Wednesday August 19th 2026
A busy Waverley Station
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Almost 8.5million passenger journeys were made with ScotRail in July, nearly 900,000 more compared with the same month in 2025.
A packed summer of major events and great value fares encouraged more people to travel by train as the operator recorded 8,423,512 journeys between 1 and 31 July 2026, compared with 7,526,153 in July 2025.
The figures come after an exceptionally busy month of events, which saw ScotRail help customers travel in their thousands to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, concerts, and festivals across the country.
ScotRail delivered more services and longer trains throughout the Commonwealth Games, with more than 1,400 extra carriages assisting spectators, volunteers, and staff travel to and from venues across Glasgow.
The train operator also helped tens of thousands of music fans travel to major events including TRNSMT, Take That, Zach Bryan, Luke Combs, and the Summer Sessions at Bellahouston Park.
The final weekend of July also saw ScotRail record its busiest Sunday since returning to public ownership in April 2022, followed by a record-breaking week in which more than 2.1million passenger journeys were made.
The removal of peak fares and the ongoing fares freeze is contributing to making train travel an increasingly attractive option, as well as the continued high cost of fuel for motorists, motivating more people to switch from car to rail, ScotRail analysis suggests.
In a first for the UK, peak fares were abolished across ScotRail services in September 2025, and fares are frozen until March 2027, helping customers make their money go further.
Stephen Flynn MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, said:
“Scotland’s rail network and hard-working staff have, once again, risen to the challenge and played a pivotal role in delivering another successful event under the global spotlight.
“The Commonwealth Games can now sit alongside a range of other events where rail and public transport have done the heavy lifting, without too much fanfare.
“Of course, July was about more than just sport. Scotland hosted an array of concerts, festivals and major events up and down the country.
“With a very busy month ahead, I am grateful to our rail workers for getting people to their destination safely, and on time, with the removal of peak fares encouraging more people to use rail.”
David Ross, ScotRail Chief Operating Officer, said:
“It’s fantastic to see almost 900,000 more journeys made with ScotRail this July, compared to the same month last year.
“It’s been an incredibly busy time for Scotland, with the Commonwealth Games returning to Glasgow alongside a brilliant programme of concerts, festivals, and sporting events – and huge numbers of people chose the train to be a part of it.
“The growth we’re seeing goes beyond major events. With the cost of driving remaining high, rail represents really good value for many journeys, particularly following the removal of peak fares and with fares frozen until March next year.
“We know more people are making the switch from road to rail, and our job now is to make sure they have a good experience every time they travel with us.
“We want those customers to keep choosing to travel by train long after the summer is over, and that means delivering a safe, reliable, and welcoming service that encourages them to make rail an essential part of their travel plans.”
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