Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Starting from 1 July, ScotRail has introduced a new minimum fare of £10 for passengers caught travelling without a valid ticket. This measure targets those who deliberately avoid paying for their train journeys, with the fee often exceeding the cost of a standard ticket on shorter routes and limiting access to discounted fares on longer trips. The goal behind this change is to reduce fare evasion, curb associated anti-social behaviour, and redirect more funds towards enhancing services for customers.
Passengers are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets prior to boarding to benefit from the best prices and comply with regulations. Tickets can be bought through various channels, such as station ticket offices, self-service machines, or via the ScotRail app. It is important for digital tickets to be downloaded and activated before boarding the train to be valid. Even at busy stations like Edinburgh Waverley or Glasgow Queen Street where ticket offices and kiosks operate before exit barriers, customers who board without a ticket despite having the means to buy one beforehand will still have to pay the minimum fare. Advance purchase is also available by phone through the number 0344 811 0141.
Cash payments remain an option for ticket purchases, although not all machines accept cash. In cases where ticket machines are card-only, passengers should obtain a “Promise to Pay” ticket from the machine, allowing them to pay the fare to on-board staff or at the destination ticket office without incurring the minimum fare penalty. For journeys costing more than £10, travellers without a valid ticket will be charged the full price of a single or return ticket without any discounts. For example, those travelling between Bishopbriggs and Glasgow Queen Street would face a charge of £10 rather than the usual £3 pre-booked fare.
In situations where ticket offices are closed or machines are out of service, passengers can still buy tickets on board from train staff, who are equipped with an app to confirm station facilities’ status. ScotRail operates 143 staffed ticket offices and 179 ticket machines across its network, with analysis showing that the majority of journeys made without tickets involve stations where purchasing was possible beforehand. The minimum fare will not apply if no ticketing facilities are available, or if a passenger has a valid concession, such as a Kids for a Quid offer, or has a disability preventing use of ticket machines or offices. ScotRail emphasizes this policy is not a fine but a charge reflecting reasonable opportunity to buy a ticket before travel, aiming to reduce losses from fare evasion estimated at over £11 million annually, and to improve the overall passenger experience
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
