| Rèile na h-Alba | |||
 | |||
 Two ScotRail Class 43 (HST) Inter7City trains at Pitlochry | |||
| Overview | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise | ScotRail | ||
| Main region | Scotland | ||
| Other region | North West England | ||
| Fleet | |||
| Parent company | Scottish Rail Holdings | ||
| Headquarters | Glasgow | ||
| Reporting mark | SR | ||
| Dates of operation | 1 April 2022–present | ||
| Predecessor | Abellio ScotRail | ||
| Other | |||
| Website | www | ||
| |||
ScotRail Trains Limited, trading asScotRail (Scottish Gaelic:Rèile na h-Alba), is a Scottishtrain operating company that ispublicly owned byScottish Rail Holdings on behalf of theScottish Government.[1] It has been operating theScotRail franchise as anoperator of last resort since 1 April 2022.
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2024) |
The ScotRail network had since 2015 been operated by the private-sector franchiseeAbellio ScotRail. In December 2019,Transport Scotland announced Abellio had not met the performance criteria necessary to have its seven-year franchise extended for a further three years, and the franchise would conclude on 31 March 2022.[2][3][4]
In March 2021, Transport Scotland announced that the franchise would not be re-tendered for another private-sector operator to run, but would be operated by anoperator of last resort owned by the Scottish Government.[5][6][7]The move was welcomed by theASLEF,RMT andTSSA unions.[8]
The thenMinister for Transport,Jenny Gilruth, confirmed in February 2022 that ScotRail services would return to public ownership. She invited key stakeholders to take part in a discussion on the future of the service, saying "I can confirm that the transition of ScotRail into Scottish Government control will take place on 1 April 2022. Whilst that’s good news, it’s clear that much work still needs to be done... I want to kick-start a National Conversation about what our new beginning for ScotRail should look like - an affordable, sustainable, customer focused rail passenger service in Scotland in a post pandemic world."[9]
TheScottish Conservatives Transport Spokesman,Graham Simpson, criticised the planned consultation, saying that it "should be about lower fares, restoring services and stopping cuts to ticket offices - measures that will encourage people to use public transport."[10] TheScottish Liberal Democrats added that discussions should have started two years earlier, when nationalisation was decided.[10]
On 4 April 2022, on-board catering started to be reintroduced on ScotRail services. It had been suspended during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[11]
In May 2022,ASLEF balloted its members for strike action, with drivers refusing to work overtime. In May 2022, many Sunday services were cancelled due to driver shortages.[12][13][14] ScotRail stated that theCOVID-19 pandemic had prevented them from training an estimated 130 drivers.[15] On 1 June 2022, ASLEF announced that it had rejected an improved pay offer from ScotRail.[16]
A temporary timetable was brought in on 23 May 2022. The number of daily services was cut by around one-third, from approximately 2,150 to 1,456. Many early morning and late night services were cancelled.[17] In June 2022, ASLEF recommended its members accept a revised offer.[18] Services betweenWick andInverness on theFar North Line were cut from four trains each way per day to two.Stagecoach Highlands are expected to introduce an additional bus service on the route starting 6 June 2022.[19]
Between October 2023 and September 2024, ScotRail implemented a trial on removing peak fares. It was initially due to run for six months but was extended twice. The trial increased passenger numbers by 6.8% but 10% was needed to be self-financing.[20] From 1 September 2025, peak fares on ScotRail were permanently scrapped, saving commuters as much as 50%.[21]
In 22 May 2025, ScotRail began using theArtificial intelligence-generated voice "Iona" as the announcer on some services in the Ayrshire and Inverclyde area. It was claimed that the voice, theHoya Corporations productReadSpeak, used recording work done by the actress Gayanne Potter for them in 2021 which at the time she understood would just be used for accessibility and e-learning software.[22][23][24]Iona replaced older pre-recorded messages recorded byFletcher Mathers (left).[25] On 25 August 2025, ScotRail announced that it would be replacing theIona as the announcer on trains, but did not confirm if the replacement would be a return to human recordings or another AI-trained voice.[26]
ScotRail Trains took over all of the services operated byAbellio.[7] As of May 2025[update], off-peak services delivered by ScotRail Monday to Friday are as follows:[27]
| Argyle Line | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Dalmuir toLarkhall | 2 |
|
| Dalmuir to Motherwell via Hamilton Central | 1 |
|
| Dalmuir toCumbernauld via Hamilton Central | 1 |
|
| Dalmuir toWhifflet | 1 |
|
| Dalmuir to Motherwell via Whifflet | 1 |
|
| Glasgow Central toLanark | 2 |
|
| North Clyde Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Helensburgh Central toEdinburgh Waverley | 2 |
|
| Balloch to Airdrie | 2 |
|
| Milngavie toSpringburn | 2 |
|
