ScotRail Trains Limited, trading as ScotRail (), is a state-owned Scottish train operating company. It is a subsidiary of Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH), a Scottish Government-owned company. It has been operating the Scottish passenger railway network since 1 April 2022.
History
From 2015 the ScotRail network was operated by the private-sector franchisee Abellio 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.
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 an operator of last resort owned by the Scottish Government. The move was welcomed by the ASLEF, RMT and TSSA unions.
The then Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth, confirmed in February 2022 that ScotRail services would return to state 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."
The Scottish 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." The Scottish Liberal Democrats added that discussions should have started two years earlier, when nationalisation was decided.
On 4 April 2022, on-board catering started to be reintroduced on ScotRail services. It had been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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. ScotRail stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had prevented them from training an estimated 130 drivers. On 1 June 2022, ASLEF announced that it had rejected an improved pay offer from ScotRail.
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. In June 2022, ASLEF recommended its members accept a revised offer. Services between Wick and Inverness on the Far North Line were cut from four trains each way per day to two. In May 2022, Stagecoach Highlands announced the introduction of an additional weekday bus service between Inverness and Thurso, on a temporary basis, to compensate for the reduced rail service. The bus would depart Inverness at 11:50, with the return service leaving Thurso at 19:00.
Peak fares removal 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. From 1 September 2025, peak fares on ScotRail were permanently scrapped, saving commuters as much as 50%.
Minimum fare In February 2026, ScotRail announced that, starting in July, a passenger who boards a train without a valid ticket would be charged a minimum fare of £10, the aim being to reduce fare evasion. As an exception, the minimum fare would not apply where there was no open ticket office or functioning ticket vending machine at the departure station. Passengers who can only pay with cash would be required to obtain a "‘promise to pay" from a vending machine and then purchase a ticket from on the train.
AI announcer
On 22 May 2025, ScotRail began using the artificial intelligence-generated voice "Iona" as the announcer on some services in the Ayrshire and Inverclyde area. It was claimed that the voice, made with the Hoya Corporations product ReadSpeak, 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. The AI voice replaced older pre-recorded messages recorded by Scottish actress Fletcher Mathers. Mathers said that to her the voice's intonation, which in some cases had been entered phonetically by staff, "doesn't sound quite right".
On 25 August 2025, ScotRail announced that it would be replacing the "Iona" voice, and in December they began using an AI-generated announcer based on Paisley-based ScotRail employee Vanessa Sloan. The voice was launched on Class 380 trains, with a wider rollout planned for 2026.
Services ScotRail Trains took over all of the services operated by Abellio. , off-peak services delivered by ScotRail Monday to Friday are as follows:
Central Belt Argyle Line Route Calling at to 2 Dalmuir to Motherwell via Hamilton Central 1 Dalmuir to via Hamilton Central 1 Dalmuir to 1 Dalmuir to Motherwell via Whifflet 1 Glasgow Central to 2 North Clyde Line Route Calling at to 2 to Airdrie 2 to 2 Cumbernauld, Falkirk, and Maryhill Lines Route Calling at to 1 to 1 Glasgow Queen Street to 2 Glasgow Queen Street to 2 Cathcart Circle Lines Route Calling at to 1 1 Glasgow Central to 2 Glasgow Central to Glasgow Central via Cathcart 1 Service returns to Glasgow Central via Shawlands, see below 1 Service returns to Glasgow Central via Crosshill, see above Paisley Canal Line Route Calling at to 2 Shotts Line Route Calling at to via 1 1 Bellshill, Shotts, West Calder, Livingston South, Haymarket Inverclyde Line Route Calling at to 2 Glasgow Central to 2 Ayrshire Coast Line Route Calling at to 2 Glasgow Central to 1 Glasgow Central to 1 Glasgow South Western Line Route Calling at to 2 Glasgow Central to 1 Glasgow Central to 1 1 train per day continues to (see below) 1 train per day continues to (see below) Glasgow Central to Dumfries to Carlisle Kilmarnock to Ayr 2 trains per day begin at Glasgow Central (see above) 3 trains per day extend to Girvan (see below) 2 trains per day extend to (see below) Ayr to Girvan Ayr to Stranraer Carstairs and North Berwick Lines Route Calling at to via Edinburgh Waverley to , , Edinburgh Waverley to 1 Borders Railway Route Calling at to 2
Scotland National West Highland Line Route Calling at to 6 Falls of Cruachan is only served between March and October. 3 trains per day run linked to a Mallaig portion between Glasgow and Crianlarich, see below 1 southbound train per day stops at Singer, Maryhill and Possilpark & Parkhouse. Glasgow Queen Street to 3 Trains run linked to an Oban portion between Glasgow and Crianlarich, see above Fort William to Mallaig 1 Dalmally to Oban 1 Croy & Dunblane Lines Route Calling at to 2 to 2 Fife Circle Line Route Calling at to 1 Edinburgh Waverley to 1 Edinburgh Waverley to 1 Edinburgh Waverley to 1 1 Glasgow - / Edinburgh - Aberdeen Lines Route Calling at to 1 Some services are skipped where services are operated along this route by London North Eastern Railway instead to Aberdeen 1 Glasgow Queen Street to Dundee 1 Dundee to Arbroath 1 Highland Main Line Route Calling at to 5 to Inverness 5 Aberdeen–Inverness Line Route Calling at to 1 Aberdeen to Inverurie Aberdeen to Elgin to Inverness Far North & Kyle of Lochalsh Lines Route Calling at Inverness to 1 Inverness to 1 Inverness to 1 Inverness to 1 Inverness to 4 Dunrobin Castle is only served between March and October. Inverness to 4
Rolling stock
ScotRail operates a number of different electric and diesel train types in its fleet.
