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The railway line takes its name from the former Glasgow to Ardrossan Canal, the route of which it follows from Glasgow to Johnstone. A line branched off at Elderslie to Princes Pier in Greenock, via Bridge of Weir and Kilmacolm. It closed from the west in stages from the late 1950s, finally closing to passenger traffic from Kilmacolm to Glasgow on 8th January 1983. The line from Glasgow to Paisley was retained to serve the fuel depot at Hawkhead, but the tracks west of Canal station were lifted.

The line reopened to passenger traffic in 1990 and is still in use today, served by Diesel Multiple Units (see update below) from Glasgow Central to a new Canal station, slightly east of the old one.

The trackbed west of the new station is now a cycle path, part of the National Cycle Network. Route 75 heads along the Kilmacolm line to Greenock and Gourock. Route 7 heads along the Lochwinnoch Loop line to Ayrshire. Both are traffic free and fairly flat.

Update: The line was electrified in 2012. Electric trains ran during November, alternating with diesels until the service went fully electric on 9th December 2012.