ScotRail adds extra carriages and late-night services to Edinburgh for busy festival season
Additional services and carriages have been added to cope with crowds heading to the Edinburgh and the east this August
Late-night departures and extra train carriages are being added to ScotRail’s services to and from Edinburgh throughout the busy festival season.
The transport company announced that capacity to Edinburgh and the east will be increased throughout August as a result of the upcoming Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and Fringe by the Sea in North Berwick.
ScotRail confirmed that from Friday, August 7 until Sunday, August 30, “key routes” to and from Edinburgh will be serviced with extra carriages and additional late-night services to allow visitors to the city to enjoy performances and events into the evening.
Services between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street, Tweedbank, Dundee, and Leven will benefit from extra, late-night services, while trains travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Borders, Fife, Perth, Dundee, Leven, Stirling, Dunblane, Bathgate, and North Berwick will have more carriages.
Additional Edinburgh to North Berwick services will operate from Friday, July 31 until Sunday, August 9 to get festival visitors to and from the Fringe By The Sea event.
This route will have more carriages and later departures added to the route.
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, said: "The Edinburgh festivals are among the highlights of Scotland's cultural calendar, attracting visitors from across the world, and we're proud to help people travel to and from the capital throughout this incredibly popular period.
"By adding extra late-night trains and using longer trains on routes in and out of Edinburgh, we're making it easier for customers to enjoy everything the festivals have to offer, whether they're heading to an afternoon performance or staying out for one last show before catching the train home.
"We encourage customers to plan ahead, check their journey before travelling, make sure they have their tickets for travel before boarding, and allow some additional time to board their train."
Those travelling into Edinburgh Waverley during the festival period are being reminded of the road closure on Princes Street, which may affect their onward travel to various events.
The road is expected to remain closed into August with bus services currently unable to serve Princes Street and tram services only running between Edinburgh Airport and the West End.
ScotRail has advised customers that journeys into Edinburgh Waverley may take a little longer than normal, and that Haymarket station may be an easier station for customers to use instead.