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Services
Q. Is it possible for the new 07.09 service from Arrochar & Tarbet to stop at Anniesland to allow people to catch an onward train to Maryhill? A. This is not possible as the train is routed from Westerton to Glasgow Queen Street high level station rather than the low level.
Q. Is it possible for the new Lanark services to stop at Newton? A. Line capacity restrictions due to the single track junction at Newton as well as the single line from Hamilton Central to Larkhall means that a stop at Newton would not be possible.
Q. The 09.08 Dalmuir to Glasgow Queen Street has been reduced to a three carriage train from six carriages. What is the reason for this? There also seems to be one less train for Scotstounhill in the evening peak. Why? A. Passenger numbers are continually monitored. This particular service usually carries around 90 – 100 people for which three carriages is sufficient. There has been no reduction in the evening peak services to Scotstounhill.
Q. The 07.43 from Carstairs has had a number of cancellations recently and often arrives late. A. We recently introduced a new timetable which we are confident will help resolve some of the problems encountered and improve the reliability and performance of this service. In addition, we will look to undertake a review of performance to determine any underlying issues.
Q. Why do Bathgate services often seem to suffer during times of disruption with trains starting and terminating at Livingston North? A. The long section of single track railway between Uphall and Bathgate means that if a train is more than a few minutes late it can have a knock on effect on the next train. It is therefore in the best interest of the majority of customers, for delayed services to be terminated at Livingston North in order to keep subsequent journeys on time. First ScotRail regrets this inconvenience for those passengers that have an interrupted journey and we would like to assure customers that we continue to strive to improve overall punctuality to minimise the occasions that this occurs.
Q. The 08.33 from Greenfaulds to Queen St has had a reduced number of carriages for at least the last week. A. At the start of the winter timetable, this service has was changed to Class 156 carriages from Class 170 carriages in order to allow for the latter carriages to be allocated to services which have a greater number of passengers. We continually monitor passenger figures and felt that the reduced number of carriages on this service would more than sufficiently deal with the number of passengers travelling.
Q. Is anything being done to improve the number of bike spaces for cycles on the North Berwick services? A. The roll out refurbishment programme of the Class 322’s which are operating on this route will include the provision of a dedicated bike spaces at one end of each train, sufficient to cater for a minimum of 6 bikes.
Q. On occasion, there have been customers on the Aberdeen to Glasgow route who drink quite a lot and can get noisy. Could the conductors do more to stop passengers getting on with alcohol? A. First ScotRail carries out regular checks with British Transport Police on this route at various times of the day and as so far they have not raised any issues. These routine checks will be ongoing.
Q. Is it possible to retime the 0649 ex Newcraighall to Edinburgh so that customers can make the 0700 ex Edinburgh to Glasgow? At the moment, the connection is missed by about a minute. A. There is another service at 0715 to Glasgow which provides a more robust connection time, getting into Glasgow just after 0800.
Q. The majority of services to Fife have been strengthened during the evening peak but the 15.45 and the 17.50 Fife circle services are only two coach trains. Why is this? A. We carry out regular checks into passenger numbers on our services and have strengthened those trains which required additional carriages the most.
Stations
Q. The provision of information during times of disruption is not always as good as it can be. Can this be looked into? A. This is high on our agenda and we are working hard to improve the quality and the content of information across our network. This includes response to disruption as well as timetable and more general communications where we are investing in additional staff to ensure that the most up-to-date information is provided to our customers across the network.
Q. Why are there no litter bins at Falkirk Grahamston? A. This is due to security reasons. Transport security is governed by the Department for Transport which has stipulated that for the time being, all bins will be removed from stations.
Q. Are there any plans to put in any more ticket vending machines at Glasgow Central and Glasgow QS low level? A. There are currently no plans to put in any additional ticket vending machines at these stations.
Q. There don’t seem to be any ticket checks at South Gyle for services in both directions. People are often travelling without buying a ticket. Why are there no checks and is this being rectified? A. Plans are in place to look at implementing more barrier checks at this station.
