YOUR TRAVEL CONNECTIONS. scotrail.co.uk 1

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1 TRAVEL YOUR CONNECTIONS SCOTRAIL.CO.UK YOUR TICKET TO SCOTLAND scotrail.co.uk 1

2 Our aim is to make your journey as simple as possible. No matter if you re travelling to work, visiting friends or getting out to enjoy the beautiful Scottish countryside, our aim is make your journey as simple as possible. This booklet shows how you can use just the train, or many different transport options, to get from A to B. For the most up to date information on Travel Connections, please visit our website: Alternatively, you can contact Traveline Scotland, who provide comprehensive and independent information on travel connections throughout Scotland. Website Telephone Calls cost 10p per minute from BT Landlines (UK), charges from other providers or mobiles may vary. New for 2015 In 2015 ScotRail will introduce our Bike & Go cycle hire system at several stations, and make a start on improving bicycle parking. We ll also be adding 1,000 cycle spaces before April 2016 and a total of 3,500 additional spaces to the network within three years. We make every effort to ensure the information in this leaflet is correct, and apologise if information has changed since the time of printing. Unfortunately, we cannot accept liability for any inaccuracies. We ll help you get from door-todoor... The ScotRail network covers 2,800 kilometres of track and over 340 stations, so you can get to lots of places just using the train. However, everyone likes choices and that s what we offer you. We run the trains, but there are a lot more ways to explore Scotland. There are a host of travel options to help you get from A to B, from buses and bikes to ferries and planes: By bicycle if you like to feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your back, we can offer you cycle storage at almost every station, cycle space on the train and great discounts on cycle hire if you re a ScotRail customer. For more information, see page 4. By bus we ll get you as close as we can, but sometimes you ll need a bus for the final leg. We have a range of PLUSBUS and RailBus tickets to make your journey seamless. For more information, see page 10. By ferry visiting the islands or Northern Ireland? We work closely with leading ferry operators to provide combined Rail & Sail tickets to destinations across Scotland and to Belfast. For more information, see page 13. By air you can reach any Scottish airport by rail or by bus. We offer combined Airlink tickets to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, and discounted travel to other airports. For more information, see page 15. If you re changing trains, or travelling between stations, please make sure you leave enough time. We have included some handy rail interchange advice for you on page 18. For people with reduced mobility, we will always try and help. For more information on assisted travel, please visit our website or any staffed station. In addition we have specialist help lines: Telephone Text phone Calls are free of charge, available Monday to Sunday from 0700 to scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 3

Connecting by bicycle Cycling is a great way to get active, stay healthy and cut the cost of getting to and from the station. Why not leave the car at home and get in the saddle?

3 Connecting by bicycle Cycling is a great way to get active, stay healthy and cut the cost of getting to and from the station. Why not leave the car at home and get in the saddle? Leaving your bike at the station... ScotRail provides cycle parking at most stations, and from 2015 onwards we ll be investing in even more cycle spaces. Our Bike & Go cycle hire scheme will be soon arriving at 10 of our stations, as well as the introduction of Cyclepoints offering bike hire, repair and sales at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling. Full details of the facilities available at your station are available at Do I have to make a reservation? On some long distance services, we ask you to reserve a space for your bike. Reservations are available up to 12 weeks in advance and can be booked via by visiting a staffed station or by calling our Telesales team on Cycle reservations are required on services between: Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness Glasgow, Oban, Fort William and Mallaig Aberdeen and Inverness Inverness, Wick, Thurso and Kyle of Lochalsh Cycle reservations are also available on services between Glasgow and Stranraer. They re not compulsory, but we strongly recommend that you make one to secure a place. Will there always be space? We will always do our best to accommodate your bike on the train. Where reservations are not available, spaces will be available on a first come first served basis. Please bear in mind that we do operate busy commuter services, and at peak times space can become limited. Taking your bike on the train... Heading out to enjoy a ride in the countryside, or simply taking your bike with you? We ve got you covered. How much does it cost? Nothing. There s no charge to take a bicycle on any of our ScotRail trains. Electric trains in central Scotland do not always have dedicated cycle spaces. This applies to services between: Glasgow Central, Cathcart, Neilston and Newton Glasgow Central, Gourock and Wemyss Bay Glasgow Central, Ayr, Ardrossan and Largs All trains via Glasgow Central Low Level All trains via Glasgow Queen St Low Level Edinburgh, North Berwick and Dunbar Glasgow Central and Paisley Canal Glasgow Central and Edinburgh via Carstairs On these trains, you can store your bike in the vestibule area as long as you regularly check it s not blocking the way. Make sure you stay near or next to your bike. To help other people get on and off more easily, follow these rules: 4 scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 5

