ScotRail is reminding passengers that its new timetable comes into effect tomorrow (Sunday 10 December).
The timetable includes the introduction of new Class 380 electric trains on local services between Barrhead and Glasgow Central. Network Rail has recently electrified the route, and the new trains will provide more comfortable, reliable, sustainable, environmentally-friendly journeys.
The new timetable also includes an hourly service on the Cathcart Circle all day, Monday to Saturday, nearly doubling the number of services calling at Langside, Pollokshaws East, Shawlands, Maxwell Park,and Pollokshields West. It will also give passengers at other south Glasgow stations more options and flexibility.
ScotRail will also run eighteen extra limited-stop services on the route between Glasgow and Edinburgh via Shotts each day, Monday to Saturday, thus providing passengers at Livingston South, West Calder and Shotts with faster and more convenient connections to both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
On Sundays, a new half-hourly service will operate between Gourock and Glasgow Central.
There will also be changes to services between Dundee and Inverurie, which the operator says will improve reliability, particularly at local stations between Dundee and Aberdeen.
Additional stops are being added to services between Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen, and between Edinburgh Waverley and Aberdeen, creating new direct journey opportunities between communities in Angus and Aberdeenshire.
However, in north east Scotland, the introduction of the new timetable will reduce local services. ScotRail points out that it is improving connections with Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, and Glasgow, and maintaining the overall number of journey opportunities.
ScotRail's Dunbar-to-Edinburgh services will call additionally at Wallyford to access the mobility hub there, and at East Linton in East Lothian when the new station open.
A later service will operate between Inverness and Elgin on a trial basis to benefit customers in Moray. This will depart Inverness at 22:12. The 21:34 Inverness to Aberdeen service will continue to operate as at present.
ScotRail is introducing the new timetable at the same time that it is running a trial of off-peak all-day fares, which started on 2 October and will run for six months.
ScotRail is reminding passengers to check their journeys before travelling, using its website or app.
David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “Our December timetable change represents another step in our ongoing commitment to deliver the best service we can, and encourage more people to choose rail travel instead of using the car, particularly during our off-peak all day fares trial.
“From the introduction of electric trains to increased frequency on key routes and enhanced service reliability, we are dedicated to making Scotland's Railway more accessible and efficient.
“There is a lot of ongoing investment in our network with decarbonisation continuing, and improvements across the network. This new timetable is an important part of that.
“We're asking all of our customers to make sure they check their journeys before they try to travel tomorrow as train times may have changed.”
East Linton station once it opens will allow people in the small town to commute into Edinburgh without having to use buses or driving into Edinburgh via the A1.