Q. Polmont Station booking office is sometimes closed in the morning when you are trying to purchase tickets. Why? A. There have been issues in the past due to a shortage of staff but this is being resolved and as a result, will improve for customers. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Why are coal trains sometimes allowed to go ahead of passenger trains? This happens on the 1727 Edinburgh / Perth via Dunfermline. There have been occasions in the past where, due to track sharing, there is some right of way given to freight trains. This is set to come to an end though with the introduction of the Stirling – Alloa – Kincardine project which will see coal trains re-routed and which will have a positive impact on passenger trains.
There seem to be an ongoing problem with the reliability of services in the Fife area. Is anything being done to look into this? First ScotRail, Network Rail and Scottish Executive have set up a working group to look at how we can improve the performance of services through Fife. Services are not as reliable as we would like and we understand customers’ frustrations. The issues do require a long term solution which will take time to implement.
The 0822 Milngavie to Springburn service has gone from a six carriage to a three carriage train since First ScotRail took over. What is the reason for this and are there any plans to change it back with the launch of the new timetable in December? First ScotRail works closely with Strathclyde Passenger Transport to monitor passenger numbers on services with the aim of ensuring more carriages are allocated to the busiest routes. Figures showed that previously, there was not a great demand on this service. With regards to the new timetable, the 0818 Milngavie service will be run as a six carriage train to assist with the increase in passengers.
Stations Are there any plans for putting in a waiting area at Aberdeen station? As part of our station investment plan, we are considering a waiting area for Aberdeen Station.
Are there any plans to increase the car park facility at Falkirk station? A new car park was created last year at Glenochil Road (next to the station) – funded by Falkirk Council which created an additional 52 spaces. The Council has sought planning permission for a further car park at Slammannn Road, but this is in the very early stages and funding is not in place as yet.
Are there any plans to install a shelter at Busby station? There is also a requirement for another timetable on platform 2? As part of our Station investement plan, new shelters will be installed on both platforms at Busby, by 31 March 2006. We will also look into providing an additional site for displaying timetable information on platform 2.
Are there any plans to improve access to Haymarket station? When going for trains in the morning, there are often lots of people who have come from Glasgow, coming out of the station. Plans are being developed with Scottish Executive to amend the entrance at Haymarket and alter the gateline to increase the flow of passengers at peak times. Works are planned to coincide with the Waverley station works, which may further increase the usage of Haymarket for a temporary period.
Fares, tickets and others The TVM at Hairmyres station often doesn’t accept coins. Can anything be done to improve this? We are aware of some issues with regards to TVM’s and are investigating this as a matter of priority. The TVM at this station was recently checked. If there is not sufficient coinage available, a ticket cannot be issued and all change will be returned to the customer. This continues until enough coinage has been accepted. We have trialed an additional change programme at machines at Queen St. which appears to have rectified the situation and anticipate that once this is rolled out, coinage problems will be greatly reduced.
Are there any plans to improve ticket purchasing opportunities on busy East Kilbride trains? There are additional ticket examiners working on the peak time services whenever possible but due to other commitments, we do not always have the staff available.
Some of the staff at the ticket gates at Central Station can be a bit sharp when it comes to checking tickets. Whilst it is understood that they have a job to do, their attitude needs to be addressed. First ScotRail apologises to any customers who have experienced bad customer service. We currently have around 70 staff taking their SVQ in customer service and we, as a company, are working towards achieving IIP accreditation. Customer service training and development is a key priority for us.
The Club 55 ticket offer is great but is not available on that many services returning to Inverness. Is it possible to increase the number of services to include the 1612 to Inverness? Club 55 tickets are restricted for travel between 16.00 and 18.00 because of the number of people travelling at these times. These restrictions are being reviewed in Spring 2006 using customer feedback.
Is it possible to extend the Glasgow Queen Street Flexipass to include onward travel to Charing Cross so that it is more of a zone card? This possibility has been noted however and will be investigated further.