| Cumbernauld,Falkirk, andMaryhill Lines | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Queen Street toCumbernauld | 1 | |
| Glasgow Queen Street toFalkirk Grahamston | 1 |
|
| Glasgow Queen Street toEdinburgh Waverley | 2 | |
| Glasgow Queen Street toAnniesland | 2 | |
| Cathcart Circle Lines | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Central toNewton | 1 | |
| 1 |
| |
| Glasgow Central toNeilston | 2 |
|
| Glasgow Central to Glasgow Central via Cathcart | 1 |
|
| 1 |
| |
| Paisley Canal Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Central toPaisley Canal | 2 | |
| Shotts Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Central toEdinburgh Waverley viaShotts | 1 | |
| 1 | Bellshill, Shotts, West Calder, Livingston South, Haymarket | |
| Inverclyde Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Central toGourock | 2 | |
| Glasgow Central toWemyss Bay | 2 |
|
| Ayrshire Coast Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Central toAyr | 2 |
|
| Glasgow Central toArdrossan Harbour | 1 |
|
| Glasgow Central toLargs | 1 |
|
| Glasgow South Western Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Central toEast Kilbride | 2 | |
| Glasgow Central toBarrhead | 1 |
|
| Glasgow Central toKilmarnock | 1 | |
| 1⁄2 |
| |
| Glasgow Central toCarlisle | 1⁄2 |
|
| Dumfries to Carlisle | 1⁄2 |
|
| Kilmarnock to Ayr | 7tpd |
|
| Ayr to Girvan | 1⁄2 | |
| Ayr to Stranraer | 1⁄4 |
|
| Carstairs andNorth Berwick Lines | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Central toEdinburgh Waverley viaCarstairs | 1⁄2 |
|
| Edinburgh Waverley toDunbar | 1⁄2 | Musselburgh,Wallyford,East Linton |
| Edinburgh Waverley toNorth Berwick | 1 |
|
| Borders Railway | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Edinburgh Waverley toTweedbank | 2 | |
| West Highland Line | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | tpd | Calling at |
| Glasgow Queen Street toOban | 6 |
|
| Glasgow Queen Street toMallaig | 3 |
|
| Fort William to Mallaig | 1 | |
| Dalmally to Oban | 1 |
|
| Croy &Dunblane Lines | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Glasgow Queen Street toAlloa | 2 | |
| Edinburgh Waverley toDunblane | 2 |
|
| Fife Circle Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Edinburgh Waverley toDundee | 1 | |
| Edinburgh Waverley toPerth | 1 |
|
| Edinburgh Waverley toCowdenbeath | 1 |
|
| Edinburgh Waverley toLeven | 1 |
|
| 1 |
| |
| Glasgow - /Edinburgh - Aberdeen Lines | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Edinburgh Waverley toAberdeen | 1 |
|
| Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen | 1 | |
| Glasgow Queen Street to Dundee | 1 |
|
| Dundee to Arbroath | 1 |
|
| Highland Main Line | ||
| Route | tpd | Calling at |
| Glasgow Queen Street toInverness | 5 | |
| Edinburgh Waverley to Inverness | 5 |
|
| Aberdeen–Inverness Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Montrose toInverurie | 1 | |
| Aberdeen to Inverurie | 1⁄2 |
|
| Aberdeen toInverness | 1⁄2 | |
| Elgin to Inverness | 1⁄2 |
|
| Far North &Kyle of Lochalsh Lines | ||
| Route | tpd | Calling at |
| Inverness toDingwall | 1 | |
| Inverness toInvergordon | 1 |
|
| Inverness toTain | 1 |
|
| Inverness toArdgay | 1 |
|
| Inverness toWick | 4 |
|
| Inverness toKyle of Lochalsh | 4 |
|
ScotRail operates a number of different electric and diesel train types in its fleet.[28]
In 2021, ScotRail's predecessor introduced five newly refurbished Class 153 carriages, which are attached to two-car Class 156 units. These new carriages, named "Highland Explorer" feature a 50:50 split between seating and bicycle racks.[29]The new carriage, which carries a £10 supplement to the regular ticket price, includes complimentary refreshments, cycling-themed interior decorations and external vinyl wrap, and maps for cyclists planning to explore Western Scotland by bicycle.[30]
| This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(September 2025) |
Transport Scotland has a plan to implement theScottish Government's policy to "decarbonise domestic passenger rail services", part of which involves replacing all diesel trains by 2035.[43] The £55 million first phase, to electrify 104 km (65 mi) of Fife Circle track, betweenHaymarket andDalmeny, for use bybattery electric multiple units, was begun by Scottish Powerlines in June 2022 and is due to be completed by December 2024.[44][45] Further phases will electrify the lines betweenKinghorn, Thornton,Ladybank andLochgelly.[46]
As of March 2022[update], ScotRail operates 355 stations in Scotland.[47] Not included arePrestwick International Airport station, owned and operated by the airport,[48] as well as bothEdinburgh Waverley andGlasgow Central, which are managed byNetwork Rail.[a][50] ScotRail operatesLockerbie andReston even though no ScotRail services currently call at either station.[49]
ScotRail's fleet is maintained atEdinburgh Haymarket,Glasgow Eastfield,Glasgow Shields Road,Corkerhill Glasgow, Yoker, Ayr Townhead, Bathgate, andInverness, as well as a newly built EMU stabling depot at Millerhill in Midlothian and a rebuilt depot atCadder Yard.[51]
| Preceded by | Operator ofScotRail franchise 2022–present | Incumbent |
| Infrastructure | |
|---|---|
| Walking | |
| Road | |
| Buses and trams | |
| Water | |
| Rail | |
| Cycling | |
| Categories | |
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