Further details of a Season Ticket Thank You – a free week of rail travel for annual and monthly season ticket holders – have been announced today.

Customers who hold – or buy – a monthly or annual season ticket valid for at least ONE DAY in May 2017 will be eligible to claim a free week of travel for their usual season ticket route.

And extra travel benefits will be available for customers who have a Smart season ticket – or who switch to Smart. This includes a free return journey for weekly season ticket holders.

Today sees the launch of an awareness campaign to encourage customers to:
1. Switch to a Smart season ticket, if they have not already done so, to receive additional travel benefits as well as their free week.
2. Sign up to receive a reminder before the claim period goes live on 1 May.

The offer is set out on the ScotRail website. The free travel entitlement varies depending on the type and duration of each season ticket. The claims process will be very simple: either via the ScotRail website or – for paper season ticket holders – at stations.

Station announcements, platform messages and customer posters will alert as many season tickets customers as possible and a social media campaign is also planned.

Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport & the Islands said: “I’m delighted that this £3 million fares initiative will reward passengers for their continued custom and patience while we deliver our extensive programme of improvements to truly transform the Scottish rail network.

“I am confident ScotRail will deliver the kind of service passengers deserve, and we can get more people out of their car, bringing with that environmental and health benefits.”

Cathy Craig, commercial director of the ScotRail Alliance, said: “We’re releasing details now to give our customers plenty of time to check if they qualify for the free week, switch to Smartcard or sign-up for a reminder before claims go live on 1 May.

“The Scottish rail network is going through the biggest improvement to railway infrastructure since Victorian times. Our £475 million train improvement programme means new faster, longer, greener trains, a cascade of rolling stock to other areas of Scotland, upgrades to the existing fleet and delivery of better wifi and at-seat power points. By 2019 Scotland’s railway will be totally transformed.”

Customers are being encourage to visit scotrail.co.uk/thankyou to check if they qualify for the free week and to be notified when the claim period is live.

The ScotRail Alliance plans another thank you for customers later in the year, this time for leisure travel. Details of this second offer will be announced in July.

Pictured above; (L-R) Cathy Craig (Commercial Director), Jonathan MacLean (Modern Apprentice) and The Minister for Transport and the Islands, Humza Yousaf