Why can’t on train staff sell Flexipasses or customers purchase them from TVM’s? The queues that can occur at the ticket office at Croy and Glasgow Queen St means that it can take some time to get your flexipass? Flexipasses are already available at ticket offices, via telesales and online. The ticket office at Croy will also be opening for longer in the near future to increase availability and convenience. The current ticket machines used by on train staff do not have the facility to provide Flexipasses and instead, would need to produce 10 x single tickets, which takes time and is not suitable for busy services.
Q. Trains that are split in order to travel to two destinations are often not split until the last minute – can something be done about this to allow more time for passengers to board the right section? A. First ScotRail is working hard to improve the timings of this to allow passengers to board the trains whilst the coupling / de-coupling process is taking place rather than once it’s completed and we will be increasing communication between staff to ensure this can be achieved.
Q. The 0830 service from Milngavie to Queen Street is often very busy which means you can’t always get on it and are then late for work. A. This service from Milngavie changes from the start of the new timetable which comes out in December. The capacity on peak time services will also be increased from that date to provide more room for customers.
Q. The 0708 Balloch / Drumgelloch and the 0741 Dalmiur / High Street services are often busy on arrival at Hyndland. Can anything be done to improve the capacity on these services? A. This service on the North Clyde network changes from the start of the new timetable in December. Through regular monitoring, First ScotRail is working hard to allocate greater capacity where it is required the most in order to best address any issues of overcrowding.
Q. Are there any plans to increase capacity on Sunday services between Glasgow and Edinburgh? Trains at Linlithgow are often busy and a three coach train which means people sometimes have to stand. A. The capacity on Sunday services is continually being monitored and altered to best meet the demands. We have also reviewed our monitoring process to identify the common reasons that ‘drive’ peak demands at weekends.
Q. What improvements can be made to the morning peak time Fife Circle services which often arrive about five minutes late into Edinburgh? A. The Fife timetable is currently being examined in detail in conjunction with Network Rail and the Scottish Executive to see what can be done. Presently, there is a proposal to add time into the trains to improve the time keeping.
Q. Why has the through train from Stonehaven to Inverurie been withdrawn? There is also an inconsistency and unreliability of the five minute connection between the train services which are now provided. Are there any plans to reintroduce a through train which would be of greater convenience for passengers? A. At present, we do not have any available trains of the type required to provide a through service. The winter timetable will see a number of service enhancements however, including more services between Aberdeen and Inverurie and we are also looking at further enhancements that may be introduced next year.
Fares, tickets and others
Q. The pay stations in the car park at Queen Street don’t always take notes. Can this be looked into as it seems to have gone on for some time? A. This has been looked and we are looking into this as a matter of priority. We will be taking steps to bring in either a contract to maintain the pay points or possibly to replace them with new ones which would have the option of a credit card facility.
Q. The 0648 from Inverness to Pitlochry no longer stops at Blair Atholl. Are there any plans to reinstate this? A. At present, we are unable to reinstate this stop. It was originally removed to provide a more seamless service into Edinburgh for passengers.
Q. The 1642 Glasgow Central to East Kilbride is sometimes late boarding and short formed. Is there a reason for this and can it be looked into? A. We are currently looking into services to and from East Kilbride and have a dedicated team working on performance in order to try and improve the services.
Q. Trains from North Berwick that run through to Haymarket arrive at Waverley on time but are sometimes late on arriving at Haymarket – is anything being to improve this? A. We are aware of the problems caused by congestion at Waverely and the impact this has on trains that have to run through the station. We are working closely with Network Rail to identify how this can be improved and have recently created the new post of Performance Delivery Manager at Edinburgh Waverley.
Q. Are there any plans to introduce an early morning Sunday service to and from North Berwick? A. This is something which is being considered for the future but the process is in the very early stages.
Q. During service disruption, would it not be possible for First buses to accept a valid rail ticket instead of making customers pay again? A. We are investigating options for when disruption occurs but we must involve all bus operators on an equitable basis and not just First.
