ScotRail announces extra late-night services during Edinburgh festivals

The announcement of the extra services will be welcomed by those visiting the city - with ScotRail saying that it will give festivalgoers extra choice and more flexibility.

Extra services will run at the weekend throughout the festival, which takes place between 1-25 August. With key routes including Glasgow Queen Street, Glenrothes with Thornton, Dundee, and North Berwick all gaining additional late-night services.

Customers travelling on routes between Edinburgh Waverley and Stirling, Dunblane, Dundee, Leven, Perth, Glenrothes with Thornton, Cowdenbeath, Bathgate, Glasgow Central via Shotts, and the Borders will also benefit from more carriages.

ScotRail said that it expects more than two million people to travel to the festivals by train. It hopes the changes will provide hundreds of extra carriages, providing tens of thousands of additional seats during the festival period.

Scotrail said it will operate extra-late night services and extra carriages on key routes during the festivals.

Highlights for ScotRail’s services during the festivals include:

• Extra late-night trains between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street, departing at 00.03 and 00.33 every night via Falkirk High, plus additional departures at 23.30 via Falkirk High and 00.12 via Bathgate on Fridays and Saturdays.
• A late-night Friday train to Glenrothes with Thornton via Dunfermline, departing Edinburgh at 23.59.
• A Friday late-night service to Dundee, departing at 23.56.
• A Sunday late-night service to North Berwick, departing Edinburgh at 23.24.
• Special services from North Berwick to Edinburgh Waverley after midnight, from Friday, August 1, to Sunday, August 10, supporting those attending Fringe by the Sea.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “We’re proud to play our part in helping people experience the buzz of Edinburgh during festivals season.

“With longer trains and more late-night services on key routes, we’re doing everything we can to make it easier for customers to enjoy all the capital has to offer, from the first show of the day to the last act of the night.”

Tony Lankester, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: "We welcome ScotRail's enhanced services during the peak festival season and encourage Fringe audiences to plan ahead and book rail travel where possible.

"From families planning a fun day out in Edinburgh to those here for an evening full of Fringe performance; travelling by rail will deliver you right to the heart of the action."

More travel information is available here.