4 Cycle hire... Put your bike on the right side of the train (facing the direction of travel), as most platforms are on the left. If however you re travelling to Cathcart, Neilston or Newton, you should put your bike of the left hand side of the train (facing the direction of travel), as in this case most platforms are on the right. If you re travelling on the Paisley Canal Line, it doesn t matter which side, as the platforms are on both. Just keep an eye out to make sure you re not blocking people If in doubt where to put your bike, always ask the ontrain staff. If you re travelling out of Glasgow Central, or from Edinburgh to Dunbar/North Berwick, you might be on a new Class 380 train, which have a priority area for bicycles. You only need to use the vestibule if the cycle spaces are full. Can I take other types of bikes on ScotRail s trains? Folding bikes can be carried on all services these must be folded down when you board the train, and in some cases you may be asked to fold down your bike before entering the platform. We support the Cycle Action Plan for Scotland vision that 10% of all journeys in Scotland will be made by bike by To support this, we are making it easier for you to get hold of a bike to use. We ll be introducing three new, fully-staffed Cyclepoints at key city hubs (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling), which will provide the full range of services including cycle sales and hire. We ve also partnered up with some cycle hire companies to give you discounted cycle hire! It couldn t be simpler all you have to do is book your train to your destination and pick up your discounted hire bicycle by showing your ScotRail ticket to one of our partners. Our partners currently offer cycle hire discount in the following areas: Blair Atholl, Inverness, Fort William. For more information, visit We are also launching a Bike & Go cycle hire network. Bikes will be available from 10 specially selected stations to allow you to complete your journey by bike, or to use for getting around. We don t allow motorbikes, mopeds or any other kind of motorised cycle. We also do not allow tandems, tricycles and non-folding cycle trailers they take up too much space. Bikes can t be taken on rail replacement buses for the same reason there s no space for them. Anything else I need to know? If you are travelling on the Glasgow to Gourock, Wemyss Bay, Ayr, Ardrossan and Largs routes, some peak trains are longer than the platform. Make sure your bike is in the right place not all the doors will open and it ll be difficult, if not impossible, to get it down the gangway to another door. For more information, keep an eye out for posters at station, ask our staff of or visit Full details of where and when Bike & Go cycle hire becomes available are available on our website. ScotRail Cycle Rescue... Nothing puts a cyclist in a worse mood than when their bike is out of action. We give you complete peace of mind. What is ScotRail Cycle Rescue? It s the nightmare scenario. You ve had an accident, someone has vandalised your bike or it s broken down with no hope of repair. Don t worry - ScotRail Cycle Rescue will get you there. We ll take you and your bike, free of charge, to either your destination for the day (if it s on the Scottish mainland) or to your nearest ScotRail served station to continue your journey. 6 scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 7

What if I can t get to my destination that day? In the event that an incident occurs late in the day you will be transported to the nearest Scottish town or city.

Call our freephone helpline on 08000 717 212. Please make sure you have your valid rail ticket to hand. Who can use ScotRail cycle rescue?

5 What if I can t get to my destination that day? In the event that an incident occurs late in the day you will be transported to the nearest Scottish town or city. Here you can find overnight accommodation and an onward train service the following day and, if appropriate, repair facilities for your cycle. How do I use the service? Call our freephone helpline on Please make sure you have your valid rail ticket to hand. Who can use ScotRail cycle rescue? ScotRail Cycle Rescue is a FREE service for ScotRail customers operated by ETA Services Ltd. It applies only to holders of valid rail tickets for journeys on the ScotRail network. Full terms, conditions and exclusions are available at or by calling Virgin Trains services between London, the West Midlands, north-west England and Glasgow/Edinburgh TransPennine Express services between Manchester and Glasgow/Edinburgh The Caledonian Sleeper between London and Scotland The Jacobite steam train between Fort William and Mallaig Other charter and excursion trains. Helpful hints when travelling by bike... Our staff can tell you where to wait on the platform, so you re in the right place when the train pulls in Remove anything not permanently fixed to your cycle Don t lock your cycle to any part of the train, except the designated cycle points Don t lean your cycle on the doors or other peoples luggage Don t ride your cycle on the station. Space on trains is limited, and bikes can only be carried if there is space. If you re travelling on a train where a bike reservation is mandatory you must have one, or unfortunately we can t take you. We ll do our best to take your bike, but we reserve the right not to in line with the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, Part II, Paragraph 49. You can find these online at Bikes on other operators services... We share the ScotRail network with other operators, so if you re getting one of their trains, you ll need to check what their cycle policy is. These include: Virgin Trains East Coast services between London and Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness CrossCountry services between the South, the Midlands and the North East of England to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen 8 scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 9

