ScotRail has announced it will add more seats and more services to help football fans travel to the Scottish Cup Final this weekend.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle take on Celtic in the men’s Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park on Saturday, 3 June, at 17.30.
ScotRail has confirmed more services and extra carriages will be added to trains between Glasgow Central and Mount Florida, the closest station to Hampden Park, before and after the match to help supporters get to and from the game.
However, the train operator is warning fans that trains will be much busier than normal, so customers should plan ahead and allow additional time for travel.
The train operator is also running an ‘Inverness Express’ football special to help Inverness Caledonian Thistle supporters travel to and from the match.
ScotRail confirmed the football special service following the change of kick off time to 17.30, meaning there would be no scheduled trains for Inverness fans to travel home when the match ends.
The special train departs Inverness station at 11:03 on Saturday, 3 June, and travels non-stop to Glasgow Queen Street, arriving at 14:21.
For the return journey, the train departs Glasgow Queen Street at 20:48, arriving back in Inverness at 00:02. In the event of extra time and penalties, the train will depart Glasgow Queen Street at 21:30, and arrive in Inverness at 00:27.
Tickets for the special service are exclusively available from Inverness station Travel Shop and are the only tickets which will be accepted on both Inverness Express services.
Tickets cost £70.60, which includes return travel between Glasgow Central and Mount Florida. Child fares are also available. Discounted Railcards, Rovers, Travel Passes, and Club 50 tickets are not valid on the football special service.
Queuing systems will be in place at Glasgow Central before the match, and at Mount Florida after the final whistle, so both Celtic and Inverness fans should plan ahead and allow additional time for travel.
To reduce the need to queue, customers without tickets for the Inverness Express should buy their return tickets to Mount Florida in advance via the mTicket system on the ScotRail app.
Buying tickets through the mTicket system means people can buy their tickets from the comfort of their home or on the way to the station and it will instantly become available on their mobile device.
ScotRail will have extra staff on hand to assist customers, and the train operator is reminding everyone that the carrying and consumption of alcohol is prohibited on ScotRail trains, including the Inverness Express, and in ScotRail stations.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail Head of Customer Operations, said:
“ScotRail is looking forward to helping football fans travel to the men’s Scottish Cup Final to cheer on their side.
“We’ll be adding more seats and more trains to keep people moving, but customers should plan their journeys in advance and allow some additional time for travel.
“To minimise your need to queue, buy your return tickets before you travel on the ScotRail app or website.
“Our special Inverness Express for travelling Caley Thistle fans is the only rail service available for travel back to Inverness after the final whistle, and tickets for this service are only available from Inverness station Travel Shop.”