Edinburgh trains: ScotRail urges passengers to plan ahead with fewer services during busy weekend

A temporary timetable is in place as drivers continue to make themselves unavailable for rest day working, but the train operator said whilst there are fewer trains there will be added carriages to services. 

A large number of people are expected to visit Edinburgh over the third weekend of the festival period and there are also summer sessions concerts at the Royal Highland Centre. 

Sunday’s timetable will be significantly reduced | Peter Summers/Getty Images

Sunday’s timetable will be significantly reduced and customers are advised to check the ScotRail app or website to get the latest information. This will be updated by Friday, August 16.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations director, said: “This will be another busy weekend for travel across Scotland’s railway and we are doing everything we can to help customers get to the football matches in Glasgow and the events in Edinburgh. 

“Customers are reminded that with the temporary timetable currently in place, there are fewer services than normal in operation. But to support both the football and the Edinburgh Festivals, we’ve made changes to our temporary timetable, including extra seats and services and late-night trains to get people to and from Edinburgh.

“With trains expected to be busier than usual, we’re encouraging everyone to allow extra time for travel, don’t wait for the last train of the night if you can, and check their journey in advance via our online journey planner. Buying return tickets before you board using our mTicket system on our mobile app will help your journey run smoothly.”

Changes to support journeys to Edinburgh

• Extra carriages to late night services leaving Edinburgh, with an additional express service to Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High departing after midnight at 00.15 (except on Sunday night/Monday morning). 
• Half-hourly service throughout the day and extra late-night trains from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High until the end of the festivals excluding Sundays. This is compared with the hourly service from 19.00 under the current temporary timetable. 
• Sundays will see an hourly service operate on the express service between Glasgow and Edinburgh via Falkirk High. 
• With thousands of festival-goers heading to the capital during August, there may be additional queues at some stations for train tickets. Purchasing in advance can save time at the station, and train tickets are available to buy before you board as an mTicket via the ScotRail app. 
• Extra staff will be on hand to make sure everything goes smoothly, and the train operator is also reminding everyone that the carrying and consumption of alcohol is prohibited on ScotRail trains and in ScotRail stations.