Six-car Class 380s to run on route from today until late April
New electric fleet will join route in December 2018
From today (Monday 20 February), customers on the Edinburgh – North Berwick route will have six carriage trains on some services, up from the current four.*
The extra capacity has been created as a result of the driver training programme for the arrival of Scotland’s new fleet of electric trains, which is being carried out on the Edinburgh-North Berwick/Dunbar route until late April. The existing Class 380 trains are similar to the new fleet and are being used by drivers to prepare for the arrival of the faster, longer, greener electric trains.
Customers using North Berwick have already seen the preparations as the station platform was extended in 2016 to accommodate longer trains.
The timetable on the route is not changing, but 12 trains each day will be operated with six carriages until the end of April 2017. Then, from December 2018, Edinburgh-North Berwick/Dunbar services will permanently have new longer trains, with 40 per cent more seats at peak times.
Perry Ramsey, ScotRail Alliance operations director said: “We recognise that rail is a key mode of transport between East Lothian and Edinburgh and our trains are very busy, particularly in the peaks.
“And, as we share these routes with freight and cross border services, introducing longer trains is the best way to add more seats.
“While this is a temporary solution, from December 2018 our new trains will be in permanent use on the route, providing a faster, longer and greener service for East Lothian customers.”
Notes
Six car services are planned to operate as follows but this may change on the day given it is a driver training programme:
North Berwick – Edinburgh
- 07:55
- 10:27
- 12:20
- 17:28
- 19:05
- 20:25
Edinburgh – North Berwick
- 07:13
- 09:43
- 11:42
- 16:43
- 18:14
- 19:45