Edinburgh rail fares: Peak-time train travel in Scotland is now cheaper
Rush-hour train travel in Scotland has become cheaper as peak fares are scrapped for good.
As of Monday. September 1, commuters on ScotRail services pay the same fare no matter what time they travel.
The fare from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street has almost halved from £32.60 to £16.80. And tickets between Edinburgh Waverley and Inverkeithing have come down from £12.60 to £7.40 - a reduction of 41 per cent.
The Scottish Government hopes the move will get more people to leave the car at home and travel by rail instead.
The government previously scrapped peak time fares in a year-long trial scheme, but that ended in September last year after ministers said it had failed because passenger numbers increased by 6.8 per cent rather than the target 10 per cent.
The decision was strongly criticised by rail unions and transport campaigners.
However, First Minister John Swinney announced in his Programme for Government in May that peak fares would be abolished permanently from September 1.
ScotRail has been in public ownership since 2022, when the government decided not to renew the franchise with the previous operator Abelio.
ScotRail was recently ranked one of the best train operating companies for customer satisfaction in the UK, with an overall satisfaction of 91 per cent.
And the company says it has had a hugely successful summer, with more than 200,000 customers travelling on services to attend events across the country, including the Edinburgh Festivals and Oasis in concert at Murrayfield stadium.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Public ownership has created the opportunity to deliver a railway which is run for the benefit of the nation. ScotRail is one of the fastest growing operators, with one of the best passenger satisfaction rates and we are building even further on this success by removing peak fares for good.
“We want more people to choose to travel by public transport for work, study and leisure but we know that many are still struggling with cost-of-living pressures.
“By removing peak fares, we are making ticketing more simple and more straightforward while at the same time supporting a shift towards sustainable public transport, protecting the climate, and saving people money.”
ScotRail said customers could check the ScotRail website, or the app, to see Off-Peak fares for their route. But not everyone will see a reduction in their ticket price because some journeys did not have different fares for peak times.
The website also has a fare comparison tool that helps customers find the best ticket option for their travel needs.
ScotRail managing director Joanne Maguire said scrapping peak fares would make rail travel simpler, more flexible, and provide better value for money for customers.
She said: “This groundbreaking change to fares provides us with a significant opportunity to drive rail journeys, getting hundreds of thousands of people out of their cars and onto rail.
“For all of our customers who currently choose to travel with us, we thank you for choosing ScotRail. And for new customers, we look forward to welcoming you onto our network.”