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City guide

Paisley, Scotland

Paisley is a town in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Located north of the Gleniffer Braes and immediately west of Glasgow, it straddles the banks of the White Cart Water, a tributary of the River Clyde.

Type CityPopulation 79,369

Why go

  • Town in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.
  • Served by South Barnbeth Farm Airstrip.

History

Paisley is a town in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Located north of the Gleniffer Braes and immediately west of Glasgow, it straddles the banks of the White Cart Water, a tributary of the River Clyde. It serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area, and is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire, with a population of 79,369 in 2022. As the fifth-largest settlement in Scotland, behind the cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, it is often cited as Scotland's largest town.

Restaurants & places to go

French, Japanese, Cake, Coffee Shop, Dessert, Chinese, Chocolate, Cafe · Discover the Perfect Balance of Taste and Elegance at Sugarfall Patisserie Opening… · sugarfall.co.uk
Indoor
Mexican, Restaurant · A relaxed, affordable neighbourhood restaurant with an honest approach to fresh, healthy and hearty Mexican food. Opening hours: Su-Th… · bibiscantina.co.uk
Indoor
Lebanese, Restaurant · Lebanese Restaurant and takeaway Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-23:00 · 1363 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, G14 9UZ · lotuslebanese.co.uk
Indoor
American, Restaurant · Opening hours: 09:00-23:00 Features: takeaway · Napier Road, Glasgow, G52 4DR · harvester.co.uk
Indoor
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: 24/7 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway · 70 Allerdyce Road, Glasgow, G15 6RX · mcdonalds.com
Indoor
Pizza, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Th 11:00-03:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-04:00; Su 11:00-03:00 Features: takeaway · 12 Norby Road, Glasgow, G11 7BN · papajohns.co.uk
Indoor
Pizza, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00 Features: delivery · pizzahut.co.uk
Indoor
Sandwich, Bakery, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 06:30-18:30; Sa 06:30-18:00; Su 07:30-17:30 Features: takeaway · 1580 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G13 1HQ · greggs.co.uk
Indoor

292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Glasgow Airport (GLA) 1.9 mi to the centre
Glasgow, SCT, GB — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 26 airlines (Flybe, Jet2.com, easyJet, Transavia France…) · direct flights to 63 destinations incl. Arrecife, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Alicante, Amsterdam… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Serves Edinburgh (48 mi) — the low-cost way in
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 26 airlines, 63 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) 24 mi to the centre
Prestwick, South Ayrshire, SCT, GB — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 1 airline (Ryanair) · direct flights to 21 destinations incl. Alicante, Arrecife, Barcelona, Carcassonne, Dublin… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Serves Edinburgh (62 mi) — the low-cost way in
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 21 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
South Barnbeth Farm Airstrip 7.3 mi to the centre
SCT, GB
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Renfrew Slipway
Ferry terminal · 3.4 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Yoker Slipway
Ferry terminal · 3.5 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Plantation Quay
Ferry terminal · 5.3 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Broomielaw Quay Pontoon
Ferry terminal · 6.5 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Seagull Trust Cruises
Ferry terminal · 12 mi from the centre
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is South Barnbeth Farm Airstrip. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 5 ferry terminals within 12 mi (nearest: Renfrew Slipway, 3.4 mi).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Paisley, Scotland. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
Broker, marketplace · Operator network worldwide · Online charter marketplace, part of Directional Aviation; instant quotes.
Marketplace · Operator network · Transparent on-demand jet charter marketplace showing the operator and tail.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.