ScotRail has changed the conditions of use for its Highland Railcard to provide cheaper travel for people living in the North and West Highland regions of Scotland.

Changes to the conditions of use for the railcard now make it available for use with the ‘Kids for a Quid’ offer, which enables customers to travel with up to four children for just £1 return each.

That compares with the previous restrictions that was limited to two children travelling with an adult holding a valid Highland Railcard, and the fare was £2 return each.

The changes have been made as part of ScotRail’s drive to encourage more people to travel by rail, and allows families a cheaper alternative to driving when travelling around Scotland’s most scenic areas. A Highland Railcard costs £15 per year, and provides savings of 50 per cent on the following routes:

• Mallaig/Fort William/Oban to/from Glasgow (direct services only).
• Wick/Thurso to/from Inverness (including Inverness Airport).
• Kyle of Lochalsh to/from Inverness (including Inverness Airport)

The railcard saving applies to all journeys between Inverness, Dingwall, Kyle of Lochalsh, Wick and Thurso, and customers can travel by any service on any day of the week without any time restrictions. It is available to anyone aged 16 or over, who permanently resides in the following postcode areas:

• ll IV except: IV12, IV30, IV31, IV32, IV36
• All KW
• All HS
• PA20 to PA38, PA41 to PA49, PA60 to PA78, PA80
• PH16, PH17, PH30 to PH44, PH49, PH50
• FK20, FK21
• G83

Highland Railcards can be purchased using a ScotRail Smartcard online, or from a ticket office, and full details are available on the ScotRail website at https://www.scotrail.co.uk/tickets/railcards/highland-railcard.

Last August, Network Rail started work on a £3.5m project to overhaul and refurbish a viaduct over the River Awe just a few miles south of Taynuilt between Crianlarich and Oban, and last autumn Network Rail carried out track improvements on the Far North Line at Merkinch Ferry, Alness, and Dingwall.

“The Highland Railcard is a very popular product with our customers, and I am delighted that we can now allow people to use the Kids for a Quid ticket alongside it. This is a fantastic boost, doubling the number of children who can travel with an adult, while at the same time reducing the cost of that ticket from £2 to £1. We want as many people to use ScotRail services as possible, and we hope customers will take advantage of this change to see some of the most scenic parts of the country.”

Claire Dickie, ScotRail Commercial Director