Q. Are there any plans to install a waiting room or seating at Muirend Station as there is nothing there at the moment? A. We are looking at putting seating in this station as part of our ongoing station investment plan.
Q. Some of the Gleneagles services can get very busy and run with two carriages. Are there any plans to increase the number of carriages on this route? A. First ScotRail continually monitor passenger numbers on routes. At present, recent passenger figures have not shown a great demand but it will continue to be monitored and any required action will be taken as a result of this.
Q. About once a week, the 17.40 Aberdeen service from Glasgow is only a three carriage instead of five, which means it can get very busy. Whilst the service itself is good, on these occasions it can be too busy. Are there any reasons for this? A. We have recognised that this service is occasionally short formed and have taken steps to provide more capacity on this service in the future.
Q. The waiting room at Queen Street Station isn’t very comfortable in comparison to that of Central. Are there any plans to refurbish this to make it more appealing to customers and would we be able to fit CCTV and PIS there as well? A. There are plans for investment at Queen Queen Street station during the franchise and a number of options are currently under consideration.
Q. There are sometimes large queues at Haymarket ticket office in the morning. Could more ticket examiners be available to assist passengers looking to purchase tickets prior to boarding? A. A system at Haymarket is currently being tested to try and improve the speed with which passengers can purchase a ticket prior to boarding. We also have two vending machines and the booking office window to assist. Fares, tickets and others
Q. The new Flexipass is great but would it be possible to provide more of a discount on it? A. The Flexipass has been designed to provide a convenient and discounted alternative to buying single tickets for those who travel regularly but not everyday, on the same route. The discount is at least 10% compared to the cost of 10 separate single tickets and there are currently no plans to increase this.
Q. Can more opportunities to purchase a ticket on the North Berwick route be provided? Quite long queues can form on the platforms at Edinburgh Waverley to buy one before going through the gates. A. First ScotRail is working hard to improve ticket purchasing opportunities and has introduced new facilities for customers such as purchasing season tickets on line. In addition, as ticket examiners are recruited and trained, we aim to place them in busy morning peak services. This is already working on the Bathgate services and we are hoping to extend this to North Berwick services in the near future.
Q. Is it possible to have either an automatic announcement or a manual one at smaller train stations as having both can sometimes become a little confusing? A. Staff will be re-briefed on the need for the use of one type of announcement being made.
Q. The barriers at Stirling station can sometimes take a while to get through and this can lead to trains being missed. Is it possible to have both windows at the ticket office open with one dealing only with immediate travel. A. First ScotRail continually monitors areas such as this and is aware that at peak times, it can take longer to purchase a ticket. We are looking at ways of alleviating this such as installing a self service machine.
Q. Staff who deal with customer enquiries on the 0845 484950 number can sometimes give out incorrect information. Is anything being done about this? A. Our new Customer Contact Centre in Fort William is now up and running to deal with all types of customer enquiries. We are confident that it will bring considerable improvements for our customers looking for information.
Q. A disabled passenger has a ‘red’ disabled card, which is not recognised in the ticket gates at Queen Street station. Staff at the manual gate usually recognise the card and let passengers through but on occasion, they have been asked to try the automatic gates again. Can anything be done to ensure staff recognise this ticket and allow passengers through with this ticket? A. Staff will be re-briefed to ensure that they recognise and understand all type of cards.
Q. Why can there be several ticket checks on trains between Queen Street station and Lenzie? A. As part of our franchise compliance, we have a responsibility to check people have valid tickets on trains even though they have come through barriers.
Q. Is there a chance of introducing a later service on the Edinburgh / Dunblane route? A. The services on this route already run as late as possible before the line is closed for maintenance. As a result, we cannot currently run any later services.
Q. Is there a possibility of continuing the 15 minute Edinburgh / Glasgow service until 20.00 and provide longer trains to deal with the number of passengers coming home? A. Additional services are regularly discussed with the Scottish Executive. There are no immediate plans to run additional services at this time but it is continuously reviewed for the benefit of our passengers.