6 Connecting by bus Avoid the hassle of driving by taking a bus to the station. It s better for the environment too! What if I want to travel regularly? If you get the bus to the station every day, you can get a PLUSBUS season ticket at selected locations. No more fumbling around for change! How can I find out more about PLUSBUS? Ask at a staffed station, visit our website or visit The RailBus ticket... We believe that the door-to-door journey should be as simple as possible. Not only do we offer integrated bus and rail tickets (RailBus), but we re also part of the PLUSBUS scheme. The PLUSBUS ticket... What is a PLUSBUS ticket? Simply put, PLUSBUS is a bus pass that goes with your train ticket. It gives you unlimited travel in the area around your chosen PLUSBUS station. For example, you are heading from Glasgow to Aberdeen. When you get there you want to do some shopping, visit a friend and catch a musical at His Majesty s Theatre. Buy a PLUSBUS ticket and you can hop on and off the bus all day. What is a RailBus ticket? RailBus is similar to PLUSBUS it s a train ticket and a bus ticket, it only gets you to a specific place, but allows you to use the bus and the train. For example, if you buy a ticket from Glasgow to Peterhead you get the train to Aberdeen, then get a bus to Peterhead without buying separate tickets for each leg of your journey - saving you time and hassle. Where can I buy one? You can get one by calling our Telesales team on , at a staffed station, or on-train when boarding at a station with no ticket issuing facility. How can I find out more about RailBus? For full details of all RailBus tickets and destinations, ask at a staffed station or visit our website. Other rail and bus tickets... Where can I buy one? A PLUSBUS ticket can be added on when you buy your rail ticket: Online from from our Telesales team on , at a staffed station, or on-train when boarding at a station with no ticket issuing facility. In the larger urban areas of central Scotland you ll find tickets you can use more widely on both rail and bus services, and even on some ferry routes too. Zonecard gives you unlimited rail and bus travel, in as many travel zones as you need, across Strathclyde. Pick up a Zonecard leaflet from staffed stations in Strathclyde or visit 10 scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 11

Connecting by ferry One Ticket is available on bus and rail services across east and central Scotland. Pick up a One Ticket leaflet from staffed stations in east and central Scotland, or visit www.

7 Connecting by ferry One Ticket is available on bus and rail services across east and central Scotland. Pick up a One Ticket leaflet from staffed stations in east and central Scotland, or visit If you re a regular commuter who uses the bus and train, these tickets can offer great value for money. You can buy them at our ticket offices. Scotland is blessed with amazing scenery and geography, including over 790 islands. To make your journey simpler, we offer integrated rail and ferry tickets that can get you to far flung locations, or even across the Irish Sea to Belfast. If you are going to travel more widely, then there are a range of touring tickets available, such as the Freedom of Scotland Travelpass which gives you four days unlimited travel over 8 consecutive days or 8 out of 15 consecutive days. We also have region specific passes, such as the Highland Rover and Central Scotland Rover. You can visit Rothesay and Brodick on the Clyde coast, Lochboisdale, Mull and Stornoway on the Western Isles, the Orkneys, the Shetland Isles and many other locations across Scotland. We also sell Rail & Sail tickets to Belfast, so you can avoid airport check-in and baggage restrictions, and relax your way across the Irish Sea. Rail & Sail ticket... What is a Rail & Sail ticket? Like our RailBus tickets, Rail & Sail allows you to buy your rail and ferry ticket from us, saving you time and hassle. For example, if you buy a Rail & Sail ticket from Glasgow to Brodick. This lets you travel on our services from Glasgow to Ardrossan and then by ferry from Ardrossan to Brodick - no need to buy separate tickets at the ferry terminal. Where can I buy one? Online from (to Belfast, Rothesay, Brodick and Dunoon), from our Telesales team on , at a staffed station, or on-train when boarding at a station with no ticket issuing facility. How can I find out more about Rail & Sail? For full details of all Rail & Sail tickets and destinations, ask at a staffed station or visit our website. 12 scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 13

