Rail fares across Scotland are set to increase by 3.8 percent in April 2025. The Scottish Government says the increase is necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of rail services. However, the move has been criticized by opposition parties who say it will harm rail passengers.
Rail fares across Scotland are set to rise by nearly 4 percent by April of this year. Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, stated that the 3.8 percent increase on ScotRail fares is 'unwelcome' but essential to retain rail travel as an appealing and affordable choice. SNP Ministers have approved these fares following 'lengthy consideration' to ensure the sustainability of rail services in the long term and to align budgets with the overall funding available.
An experimental scheme, backed by the Scottish Government, temporarily suspended peak-hour fares, offering off-peak fares throughout the day to encourage public use of train travel. This trial saw the cost of a rush-hour ticket between the capital and Glasgow nearly halved from £28.90 to £14.90. However, the scheme was discontinued in September 2024 due to limited success, according to ministers. Following the scheme's termination, the price of the top ticket on that route rose by 8.6 percent to £31.40. Flexipass will persist in offering 12 single (6 return) journeys, aiming to make train travel more economical for passengers. The availability of Flexipass has recently been expanded to include the following stations: Exhibition Centre (Glasgow), Anderston, Motherwell, High Street (Glasgow), Charing Cross (Glasgow), Perth, Stirling, and Bathgate. Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, said: “From 1 April 2025, all ScotRail fares will increase by 3.8%. We understand that any increase is unwelcome for passengers, therefore we have kept the rise as low as possible to maintain the attractiveness and affordability of rail as a travel option. “We continue to explore ways to encourage greater rail use and that is why we are continuing our 20 percent discounts on season tickets until September 2025 as planned and expanding the availability of flexipass. “ScotRail also continue to develop fares initiatives which can help attract more passengers, while offering savings and added value to existing rail users.” Scottish Labour Transport spokesperson Claire Baker said: “This fare hike will hammer rail passengers and consign ScotRail to a spiral of decline. “The SNP should be making rail more affordable but instead it has hit passengers with painful fare hikes time and time again. “This increase is bad for Scotland’s rail passengers, bad for our economy and bad for the environment.”
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