Q. Is it true that the timetable changes for December ’05 will change the time of the train from Garve for the morning peak, from 0900 to 0800 which might bring problems for customers who currently use the service for work purposes. A. There are no current plans to alter the time of the early morning train from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness.
Q. Are there any plans for a shelter on platform 1 at Whifflet station? A. Our station investment plan, part of our franchise commitment, will deliver a shelter for Platform 1 at Whifflet for the benefit of our passengers. This is set to be installed before th end of March 2006.
Q. Are there any plans to install Customer Information System at Bearsden station? In addition, Hillfoot station requires an up to date information system A. Bearsden station will have a Customer Information System installed by the end of March 2006 as part of our station investment plan. There are no current plans for Hillfoot but this will be looked into.
Trains Q. Can more capacity be provided on the Sunday 15.15 Edinburgh / Dundee? A. This service is generally operated as a three carriage Class 170. Passenger numbers on this service are regularly reviewed.
Q. Overcrowding, particularly on the 16.36 ex Edinburgh to Dunblane can be a problem. It is a two carriage Class 158. Can anything more be done to improve this service? A. There are no immediate plans to increase the capacity on the 16.36 as there is currently no spare rolling stock available. Passenger counts are being undertaken however to identify if any existing strengthening on other services can be withdrawn to assist with this situation.
Q. What are the restrictions that apply to the use of a Cheap Day Return ticket in the evening peak? A. On Monday – Friday you cannot use a Cheap Day Return or local concessionary fare to board trains leaving Waverley, Haymarket, Glasgow Central or Queen Street between 1642 and 1809. Nor on the 1815 Edinburgh / Glasgow and Glasgow / Edinburgh services. Passengers may join the 17.52 ex Waverley to Glasgow via Shotts but the 1810 and 1834 GNER trains may not be used.
Q. Can the fare anomoly be addressed on the Dundee / Edinburgh route? A. Some fare anomalies were inherited with the franchise and we are looking in to these with a view of straightening them out. All tickets are reviewed on an ongoing basis and this one will be looked into as a matter of priority.
Q. Is it possible for more trains to stop at Lenzie on the Edinburgh to Glasgow route? A. Unfortunately, there is insufficient line capacity to stop more trains at Lenzie on this route. If we did, this would have a knock on effect on a number of other services, which could result in delays further along the line.
Q. The services to and from Newcraighall, specifically the 0749 and 0819 into Edinburgh and the 1755 and 1826 out of Edinburgh are pretty unreliable. Is anything being done to improve this service overall and more specifically, these particular services? A. At present, we are working to tackle the reasons for this late running and improving the information being given out to customers as well as the service itself. Regrettably, however, there is no quick fix. Where disruption occurs, it can be necessary to terminate a service early and provide alternative transport for passengers – either a replacement bus or train if one is available or even by taxi. We are keen to see an improvement on this service and will be looking into all possible options from the Scottish Executive.
Q. The 1730 from Carlisle is often late in getting in to Glasgow which doesn’t leave much time for passengers to get on before departure. The trains can also be quite dirty. There is a feeling that this service has worsened since the start of the new franchise and is anything being done to improve it? A. Since taking over the franchise in October 2004, we have introduced additional cleaning staff at Glasgow Central to undertake the cleaning of trains, including the toilets, during their turn around time. Cleanliness is one of our priorities and we have asked for an unannounced audit to be carried out to assess the level of work being carried out. On the 1730 ex Carlisle, at this time of day, all available carriages are being used and all trains have short turn around times at stations. We do continuously review how well our services are operating and this includes looking at reasons why trains might arrive late at terminal points.
Q. The 1725 to Gourock doesn’t stop at Bishopton? Can this be revised or is there a reason as to why it doesn’t? A. There are two reasons for this. One, there is a tight ferry connection at Gourock and adding any time on to the journey by putting in an additional stop, would break the connection. Secondly, with the additional passengers for Bishopton, the train would run the risk of becoming over crowded and would require extra carriages and at this time, all available carriages are currently in operation.
