ScotRail is encouraging people to plan their journeys in advance, ahead of two big events in Glasgow and Edinburgh next week.
Manchester United take on Olympique Lyonnais in a pre-season friendly match at BT Murrayfield stadium on Wednesday, 19 July, at 2pm, before Red Hot Chili Peppers take to the stage at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Sunday, 23 July.
The train operator is advising customers attending these events to plan their journeys in advance and allow sufficient time for travel as services will be much busier than normal.
To support the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert on Sunday, ScotRail is adding more trains between Glasgow Central and Mount Florida - the closest station to Hampden Park.
The train operator is also adding extra carriages to trains operating on routes in and out of Glasgow throughout the day.
Customers are being advised that queuing systems will be in place at Glasgow Central before the concert, and at Mount Florida station afterwards. ScotRail is asking concertgoers to head back to Mount Florida as quickly as possible after the event finishes and join the queues on Bolton Drive. Customers will not be able to access the station from Battlefield Drive.
Football fans attending the Manchester United v Olympique Lyonnais match are reminded that access at Haymarket station is restricted due to the ongoing redevelopment of an adjacent building not owned by ScotRail.
The station is expected to be significantly busier than usual in the afternoon and early evening, with both football fans and commuters using the station.
To streamline the process and ensure a smooth journey, fans are encouraged to join the holding area on Haymarket Terrace after the match where they will be directed to the appropriate queue. Alternatively, customers may choose to travel from an alternative station.
Edinburgh Trams offer a fast and frequent service between the stadium entrance and various destinations such as Edinburgh Gateway, Edinburgh Park, and St Andrew Square tram stop, which is a short walk from Edinburgh Waverley.
Additionally, Edinburgh City Centre can be accessed from BT Murrayfield through several Lothian Bus services, including routes 1, 3, 12, 22, 25, 26, 30, 31, or 33.
To reduce the need to queue on the day, customers attending either event are encouraged to buy their ticket in advance via the mTicket system on the ScotRail app.
Buying tickets through the mTickets system means people can secure 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 on both days, and the train operator is reminding everyone that the carrying and consumption of alcohol is prohibited on ScotRail trains and in ScotRail stations.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail Head of Customer Operations, said:
“We’re looking forward to helping football fans and music lovers travel by train to see Manchester United play Olympique Lyonnais at BT Murrayfield and Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at Hampden Park.
“To support the events, we’ll be running more trains, and adding more seats to services, to accommodate the higher demand.
“We encourage customers to follow our travel advice to make their journey as smooth as possible. Leave extra time for travel as trains are likely to be busier than normal, and buy your tickets in advance through our mTickets system as it will reduce your queuing time.”