A six-month trial scrapping peak ScotRail fares on key routes will see the cost of travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow almost halve from next month.
Commuters will be able to travel all day on off-peak fares, which the firm said will see “massive savings” across the country.
The return fare on the main route between Edinburgh and Glasgow will drop from £28.90 to £14.90.
The fare from Inverness to Elgin will fall from £22 to £14.40 and the ticket price from Glasgow to Stirling will drop from £16.10 to £9.60.
The Scottish government-funded pilot will begin on Monday 2 October and will run until the end of March 2024.
ScotRail – which is owned by the Scottish government – explained that there are some routes where no off-peak fare exists as the price is the same at any time of the day. Customers in those areas will not see a change to their ticket prices.
The project is said to be the first of its kind in the UK rail industry and aims to support the Scottish government’s ambition to achieve net zero.
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ScotRail said the pandemic radically changed the commuter market, with a “significant drop” in the number of passengers travelling during traditional peak times.
That market is only 70% of what it was before COVID.
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First Minister Humza Yousaf previously said the Scottish government had budgeted “around £15m” for the six-month trial.
The pilot’s impact and long-term sustainability will then be considered ahead of any potential renewal after March next year.
From 18 September, customers will be able to check ScotRail’s website or app to see the off-peak fares for their route during the trial.
The company expects some trains will be busier during the pilot and will be monitoring services daily.
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Alex Hynes, Scotland’s Railway managing director, said: “This is a hugely exciting opportunity for Scotland’s Railway to encourage more people across the country to choose rail travel instead of using the car.
“Everyone at ScotRail is working hard to make sure that this six-month trial will be a success, and we will be monitoring our services and stations daily to see where we have any significant increases in customer journeys.
“We know that cost and simplicity is a critical factor for people when they choose how to travel, and we are looking forward to delivering this fantastic fare reduction for our customers.”
