ScotRail will provide almost 600 extra carriages in the run-up to Christmas to help transport more shoppers and revellers during the festive season.
Additional carriages will be added to daytime services around Glasgow and Edinburgh on Saturday 14 and 21 December, with some late-night trains on routes including Glasgow-Edinburgh and Edinburgh-Dundee also boosted on the same days, as well as Friday 13 and 20 December.
Meanwhile, customers travelling on routes including Helensburgh–Edinburgh and Motherwell/Lanark/Larkhall-Milngavie/Dalmuir/Balloch on the remaining Sundays before Christmas – 15 and 22 December – will benefit from extra carriages.
Steve Montgomery, managing director, said: “By providing hundreds of extra carriages in the run-up to Christmas, we hope to help even more customers to travel to and from the shops, and to get home from nights out during weekends over the festive period.
“However, many services will still be very busy, so please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journey.”
ScotRail reminded customers that its alcohol ban will be in force on trains between 9pm and 10am. Managers are also travelling on selected routes in the run-up to the festive period to support frontline staff, and to help ensure a safe and friendly environment for passengers.
On Christmas Eve and Hogmanay, services will wind down early across the network, with customers advised to complete their journeys by around 9pm.
No trains will run on Christmas or New Year’s Day, with a Sunday service operating on most routes on 2 January – although passengers are advised to check the details of their particular journey on ScotRail’s website.
Train services outside Strathclyde will not operate on Boxing Day, as has been the case in previous years.
Network Rail engineering work between Dumfries and Kilmarnock means that some services between Dumfries and Glasgow Central, and Dumfries and Carlisle, will be cancelled and buses will run on 23, 24 and 27 December.
On 2 January, Network Rail engineering work will affect the Helensburgh to Edinburgh route. Buses will replace trains between Shettleston and Partick. There will be no trains between Fife and Edinburgh until around 11.30am on 2 January, but replacement buses will take passengers to the capital from Dalgety Bay while services are not running.
ScotRail’s Guide To Festive Travel – which details all extra services and train times over the festive period – is available from staffed stations or at
Media enquiries
ScotRail Communications:
Laura Cummings, ScotRail communications: 0141 335 5156 / [email protected]
Notes to editors
Late evening Monday 23 December and early mornings 24 and 27 December
Some services will not operate between Kilmarnock and Carlisle.
Thursday 26 December
A Sunday service will operate on the following routes only but passengers must check journeys, as some trains have been retimed:
Glasgow - Ayr/Largs/Ardrossan/Gourock/Wemyss Bay
Glasgow - Newton/Neilston
Glasgow - East Kilbride/Kilmarnock/Girvan (no services to Stranraer or Carlisle)
Glasgow - Shotts
Lanark/Motherwell - Milngavie
Motherwell - Balloch
Larkhall - Partick
Helensburgh - Bathgate
Glasgow Queen St - Cumbernauld/Croy
Friday 27, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December
07:13 Kirkcaldy to Glasgow Queen Street diverted to call additionally at Haymarket, and will arrive later into Glasgow Queen Street
17:34 Glasgow Queen Street to Markinch will terminate at Haymarket.
Connections for Fife stations should be made at Haymarket using other available services.
Thursday 2 January
A Sunday service will run across the network but passengers should check journeys, as some trains have been retimed.