Change is coming
From next year, we’ll be running brand new Hitachi class 385 electric trains meaning faster journeys, more seats and better services for services across the central belt.
We’re currently testing these new trains. In the meantime, we’ll be introducing some electric trains on the Edinburgh-Glasgow (via Falkirk High) route from 10 December.
These will bring more seats, some faster journeys and greener journeys. It’s an exciting time as we build the best railway Scotland has ever had.
Here are the facts about the electric trains we'll have on our flagship route for the next few months:
- More seats
- Environmentally friendly
- Some reduced journey times
- Quieter journeys
First class
As we prepare for the arrival of our brand new electric trains, we’re temporarily withdrawing first class between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk.
If you have already purchased a first class ticket for travel on or after 10 December, you will be entitled to a refund for the difference between the first and standard class fare.
Further details are available here.
Changes across the country
Our new timetable starts on 10 December, and many services will depart earlier or later than previously. Journey times on many routes will also be different.
Where possible, we've done our best to make better use of our carriages, and match train lengths with demand.
We’re also delighted to be launching ten new services between Dumfries and Carlisle every week day, bringing an extra 1,500 seats to the route.
Changes are coming to Scotland's railway, and more are on the way, so please double check your train times.
Changes to train times
Motherwell and Lanark
Monday to Saturday
- Trains from Lanark to Glasgow Central will now depart at 23 and 53 minutes past the hour.
- The first Monday to Friday service from Lanark will now depart at 06:22 and arrive at Glasgow Central at 07:13 - this train currently arrives at 07:08.
Sunday
- Trains from Lanark to Glasgow Central on Sundays will now depart at 19 minutes past the hour.
- These services will run around six minutes earlier throughout their journey.
Barrhead, Kilmarnock & Carlisle
Monday to Friday
- Five additional services in each direction between Dumfries and Carlisle:
- Departing Dumfries at: 07:13, 11:02, 13:04, 16:02, 18:41
- Departing Carlisle at: 09:58, 12:20, 14:30, 17:27, 20:17
- 06:20 Kilmarnock to Glasgow Central will now start from Dumfries at 05:13.
- 09:13 Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock will be extended to New Cumnock.
- 11:00 Kilmarnock to Glasgow will now start from Auchlinleck at 10:41.
- 20:13 Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock will be extended to Dumfries
Saturday
- 18:13 Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock will be extended to Stranraer, meaning customers no longer need to change trains at Kilmarnock.
- 20:13 Glasgow Central to Girvan will be diverted to Dumfries, customers should change at Kilmarnock for the 21:04 service to Girvan.
Sunday
No major changes.
Cathcart Circle, Neilston & Newton
No major changes.
East Kilbride
No major changes. The number of carriages will be increased from two to four on the 1701 and 1819 Glasgow Central to East Kilbride services, from Monday to Friday. This change was introduced in recent weeks and will remain in place when the timetable changes on 10 December.
Paisley Canal
No major changes.
Ayrshire, Inverclyde & Stranraer
Monday to Friday
No major changes.
Saturday
- Saturday-only 08:51 Ayr to Edinburgh now terminates at Glasgow Central.
- Saturday-only 08:29 Ayr to Glasgow Central will be extended to Edinburgh via Carstairs, departing Glasgow Central at 09:30.
- This allows a faster journey time between Ayr, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh as well as offering additional direct journeys from Johnstone and Paisley Gilmour Street to Edinburgh.
Sunday
No major changes.
Edinburgh via Shotts
Improvement works will take place all day on Sundays, and after 21:00 on Monday to Thursday evenings. Buses will replace trains for the whole journey during these times.
Monday to Thursday
The last trains on this route are the 19:17 Glasgow Central to Edinburgh and 19:27 Edinburgh to Glasgow Central.
Subsequently, buses will replace all trains, with two replacement buses for each departure:
- The first will call only at Haymarket, Livingston South, West Calder, Shotts and Bellshill.
- The second will at all stations, except Cambuslang.
There will be additional buses at:
- 20:41 from Shotts to Edinbugh
- 21:35 from Shotts to Glasgow
Sunday
Buses replace trains all day.
Buses will depart Edinburgh for Glasgow Central at 08:39, 10:49, 12:49, 14:49, 16:49, 18:49 and 20:49. Buses will depart Glasgow Central for Edinburgh at 08:16, 10:16, 12:16, 14:16, 16:16, 18:16 and 20:16.
These buses will call at the following stations in both directions:
- Haymarket
- Livingston South
- West Calder
- Addiewell
- Fauldhouse
- Shotts
- Hartwood
- Cleland
- Carfin
- Bellshill
- Uddingston
Additional buses will depart Edinburgh, for all stations to Livingston South, at 08:11, 10:21, 12:21, 14:21, 16:21, 18:21 and 20:21. These will connect with replacement buses at Livingston South in both directions.
There are significant changes to times for services between Glasgow Central, Larkhall, Whifflet, Motherwell, Lanark , and also Cumbernauld.
Departure and journey times across all routes will change.
Key changes include:
Monday to Saturday
- Trains from Glasgow Central to Larkhall via Hamilton Central will now depart at 16 and 44 minutes past the hour.
- These services will arrive in Larkhall between four and seven minutes earlier.
- The Monday to Friday 07:13 Carstairs to Garscadden and the 07:36 Carstairs to Garscadden will no longer call at Jordanhill nor Scotstounhill.
