ScotRail timetable changes: Buses between Edinburgh and Glasgow as trains across Central Belt reduced

Scotrail has announced a new temporary timetable with significant cuts to trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow – but what other transport options are on offer?

Starting on Monday, the rail operator has said it will cut its services by around a third, due to cancellations related to an ongoing drivers’ pay dispute.

Train services to and from many towns across the central belt will be affected, leaving many residents unsure of how to get between Edinburgh and Glasgow without a car.

That’s why we’ve taken a look at the options out there to get you to where you need.

Citylink: Edinburgh to Glasgow

Stagecoach Citylink has two services, the 900, and the N900.

The 900 takes just over 1 hour 20 minutes door to door, going from Edinburgh bus station to Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station.

Going from Edinburgh, the first 900 bus of the day leaves at 5.30am, cutting through Livingston and Harthill before reaching Glasgow.It will be followed by another each half hour until 6.30am, at which time it becomes more frequent, going ever 15 minutes throughout the day before reverting to every 30 minutes from 8pm onwards.

The strikes are set to cause travel disruption. Picture: John Devlin

That continues until 23.59pm for the last service of the day, until which time the night service (N900) departing instead from North St David Street from 12.30am, 1am 1.30am, 2.30am, 3.30am, and 4.30am.

Citylink: Glasgow to Edinburgh

Leaving Buchanan Bus Station the earliest N900 services of the day leave at 1am, 2am, and 3am and end at North St David Street in the Capital.

Then the 900 takes over to carry you all the way to Edinburgh bus station from 4am, 4.30am, and 5am, then it’s every 15 minutes until 6.30pm before becoming a half-hourly service until 23.59pm.

Megabus: Edinburgh to Glasgow

Running from Edinburgh, North St David Street and Glasgow, Buchanan Bus Station, they start at 12.30am, running from 1am, 1.30am, 2.30am, 3.30am, 5.30am (all services now start at Edinburgh Bus Station), and 6am – after which it’s every 15 minutes until 8pm, then every half hour until the final service at 11.30pm.

The company says that the fastest bus from Glasgow to Edinburgh takes 1 hours 07 minutes.

Megabus: Glasgow to Edinburgh

Services leave Buchannan Bus Station starting at 1am, 2am, 3am, 5am, then every 15 minutes throughout the day until 6.30pm, then it’s every half hour until 11pm.