Q. The last train from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central doesn’t stop at Uddingston or Cambuslang and the information boards for Cambuslang are insufficient. The current CIS / help points aren’t very helpful at the moment – can this be improved? A. There are no immediate plans to stop the last train at Uddingston or Cambuslang however, it is something being considered for the future. We are investing £20million in station improvements, which includes customer information. Stations
Q. Are there any plans in place to improve the environment and facilities at Dalmuir station? A. A feasibility study, funded by SPT has been undertaken to look into the possibility of replacing the current portacabins with a purpose built building as well as investigating other areas which could be improved.
Q. Are there any plans to cheer up Glasgow Central low-level in terms of cleanliness and appearance? A. An improvement package is in place to brighten up Glasgow Central low level, which includes the re-painting and renewal of a number of areas as well as installing additional signage for the benefit of passengers. Fares, tickets and others
Q. Why isn’t it possible to purchase a return ticket to Brunstane outwith Edinburgh? A. There are specific fares from Brunstane to a number of stations including Falkirk and stations in the Fife area. Where there is not a specific fare, the fare from Musselburgh applies.
Q. Passengers from Prestonpans have been unable to purchase a ticket on the train to Edinburgh on a number of occasions, which has resulted in a delay on arrival in Edinburgh to buy a ticket in order to get through the gates. Are there any plans to install a ticket machine at Prestonpans so that they can be purchased prior to boarding? A. Whilst there are no immediate plans to install a ticket vending machine at Prestonpans, we are currently reviewing the overall revenue policy in and around Edinburgh to improve the service for all our customers.
Q. Some difficulties have been encountered with the online season ticket system relating to the fact that the online process for booking a season ticket doesn’t make it clear whether you would get the 5% discount or not. A. The online season ticket system does include Charter discounts where applicable - the problem is that any appropriate discount is not confirmed until later on in the transaction. From a transaction perspective, any relevant charter discount is shown before payment is made. However we quite appreciate that by not making this clearer earlier on in the transaction, it can lead to confusion and undermines the integrity of the system. We have taken the opportunity to raise this with our online service providers, thetrainline and hope to get improved guidance placed on the site as a matter of priority.
Q. The fare from West Kilbride to Glasgow Central has increased from £8.30 to £9.05. This is quite an increase in comparison to the cost of a weekly ticket. A. Fares in the Strathclyde area are set by SPT with increases agreed with the Scottish Executive.
Q. The 0800 Dundee to Waverley regularly arrives late, mainly due to a hold up outside Waverley each morning – what can be done to rectify this? A. Waverley is an extremely busy station and can be congested at peak times. The entire Fife timetable is in the process of being reviewed by Network Rail and First ScotRail to identify and resolve the reasons for the late running of services into Edinburgh Waverley. The Scottish Executive is funding an upgrade of the station which will increase the number of trains which Waverley can accommodate from 24 to 28 by the end of 2007.
Q. What are the arrangements for passengers at North Queensferry over the period that the Forth Bridge is closed? A. First ScotRail has been working hard with Network Rail and the local councils to rework the timetable in order to offer passengers a viable service during this time. Around 450 trains each day will have their working pattern altered and a fleet of 85 coaches has been organised to replace trains between Edinburgh and Fife. A mini-bus shuttle service will operate between North Queensferry station and Inverkeithing station during the closure. Full details can be found in our information booklet which is available at stations and on our website.
Q. What are the chances of First ScotRail introducing an hourly service to North Berwick in the evening? A. Working with Network Rail and the Scottish Executive, we are looking at the possibility of enhancing services on this route. Q. The 16.46 from Motherwell to Milngavie was recently removed from the timetable. Why was this and is there any chance of it being reintroduced? A. The timetable on this route has been revised to take account of the new Hamilton - Anderston service and the re-opening of the Larkhall line which is due to take place in December. This service was replaced by the 16.22 Lanark to Dalmuir via Bellshill. At present, there is no plan to reintroduce this service.
