ScotRail adds 115,000 more weekday seats to services

ScotRail have announced they will be adding 115,000 more seats to their daily services.

The timetable changes will take place from 19 May 2019 with enhanced services including the introduction of high-speed trains and brand-new class 385 electric trains.

With 20,000 seats being added to services, the total number of weekday seats available for customers is now 625,000 – an increase of 115,000 since the start of the franchise.

The completion of the electrification of the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts line provides more improvements with a new hourly service at Breich, and more than 3,500 extra seats on weekdays.

The rail operator  says it will also withdraw more class 314s from service as part of its continuing process of delivering a better standard of service for customers.

Other improvements include:

• Glasgow to East Kilbride: the first phase of enhancements on the route with more peak services operating with six carriages, providing more than 1,000 additional seats on weekday services.
• Glasgow to Barrhead: strengthening of some services to four carriages during peak periods and an additional 3,000 seats on weekdays.
• West Highland Line: additional services added to the West Highland Line on Sundays through the winter period between Glasgow, Fort William and Mallaig.
• Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts: almost all services operated with electric trains, providing an extra 3,500 seats on weekdays.
• Glasgow to Lanark: the introduction of brand-new class 385 electric trains providing more comfortable journeys on the majority of services.
• Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High: more 42-minute journeys and an average journey time of just 47 minutes on weekdays.
• Edinburgh to Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane: all services will be operated by brand-new class 385 electric trains, with faster journey times and 1,500 extra weekday seats.
• Glasgow to Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane: all services will be operated by brand-new class 385 electric trains, with faster journey times and 4,000 extra weekday seats.

ScotRail Alliance Managing Director Alex Hynes said: “The timetable changes we are making will see even more improvements on Scotland’s Railway, with the unprecedented investment in new trains and infrastructure delivering faster journeys, more seats and more services for our customers.”

Further timetable improvements are said to be delivered in December 2019.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “This Scottish Government wants rail to continue to grow, making it an attractive alternative to the car. Our ongoing investment is expected to deliver real benefits, not only through improved infrastructure but also as more new and upgraded trains enter service.

“We also want passengers to benefit from the additional capacity and look to the ScotRail Alliance to ensure as smooth a timetable change as possible.”