–       ScotRail’s biggest ever ticket discount

–       New ‘airline-style’ ticketing system means more discounts available than ever before.

 ScotRail today launched a new five pound Advance fare – its biggest ever discounted ticket.

The new fare is part of the rollout of an ‘airline-style’ ticketing system based on pricing seats more closely to demand.  The discounts will be offered on a first come, first served basis – meaning greater savings for customers who book in advance.

As a result of this new system, there will now be up to five levels of Advance fares on certain routes which can be reserved. Prior to this, there were only two.

This announcement follows the launch of the new sixteen pound, travel anywhere in Scotland, flat rate ticket for members of ScotRail’s Club 50 scheme.

Phil Verster, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance said:

“Our customers tell us that they want two things from their railway. They want fast, punctual, modern trains and they want great value for money in regards to the price they pay for tickets.

“Last month we announced our largest ever train improvement plan. Over the next few years we will spend £475m delivering new trains, more seats and better facilities across our fleets. Today we are making good on our commitment to offer the types of discounted tickets that have never before been available in Scotland.

“These new ticket fares are not just about encouraging people to ditch the car and take the train. This is about opening up the railway to more people so that we can connect them with jobs, businesses with customers and communities with more opportunities to grow and prosper.

“This is a hugely important announcement for us at an exciting time for Scotland’s railway. I am sure that it will be an incredibly popular ticket choice and will make rail an even more attractive way to travel.”

Transport Minister, Derek Mackay, said:

“These new ticketing options are good news for passengers, offering a greater range of fares, keeping tickets affordable and spreading the pressures on the rail network by allowing more people to use the rail network during quieter periods.

“This is an example of how the measures introduced by the Scottish Government through last year’s tendering of the ScotRail contract are making rail travel more accessible and attractive and resulting in real benefits to the public.

“By continuing to offer customers reliable and safe services, a range of fare options and real value for money, more than 92 million passengers travelled on ScotRail services last year – an increase of 6 million – and, through our £5 billion package of rail investment, we want to see this shift from road to rail continue.”

 Five pound fares were pledged by Abellio as part of its winning franchise bid. The company is delivering on its promise three months early to demonstrate its commitment to customers in Scotland. Tom Norris, Group Operations and Alliance Director for Abellio UK, said:

“Abellio is delighted that the ScotRail Alliance is introducing the new £5 fares much earlier than anticipated, and to allow our passengers these fantastic savings on advance bookings.

“This fare offer was an important element of our successful bid for ScotRail and we are confident that these £5 fares will be extremely successful.

“It is important to give people more choices on their travel, and we are committed to providing excellent value for money, and products and services that go beyond a-to-b for our customers, and this is just one example of how we are already putting this into practice.”

For more information please visit www.scotrail.co.uk/5fares