Rail fares in the United Kingdom can be confusing, to put it politely. Well, Scotrail (the national operator of Scotland) has made things a little simpler by abandoning Peak-Time Rail fares.
ScotRail Class 385 – Image, ScotRail
The move took effect on Monday, 1st September, with the Scottish Government-backed operator scrapping Peak-Time fares for those who travel on ScotRail services.
The policy announced by the Scottish Government in May this year aims to make train fares simpler, more flexible, and provide better value for money for rail users.
A further aim of the change is to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel by rail instead.
Removing peak fares will mean significant savings for customers across the country, with some journeys set to reduce by almost 50 per cent – including those between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Examples of the massive savings to be made include provided by ScotRail include:
| Journey | Return fare from 1 September | Saving | Percentage saving |
| Edinburgh – Glasgow | £16.80 | £15.80 | 48% |
| Inverkeithing – Edinburgh | £7.40 | £5.20 | 41% |
| Perth – Dundee | £11.20 | £5.10 | 31% |
| Glasgow – Stirling | £10.80 | £7.40 | 40% |
| Inverurie – Aberdeen | £10.10 | £2.50 | 20% |
| Inverness – Elgin | £16.30 | £8.50 | 34% |
There are some routes where no off-peak fare exists because the same fare is already available at any time of the day, and as such, customers will not see any change in those areas.
Some other ticketing changes
Whilst ScotRail has scrapped peak-time fares, some fares are being adjusted or withdrawn.
For those with Season Tickets, they will remain at their current pricing until 27 September. For regular travellers, this represents a saving of at least 40 per cent compared to purchasing five Anytime Day Return tickets at pre-1 September prices. This discount was part of a 12-month offer launched in September 2024.
Flexipass tickets will have adjusted pricing from 1st September for those who hybrid-work or need flexibility. They will be priced to offer a saving compared to buying multiple Anytime Single or Return tickets.
Railcards, concessions, and enhanced discounts will continue to be available, with most remaining valid for travel after 09.15, in line with existing conditions.
The cheapest walk-up fares – Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets will be withdrawn.
In Quotes
Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, said:
“Public ownership has created the opportunity to deliver a railway which is run for the benefit of the nation. ScotRail is one of the fastest growing operators, with one of the best passenger satisfaction rates and we are building even further on this success by removing peak fares for good.
“We want more people to choose to travel by public transport for work, study and leisure but we know that many are still struggling with cost-of-living pressures. By removing peak fares, we are making ticketing more simple and more straightforward while at the same time supporting a shift towards sustainable public transport, protecting the climate, and saving people money.”
Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Managing Director, said:
This is fantastic news, not only for our existing customers, but for everyone across the country considering rail travel for their commute or leisure journeys.
“Travelling by train remains one of the most convenient ways to get around, and with simpler, more affordable fares, we hope to see many more people choose ScotRail.”
Now, to keep it sustainable
With ScotRail abandoning some of its most valuable revenue (peak time tickets), it is relying on people making a modal shift from car to at least train for part of their journey.
ScotRail, in the past, received some government funding to abandon peak-time fares in a trial. This was withdrawn, as the funding had run out.
It seems both ScotRail and the Scottish Government have pivoted and found money to restart this offering to passengers. And it’s going to take passengers to fill trains – not just at peak, but at off-peak times to fill in the missing revenue.
As a passenger, I applaud the removal of peak time fares by one operator, but I can see it confusing if people don’t pay attention to their tickets (for example, boarding a LNER/Avanti/Transpenine Express service with a ScotRail ticket could result in both confusion and fines if a passenger isn’t careful.
I’ll be very interested in the long-term results, and as the UK rail network moves back into public ownership, if any other train operators take the commercial risk of abandoning Peak Time fares.
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