Sunday
- Trains from Motherwell to Glasgow Central High Level will now depart at 44 minutes past the hour.
There are changes for customers using the North Clyde routes in the evenings between Milngavie, Balloch, Helensburgh Central and Springburn , and also towards Edinburgh via Bathgate and Airdrie.
Monday to Saturday
- From Monday to Friday, the 1646 Airdrie to Balloch will have six carriages - previously, the service had three carriages.
- Evening services from Glasgow Queen St Low Level to Balloch will now depart at 9 and 39 minutes past the hour.
- Evening services from Balloch will now depart at 14 and 44 minutes past the hour.
- Evening services between Airdrie and Balloch will be cancelled. Instead evening services between Cumbernauld and Dumbarton Central will be extended to Balloch, calling additionally at Kilpatrick and Bowling.
- Note: Evening services between Glasgow Queen St and Balloch will travel via Yoker instead of Singer.
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The last train from Glasgow Queen St Low Level to Balloch will depart earlier at 23:37 instead of 23:54. The last direct train from Balloch to Glasgow Queen St Low Level will now depart earlier at 22:44 instead of 23:07.
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Customers may also travel on the 23:14 from Balloch to Dalmuir, and change on to the 23:59 Dalmuir to Glasgow Queen St Low Level.
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Evening services from Glasgow Queen St Low Level to Helensburgh Central will now depart at 17 and 47 minutes past the hour.
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Evening services from Helensburgh Central will now depart at 2 and 32 minutes past the hour.
- Evening services between Edinburgh and Helensburgh Central will now serve Coatdyke, Blairhill, Easterhouse, Garrowhill, Shettleston, Carntyne, Bellgrove, Anniesland, Westerton, Drumchapel, Drumry and Singer.
- The last service from Helensburgh to Edinburgh will now be the 21:32 Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh, departing Glasgow Queen St Low Level at 22:24 and Airdrie at 22:51.
- The 22:02 (currently the 21:56) from Helensburgh will now terminate at Bathgate.
Sunday
No major changes.
Anniesland
No changes.
Perth /Dundee
Improvement works on this route continue.
- As before, on Sunday to Thursday evenings after 21:00, buses replace trains between Croy, Perth and Dundee.
Stirling/Dunblane/Alloa
Improvement works on this route continue.
- As before, on Sunday to Thursday evenings after 21:00, buses replace trains between Croy and Stirling, Dunblane and Alloa.
Aberdeen /Inverness
Improvement works on this route continue.
- On Sunday to Thursday evenings after 21:00, trains will operate between Perth, Aberdeen and Inverness only.
- Buses replace trains between Glasgow and Perth
- Buses will depart Glasgow earlier than normal train times.
Falkirk Grahamston
Improvement works on this route continue.
- As before, on Sunday to Thursday evenings after 9pm, these services are cancelled.
- However, Glasgow Queen Street Low Level and Cumbernauld will still run as normal
- Replacement buses will run between Cumbernauld and Falkirk Grahamston
Edinburgh via Falkirk High
No major changes.
Glasgow via Shotts
Improvement works will take place between all day on Sundays, and after 21:00 on Monday to Thursday evenings. Buses will replace trains for the whole journey during these times.
Monday to Thursday
The last trains on this route are the 19:17 Glasgow Central to Edinburgh and the 19:27.
Subsequently, buses will replace all trains, with two replacement buses for each departure:
- The first will call only at Haymarket, Livingston South, West Calder, Shotts and Bellshill.
- The second will call at all stations, except Cambuslang.
There will be additional buses at:
- 20:41 from Shotts to Edinbugh
- 21:35 from Shotts to Glasgow
Sunday
Buses replace trains all day.
Buses will depart Edinburgh for Glasgow Central at 08:39, 10:49, 12:49, 14:49, 16:49, 18:49 and 20:49. Buses will depart Glasgow Central for Edinburgh at 08:16, 10:16, 12:16, 14:16, 16:16, 18:16 and 20:16.
These buses will call at the following stations in both directions:
- Haymarket
- Livingston South
- West Calder
- Addiewell
- Fauldhouse
- Shotts
- Hartwood
- Cleland
- Carfin
- Bellshill
- Uddingston
Additional buses will depart Edinburgh, for all stations to Livingston South, at 08:11, 10:21, 12:21, 14:21, 16:21, 18:21 and 20:21. These will connect with replacement buses at Livingston South in both directions.
Dundee/Aberdeen
No changes.Dunblane/Perth (via Stirling)
Improvement works on this route continue.
- As before, trains will operate between Edinburgh and Polmont only.
- Buses will replace trains between Polmont, Dunblane and Perth.
- Services to Perth via Markinch are unaffected.
Fife Circle
No major changes, however, we are adding extra carriages to some of our busiest services on Saturdays.
Inverness
No changes.
Borders
No major changes to the timetable, however, we are making improvements as we make better use of available carriages to better match demand. Overall, we will be boosting capacity on the Borders Railway, as well as increasing in the number of services operated by newer class 170 trains.
North Berwick/Dunbar
No major changes, however, the Monday to Friday 07.17 North Berwick to Haymarket will benefit from an extra two carriages - it will now have six carriages instead of four. The Monday to Friday 07.55 North Berwick to Haymarket service will now have four carriages instead of six.