ScotRail is reminding customers that the six-month trial to introduce cheaper and simpler fares will get underway from Monday (2 October).
The Scottish Government-funded project, encouraging people to travel by rail instead of car, will allow customers to travel all day on off-peak fares until the end of March 2024.
The trial will see massive savings across the country. Examples on routes in and out of the main cities include:
- Edinburgh – Glasgow via Falkirk High (£28.90 to £14.90)
- Inverkeithing – Edinburgh (£11.10 to £6.50)
- Perth – Dundee (£14.40 to £9.90)
- Glasgow – Stirling (£16.10 to £9.60)
- Inverurie – Aberdeen (£11.10 to £8.90)
- Inverness – Elgin (£22.00 to £14.40)
There are some routes where no off-peak fare exists because the same price is available at any time of the day, and as such, customers will not see any change in those areas.
Customers can check the ScotRail website, or the app, to see off-peak fares for their route during the six-month period and the website has some helpful frequently asked questions - Off-Peak fares all day long | ScotRail.
One of the most significant impacts of the pandemic was to radically change the commuter market, with a significant drop in the number of people travelling during the traditional peak times. That market is only around 70 per cent of what it was before the pandemic.
It is expected that the trial will encourage more people to use ScotRail services, with cheaper fares during the peak periods attracting more people to consider travelling by rail.
ScotRail expects that some trains will be busier and will be monitoring services daily. The rail operator will be communicating with customers throughout the trial to provide information so customers can make informed decisions about their journey.
The train operator will have additional carriages on services between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk High, with every service operating with seven or eight carriages. Extra carriages will also be added to services through Glasgow Queen Street Low Level and Glasgow Central Low Level (linking Lanarkshire to Dunbartonshire).
The ambitious project, which is a first of its kind in the UK rail industry, will support the Scottish Government’s ambition to achieve net zero, providing more people with the opportunity to use trains as their primary form of transport.
Alex Hynes, Scotland’s Railway Managing Director, said:
“The off-peak all day fares trial is almost upon us, and we are excited for it to start. We want to encourage more people across the country to choose rail travel instead of using the car.
“Everyone at ScotRail is working hard to make sure that this six-month trial will be a success, and we will be monitoring our services and stations daily to see where we have any significant increases in customer journeys.
“Some services may be busier than normal, so customers are advised to plan their journey using the ScotRail website, app, or social media channels.
“We know that cost and simplicity are critical factors for people when they choose how to travel, and we are looking forward to delivering this fantastic fare reduction for our customers.”