Off peak rail fares mean savings for Falkirk district rail passengers

The rail operator’s six month trial means cheaper and simpler fares for travellers and aims to encourage people to travel by rail instead of car.

The initiative came into operation on Monday, October 2 and means savings are to be had for those travelling by train, particularly during what were previously ‘peak’ times.

Journeys on popular routes will now cost passengers less with the flat fare throughout the day and mean significant savings for some passengers.

A return journey from Falkirk to Edinburgh costs £11.10 compared to the previous peak fare of £19.10, while if you’re heading to Glasgow it’s now £12.40 instead of £21.10. For anyone travelling from Falkirk to Stirling there’s a smaller saving to be made with the off peak fare £6.40 rather than £9.50. An off-peak ticket from Falkirk to Perth has reduced from £31.60 to £19.70.

Savings are to be made from other stations in the district too including from Polmont to Edinburgh which is now £10.40 instead of £17.80 and from Polmont to Glasgow – reduced from £25 to £14.30.

The Covid-19 pandemic radically changed the commuter market with a significant drop in the number of people travelling during the traditional peak times with that market only 70 per cent of what it was before the pandemic.

It is expected that the trial, funded by the Scottish Government, will encourage more people to use ScotRail services with cheaper fares during the peak periods attracting more people to consider travelling by rail.

The train operator expects some services will be busier and will be monitoring services daily. The busiest services are currently listed on the ScotRail website.

Alex Hynes, Scotland’s Railway managing director, said on Monday: “This is a fantastic day for rail travel in Scotland and a hugely exciting opportunity for Scotland’s Railway to get more people to leave the car behind and use our trains. We have worked tirelessly to get ready for this six-month trial, and everyone at ScotRail is looking forward to welcoming more customers across the country.

"We know that cost and simplicity are critical factors for people when they choose how to travel, and we are looking forward to delivering this fantastic fare reduction for our customers.”

Passengers are advised to plan their journey using the ScotRail website or app, where they can see off-peak fares for their route during the six-month trial period.