Cowdenbeath commuters could save nearly £35 a week to Edinburgh as peak fares by train are scrapped in Scotland.

In a first for rail travel anywhere in Britain, peak fares are gone for good for customers travelling on ScotRail services from today, 1st September. 

The policy announced by the Scottish Government in May this year is aiming to make train fares simpler, more flexible, and provide better value for money for rail users. A further aim of the change is to get more people to leave the car at home and travel by rail instead.

Removing peak fares will mean significant savings for customers across the country, with some journeys set to cost almost 50% less – including those between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

From Monday, 1 September, customers will pay the same fare no matter what time they travel, or the day of the week.

There are some routes where no off-peak fare exists because the same fare is already available at any time of the day, and as such, customers will not see any change in those areas.

As part of the move to simpler and more flexible fares, a number of other tickets will also be updated:

– Season Tickets will remain at their current pricing until 27 September, offering exceptional value. For regular travellers, this represents a saving of at least 40 per cent compared to purchasing five Anytime Day Return tickets at pre-1 September prices. This discount was part of a 12-month offer launched in September 2024.

– Flexipass tickets will have adjusted pricing from 1 September to ensure they continue to offer a saving compared to buying multiple Anytime Single or Return tickets, while still providing flexibility for part-time or hybrid commuters.

– Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets will be withdrawn, as the removal of peak fares means customers now benefit from great value fares all day, every day.

– Railcards, concessions, and enhanced discounts will continue to be available, with most remaining valid for travel after 9.15am, in line with existing conditions.

These changes are designed to make rail travel easier to understand and more accessible, while continuing to offer excellent value for a wide range of customers.

The significant change to the fare structure will support the Scottish Government’s ambition to achieve net zero, providing more people with the opportunity to use trains as their primary form of transport.

Cowdenbeath’s MSP Annabelle Ewing (SNP) welcomed the scrapping of peak fares as part of a range of measures to reduce the cost of living, saying on social media,

“The cost of living is at the top of everyone’s minds – and the SNP has taken action by lowering the cost of a train journey for everyone in Scotland. Making train fares cheaper for commuters is good for people’s pockets and will be good for the environment if it attracts others to leave the car at home and let the train take the strain.

“I am very conscious that there is still work to be done in terms of reliability of services and comfort for passengers, but this is a good start, and I will continue to press for those further improvements to the service for my constituents.

“The ability of the Scottish Government to end peak fares was only possible because the SNP brought ScotRail back into public ownership in 2022 – showing, once again, that where we have the powers, we’ve taken action to help make Scots’ lives better. But, under devolution, we can only address the symptoms – with independence. we could address the root causes.”

Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Managing Director, said:

“This is fantastic news, not only for our existing customers, but for everyone across the country considering rail travel for their commute or leisure journeys. 

“Travelling by train remains one of the most convenient ways to get around, and with simpler, more affordable fares, we hope to see many more people choose ScotRail.”

Main pic: Google/Colin Wren