Thursday August 6th 2026
Edinburgh's Royal Mile during the Fringe (photo by David Monteith)
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
ScotRail will introduce extra late-night trains and thousands of additional seats from tomorrow, Friday, 7 August, to help customers travel to and from Edinburgh’s summer festivals.
From Friday, 7 August until Sunday, 30 August, extra late-night trains will operate on key routes to and from Edinburgh Waverley, while longer trains will provide additional seats on board for customers travelling in and out of the capital.
The enhanced timetable will operate throughout the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival.
Customers should check their journey before setting off, allow additional time for travel, and buy tickets before boarding where ticket-purchasing facilities are available.
Highlights of ScotRail’s enhanced festival timetable include:
– Extra late-night trains between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street every night throughout the festival period.
– Additional late-night services from Edinburgh Waverley to Tweedbank, Dundee, and Leven.
– Longer trains between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street, the Borders, Fife, Perth, Dundee, Leven, Stirling, Dunblane, Bathgate, and North Berwick.
– A special late-night service from North Berwick to Edinburgh Waverley each evening during Fringe by the Sea, continues until Sunday, 9 August.
Customers attending evening performances are advised to check the time of their last train and avoid leaving their journey plans until the last minute.
Stations are expected to be busier than normal following performances, and queuing systems may be introduced at Edinburgh Waverley and other stations to help people board trains safely and efficiently.
Part of Princes Street remains closed following a recent fire. Customers who would normally travel through Edinburgh Waverley before continuing by foot or tram to venues outside the city centre should allow themselves extra time. It might be more convenient to travel through Haymarket station.
Full details of the additional services are available on ScotRail’s dedicated Edinburgh Festivals webpage and through the new ScotRail app.
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said:
“With Edinburgh’s festivals getting underway tomorrow, we’re reminding customers to plan ahead and check their journey before travelling.
“We’re providing extra late-night services and longer trains on key routes, giving customers more opportunities to travel home after evening performances and adding thousands of seats throughout the festival period.
“Trains and stations will be busier than normal, particularly later in the evening, so customers should allow some extra time for their journey, make sure they have their ticket before boarding, and check the time of their last train.”
Tweet Share on Facebook