8 Connecting by air You can get to Scotland s main airports by rail and bus. No one wants to miss their flight. To make sure that you get to the gate in plenty of time, we recommend that you plan to be at the airport 2½ hours before your flight leaves. That way you won t be caught out by queues at check- in or security. If you re travelling to Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport, there is an Airlink rail and bus ticket available. Airlink tickets... What is an Airlink ticket? Airlink tickets are aimed at connecting you to specific airports that are not on the rail network, without the hassle of buying separate rail and bus tickets. For example, if you buy a ticket from Glasgow to Edinburgh Airport this allows you to travel by train from Glasgow to Edinburgh, then onward by bus to Edinburgh Airport without buying separate tickets for each part of your journey - saving you time and hassle. How do I get to Glasgow Airport? From Ayrshire or Inverclyde: Catch the train to Paisley Gilmour Street and get the frequent bus link from there to Glasgow Airport. From north-west Glasgow, Milngavie, Dumbarton, Helensburgh and the West Highlands: Catch the train to Partick - from there a frequent bus service operates to Glasgow Airport. From other parts of Scotland, including Edinburgh and the Central Belt: Catch a train to Glasgow Central or Glasgow Queen Street - a frequent express bus link operates to Glasgow Airport from both stations. How do I get to Edinburgh Airport? You can get the tram direct from Edinburgh city centre to the airport. Simply change at Haymarket, Edinburgh Waverley or Edinburgh Park for tram services to the airport. An express bus service is also provided from Haymarket and Edinburgh Waverley. From Fife, Dundee and points north: catch a train to Inverkeithing. From there a frequent express bus link operates to Edinburgh Airport. Where can I buy one? From our Telesales team on , at a staffed station, or on-train when boarding at a station with no ticket issuing facility. How can I find out more? For full details of airport connections, ask at a staffed station or visit our website. Other Airports... Prestwick International Airport Prestwick International Airport has its own station on the Glasgow to Ayr line, and we offer a frequent train service throughout the day. Plus we ll give you a 50% discount if you present one of the following when you buy you train ticket: 14 scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 15

9 Rail connections advice Flight ticket Original invoice (photocopies not accepted) Downloaded booking confirmation, plus photo ID ( confirmation is not accepted) You can buy the discounted ticket at our staffed stations, or if you get on the train at a station where there are no staff, you can buy it from on train staff. Because we need to see your flight documents before we can give you the discount, you can t buy discounted tickets online, from ScotRail telesales or from travel agents. Sometimes we join up with the airlines to offer free rail travel to certain flight destinations. Check with station staff or to see if there is an offer for your journey. Aberdeen Airport Dyce is the closest station to Aberdeen Airport. We offer regular trains from Aberdeen and Inverness, and direct trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh. A shuttle bus runs between Dyce station and the airport and is timed to meet train arrivals. The journey takes minutes. We offer PLUSBUS in Aberdeen, so you can get the bus from the city centre to the airport. Inverness Airport Inverness Airport is served by local buses from Inverness city centre, departing from Strothers Lane, close to the railway station. Sometimes you have to change trains to get to your destination. Our stations have knowledgeable staff and helpful signs to make it very simple. How much time should I allow to change trains? Edinburgh Waverley or Glasgow Queen Street - at least 10 minutes Glasgow Central - at least 15 minutes Newcastle, Carlisle and Preston - at least 8 minutes All other stations served by ScotRail - at least 5 minutes What about the Caledonian Sleeper? ScotRail no longer runs the Caledonian Sleeper. However, it s still a great way to travel and get a good night s sleep. Visit for more details. What if my train is delayed? Unfortunately we can t guarantee your connection. We do our best to make sure that when things go wrong, the least amount of people are inconvenienced and the service returns back to normal as quickly as possible. Holding a train at the station to wait for late connecting services (including buses and ferries) would only add further delays. When planning your journey we recommend that you factor in some extra time, so that if our trains are delayed, you ll still make your connection. 16 scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 17

Transferring between Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street Many train journeys involve a transfer between Glasgow s two main railway stations.

10 Transferring between Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street Many train journeys involve a transfer between Glasgow s two main railway stations. The stations are about half a mile apart, and getting between them is simple. The transfer needn t be a hassle, but we do recommend that you allow at least 30 minutes for making connections between Central and Queen Street. There are two main options available: On foot. It s just a 15 minute walk and there is good signposting throughout. You ll walk down bustling Buchanan Street, one of the UK s busiest shopping areas. Why not allow some extra time to grab a coffee or do some window shopping! By bus, Glasgow Station Link: This may be a better option if you are carrying heavy luggage or have difficulty with walking. ScotRail, in partnership with local bus companies, provide a frequent shuttle bus link between Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street and Buchanan Bus Station. The bus is FREE to holders of valid rail tickets. 18 scotrail.co.uk scotrail.co.uk 19

11 ScotRail website National Rail Enquiries Please note calls to this number may be recorded Customer Relations Disabled Assistance or (Text relay service for the hard of hearing) Social media twitter.com/scotrail facebook.com/scotrail 20 scotrail.co.uk

Making Rail Accessible Helping our Older and Disabled Guests

Making Rail Accessible Helping our Older and Disabled Guests Provisional from 5th January 2015 to 31st March 2015 sleeper.scot 2 CALEDONIAN SLEEPER: MAKING RAIL ACCESSIBLE Contents 1. Serco is proud to