Off Peak Train Tickets

Get there for less by train, with Off-Peak fares all day, every day, until 28 June 2024.

When you travel by train, you can enjoy shopping sprees without parking fees, and nights out without driving in.

Off-Peak Day Return tickets are available for the majority of routes across Scotland. We also sell Off-Peak Return tickets, which give you one month to use the return portion of your ticket.

Until 28 June 2024, Off-Peak Single and Return tickets are valid for travel all day, any day. The time restrictions for Off-Peak tickets won’t apply during this time. This means, during this government-funded trial, Off-Peak tickets will be available for travel on any train. Click here to find out more about the ‘Off-Peak fares all day long’ trial.
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Take a look below to see if an Off-Peak ticket is the perfect fit for your upcoming journey.

Buying Off-Peak tickets

You can buy Off-Peak tickets online, with the ScotRail app, via a ticket vending machine, at a ticket office, or by phone on 0344 811 0141.

Time and date restriction information

Until 28 June 2024, Off-Peak Single and Return tickets are valid for travel all day, any day. Click here to find out more about this government-funded ‘Off-Peak fares all day long’ trial. Please note - The time and date restriction information below applies out with this trial period.

There are some evening peak time restrictions on certain rail routes. Off-Peak tickets can’t be used to travel to certain destinations on services from Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh Waverley, or Haymarket that leave after 16:42 and before 18:11.

They also can’t be used on the following services:

  • 18:15 Edinburgh (18:21 Haymarket) to Glasgow Queen Street
  • 18:15 Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh
  • 18:30 Edinburgh (18:34 Haymarket) to Aberdeen

If you’re unsure whether the train you wish to travel on is Off-Peak, please use the Buy Tickets function on the ScotRail website, or the Search function in our app to check. Enter your departure station, destination and time. It will display a selection of trains, highlighting the tickets available for Off-Peak services.

With an Off-Peak Day Return, you must complete both your outward and return journey on the date shown on your ticket. With an Off-Peak Return, you have one month from your outward journey to return.

An Off-Peak ticket offers cheaper train fares during less busy travel times. They’re flexible, meaning you don’t need to book in advance and can use them to break up your journey at stations along your route.

Off-Peak Day Return tickets can be bought for outward journeys after 9.15 on weekdays and at any time during the weekend and on Scottish bank holidays. They are valid on all ScotRail, CrossCountry, and Avanti West Coast services.

Between 2 October 2023 and 31 March 2024, Off-Peak Single and Return tickets are valid for travel all day, any day. Click here to find out more about this six-month ‘Off-Peak fares all day long’ trial.

Even cheaper fares are available with a Super Off-Peak Day Return. These are exclusive to Smartcard users and valid on ScotRail services only from 11.00 to 15.00, and after 20.00.

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Off-Peak tickets can be bought online, via the ScotRail app, from a ticket vending machine and at any ScotRail ticket office. You can also buy tickets on the phone by calling 0344 811 0141.

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Not every service will offer Off-Peak tickets and some restrictions may apply during evening peak times. Off-Peak tickets are only valid for travel after 9:15am.

Off-Peak tickets are not valid for travel to certain destinations on services from Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh Waverley, or Haymarket, that depart after 16.42 and before 18.11.

The following services are also exempt from Off-Peak ticket fares:

  • 18.15 Edinburgh (18.21 Haymarket) to Glasgow Queen Street
  • 18.15 Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh
  • 18.30 Edinburgh (18.34 Haymarket) to Aberdeen
Between 2 October 2023 and 31 March 2024, Off-Peak Single and Return tickets are valid for travel all day, any day. Click here to find out more about this six-month ‘Off-Peak fares all day long’ trial.

For Single and Day Returns, you must travel on the date shown on your ticket. For Open Returns, return journeys must be made within a month of this date.

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Yes. There are no restrictions to Off-Peak tickets on Saturdays and Sundays.

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You can change your ticket and get a refund. This incurs a £10 admin fee.

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Off-Peak tickets qualify for Railcard discounts. It’s always worth checking to see if there’s a railcard that you qualify for. Under 5s always travel free and children aged between 5 – 15 can travel for £1 return with a Kids for a Quid ticket. These can’t be purchased in online or from ticket vending machines so please buy your Kids for a Quid ticket from the ticket office before you travel, or from the Ticket Examiner on board if no ticket office is available. If you would rather book all your tickets online before you travel, there’s a 50% discount on Off-Peak tickets for 5-15 year olds.

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First Class ticket upgrades are available on the train.

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Seat Reservations are not available on the majority of ScotRail services. You can reserve a seat on some longer journeys, up to 12 weeks before you travel.

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