Peak-time ScotRail fares scrapped for further three months

The introduction of the scheme saw the cost of a rush-hour ticket between Glasgow and Edinburgh being nearly halved, from £28.90 down to £14.90.

However, passengers who previously bought the cheapest off-peak return ticket available on some routes have been missing out.

They include the Inverness-Elgin, and Glasgow-Stirling routes where “super off-peak day returns” were scrapped.

Some other routes had no peak-time fares in place last October, so ticket prices stayed the same.

Overall, the government said the pilot project was aimed at boosting rail travel – which was down by 70% since the start of the Covid pandemic.

ScotRail managing director Joanne Maguire said the removal of peak fares had been “a hugely exciting opportunity to encourage more people across the country to choose rail travel”.

She added: “We are delighted that the Scottish government has decided to extend the trial, and it gives even more people the opportunity to take advantage of more affordable journeys.”