail said the changes are expected to improve reliability and enable smoother journeys for passengers in the future.
