Additional train services laid on for festival revellers

Extra rail services will be laid on to cope with additional demand during the August festivals season in Edinburgh, the ScotRail Alliance has announced.

Visitors are being urged to plan their journeys in advance, as the operator announced more services, late-night trains and extra carriages for the three-week series of events.

Highlights of the ScotRail Alliance’s festivals programme include:

– Additional late night trains between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street (via Falkirk High) operating daily, departing from Edinburgh at 00.01 and 00.30.

– A major increase in the number of carriages between Glasgow and Edinburgh, particularly Friday to Sunday, both via the Airdrie/Bathgate line and via Falkirk High.

– Many extra carriages between Edinburgh and Fife on Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday.

– An extra service running after midnight between North Berwick and Edinburgh, getting people to and from the Fringe by the Sea.

Perry Ramsey, Operations Director at the ScotRail Alliance, said: “Edinburgh’s August festivals are one of the highlights of the year, attracting talent and tourists from all over the world. It’s a great chance to showcase the very best of Scotland.

“The ScotRail Alliance will once again do everything it can to help the events run smoothly. We will put on more services, late-night trains and extra carriages compared to our regular timetable.

“But despite these extra services and carriages we are putting on, trains will be very, very busy during the festivals. Thousands of people will be travelling to and from Edinburgh to enjoy the great attractions the festivals have to offer.

“To make journeys as hassle-free as possible we are urging passengers to plan their journeys in advance by visiting scotrail.co.uk, downloading the ScotRail app and buying a ticket before they board.

“We are also encouraging passengers to use all the available services between Edinburgh and Glasgow, including Glasgow Central, and the high and low levels at Glasgow Queen Street.”

 

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “We are delighted that the ScotRail Alliance is providing extra rail services to and from Edinburgh during August.

“These additional services will make it easier for people to enjoy the Fringe and Edinburgh’s other major festivals, and also comfortably get back to their homes right across Scotland’s central belt.”

Festival service information for August:

West of Scotland

– Additional late night trains between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street (via Falkirk High) will operate daily, departing from Edinburgh at 00.01 and 00.30. These services will not stop at Haymarket.

– A significant increase in the number of carriages for services between Edinburgh and Glasgow (including via Falkirk High, and along the Airdrie to Bathgate line), particularly between Friday and Sunday of the Festival

– On Friday and Saturday evenings there will be an additional 00.09 service between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street lower level, via Bathgate. This service won’t call at Haymarket or High Street.

Fife

– On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings there will be a major increase in the number of carriages between Edinburgh and Fife.

– On Friday evenings the 23.59 service between Edinburgh and Glenrothes will run via Dunfermline.

Dundee

– On Friday and Saturday evenings there will be an additional 23.52 service between Edinburgh and Dundee, via Kirkcaldy. This service won’t call at Springfield.

North Berwick

– From Tuesday 8 August until Monday 14 August, there will be an additional 00.03 North Berwick to Edinburgh service to get passengers back from the Fringe by the Sea event.

– On Sunday 13 August there will be an additional late night service – 23.15 Edinburgh to North Berwick.

Borders

– On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings there will be a substantial increase in the number of carriages on services departing Edinburgh

Party at the Palace

– Additional carriages will be provided to get people to and from the Party at the Palace

Virgin Money fireworks event (Monday 28 August)

– Queuing systems will be in place at Edinburgh Waverley on the night of the fireworks

– Extra carriages will be added to trains to and from Edinburgh before and after the event

 

Edinburgh festivalScotRail Alliance