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. 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.
+ScotRail rolling stockFamilyClassImageTypeTop speedNumberCarriagesRoutes operatedBuiltNotesmphkm/h Inter7City High Speed Train Diesel locomotive 125 200 52 4/5 Aberdeen-Inverness Line/ to Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness Operates under the brand Inter7City. Fleet consists of 9 four-coach and 17 five-coach trains. 1 four coach train damaged in the Stonehaven derailment. Mark 3 Passenger carriage 120 Diesel multiple units Sprinter DMU 75 120 5 1 West Highland Line (Attached to 156s) 19871988 42 2 Glasgow South Western LineMaryhill LineShotts LineWest Highland Line 19871989 90 145 40 Aberdeen-Inverness LineBorders RailwayFar North LineFife Circle LineGlasgow/Edinburgh to InvernessKyle of Lochalsh lineMaryhill LineLevenmouth rail link 19891992 Bombardier Turbostar 100 160 34 3 Aberdeen-Inverness LineBorders RailwayEdinburgh to Aberdeen LineFife Circle LineGlasgow/Edinburgh to InvernessMaryhill LineLevenmouth rail link 199920012003–05 Electric multiple units BR Second Generation (Mark 3) EMU 90 145 21 3 North Clyde LineWhifflet LineCumbernauld LineInverclyde LinePaisley Canal LineArgyle LineCathcart Circle LinesGlasgow to via 19851986 22 1990 100 160 12 19891990 Converted from Alstom Coradia Juniper 90 145 40 North Clyde LineArgyle Line 19992002 Siemens Desiro 100 160 22 3 Ayrshire Coast LinePaisley Canal LineInverclyde LineCathcart Circle LinesNorth Berwick Line 20092011 164 Hitachi AT200 46 3 Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk LineGlasgow/Edinburgh to North Berwick/DunbarGlasgow/Edinburgh to Dunblane and AlloaGlasgow-Cathcart Circle/Neilston/NewtonCumbernauld LineGlasgow to Edinburgh via Motherwell and CarstairsGlasgow to Lanark via MotherwellGlasgow to Edinburgh via ShottsInverclyde LineArgyle Line 20152019 Operates under the brand eXpress. 24 4
Future In 2025, ScotRail began a procurement process for a new suburban train fleet. This was in anticipation of the need to replace two thirds of ScotRail trains by 2040. The requirement was for a minimum of 69 trains with an option for a further 37 trains, these being a mixture of electrical multiple units (EMUs) and battery electrical multiple units (BEMUs). It was expected that the first trains would enter service in the early 2030s. A separate procurement process for the financing of the new fleet was begun in February 2026. In August 2026, it was announced that five manufacturers had been shortlisted for the new fleet, and would proceed to the Invitation to Negotiate stage of the process.
On 19 March 2026, ScotRail announced it would lease 22 five-car Class 222 units to replace the current Inter7City fleet. They will undergo an £80m overhaul and refurbishment programme undertaken by Alstom, with the first train scheduled to enter service in late 2027.
Family Class Image Type Top speed Number Carriage Into Service Builtmphkm/h Bombardier Voyager DEMU 125 200 22 5 202720032005
Electrification Transport Scotland has a plan to implement the Scottish Government's policy to "decarbonise domestic passenger rail services", part of which involves replacing all diesel trains by 2035. The £55million first phase, to electrify of Fife Circle track, between and , for use by battery electric multiple units, was begun by Scottish Powerlines in June 2022 and was due to be completed by December 2024. However, as of April 2026, the new completion date was March 2027. Further phases will electrify the lines between , Thornton, and .
Stations , ScotRail operates 355 stations in Scotland. Not included are station, owned and operated by the airport, as well as both and , which are managed by Network Rail. ScotRail operates and even though no ScotRail services currently call at either station.