Commuters across Scotland are preparing for cheaper journeys as peak rail fares are permanently abolished from 1 September.
The change, announced by First Minister John Swinney earlier this year, follows a successful pilot scheme and will apply across the ScotRail network.
It means passengers travelling between Glasgow and Edinburgh will save more than £10 on a return journey, cutting monthly costs by over £200.
Longer trips such as Glasgow to Aberdeen will be more than £20 cheaper per journey.
The move has been welcomed by commuters, businesses and climate campaigners, who see it as a boost to household budgets and a way to encourage more sustainable travel.
SNP MSP Bob Doris said the change would make a tangible difference for thousands of people.
“From next week, people travelling on Scotland’s trains will have more money in their pockets,” he said.
“This will not only help commuters save money but also open opportunities for more people to explore all that Scotland has to offer by train.”
He added that scrapping peak fares would help reduce emissions by making train travel more attractive.
“The decision will make travel by train more affordable and encourage more people to use sustainable public transport.
“This will save people money and mean less CO2 is pumped into our skies.”
Rail services in Scotland returned to public ownership under ScotRail in 2022, a move which the government says has allowed greater freedom to pursue policies that put passengers first.
The scrapping of peak fares is expected to mark a significant change in how people plan their journeys, making Scotland the first part of the UK to remove the peak-time premium across its rail network.