Q. The 0745 Glasgow – Edinburgh arrives at either platform 21 or 22 which means it can take a long time to get through the ticket checks as the service is busy. Is it possible to move this train to one of the west end platforms which means the ticket gates can be used instead? A. We are working with Network Rail to try and improve the station working arrangements at Waverley – these problems are associated with the general congestion within the station. In the medium term there is a major enhancement of the capacity planned for Waverley which will increase the number of platforms and improve this situation.
Q. The mid-morning departure from Oban to Glasgow and the mid-afternoon service back doesn’t really allow a decent day out in Glasgow. Are there any timetable changes planned for this route? A. We are looking into what alternatives may be available but no simple solutions can be implemented within our current resources.
Q. What is being done to reduce queues to purchase tickets on arrival at Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central? A. Conductors and ticket examiners are provided on-train and should be available for passengers to purchase tickets on board. We have recruited over 150 additional staff to assist with sale of tickets and are looking at increasing ticket purchasing facilities with the installation of additional self-service ticket machines. If customers who start their journey at a staffed station or one with a self-service ticket machine purchase their ticket before travel, this would also mean reduced queuing time for other customers.
Q. A coffee outlet facility at Croy station would be a welcome addition. There are also a limited number of cycle lockers – is there a chance of putting some additional lockers in? Finally, the stairwell to platforms are very steep, could this be looked at? A. The installation of a coffee outlet at Croy would be a private venture and if any company came forward with a desire to set this up, we would consider it. There is a trolley service on board most services running through Croy. As part of our station investment programme we are looking at installing additional cycle racks to increase the capacity of the lockers already in place. The access to the platforms meets legal requirements and there are currently no plans to alter them. Trains
Q. When will the trains currently used on the North Berwick route be replaced? We are currently looking into options and are planning to introduce multiple unit trains on this route from August. Fares, tickets and others
Q. Why is there an additional £2 charge for purchasing a ticket online with a credit card? A. Due to the high fees charged by credit card providers, The Trainline (who provide our on-line retail facilities) are forced to pass on some of the cost to customers who opt to purchase with a credit card. Unlike debit cards who charge a set fee of 7p per transaction, credit card companies charge a fee of 1.6% of the transaction cost. On an average season ticket price of £1000, this equates to £16 per order. Payment by debit or switch avoids this charge.
Q. What is the policy for replacing worn out season tickets? A. We are currently investigating more robust ticket stock. In the mean time, season ticket holders can have the defective ticket replaced at no charge or use the staffed manual gate at stations with automatic gates.
Q. Why is the Glasgow / Giffnock add on to an Edinburgh / Glasgow First Class season ticket charged at First Class rate even though there isn’t a First Class section on this service? A. This is not the case. The first class weekly season ticket between Edinburgh and Glasgow is £94.10. The first class weekly between Edinburgh and Giffnock is £104, and additional £9.90. This is less than the price of a standard class season ticket between Glasgow and Giffnock.
Q. Is there a reason for it being difficult to purchase apex tickets on line? A. We are not currently aware of any problems with the booking of apex tickets online but are looking into this as a matter of priority.
Q. There appears to be a contradiction in the timing required to make a group booking. It says five days required online but then booking offices can do it immediately. A. Group Travel bookings for First ScotRail services can be made via our telesales service (08457 55 00 33) and we require five days notice to allow enough time for the posting of tickets. Strathclyde Passenger Transport have a separate Group Travel scheme which can be booked at stations. We are currently looking at standardising the schemes to provide a more consistent booking scheme.
Q. Why is it cheaper to purchase a return Annan to Gretna ticket than it is to purchase a single? A. To encourage off peak travel, when there is greater capacity on trains, we offer a range of lower priced fares at these times – this has been the practise in the rail industry for many years. In some cases, this has resulted in a return ticket being cheaper to purchase than a full single fare. Q. Are there any plans to introduce a season ticket between Dunoon and Motherwell in the near future? A. A day return fare covering train and ferry journey is available. A season ticket for this route would only be offered is there was a reasonable level of demand for such a product.
