Friday June 5th 2026
ScotRail train (photo by Ross Sneddon)
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Almost 170,000 more journeys have been bought by customers before they board a ScotRail train in response to the train operator’s customer education campaign about its new minimum fare.
From Wednesday, 1 July, a £10 minimum fare will apply to customers who board a train without buying a ticket before they travel, where facilities were available to do so.
The education process began on 1 April and since the start of May, 168,000 more journeys have been bought before boarding than there would have been without the policy announcement.
Analysis by the train operator suggests at least 13,000 of those journeys would have been taken by people dodging their fare and not paying.
Fare evasion is estimated to cost Scotland’s Railway £11million each year, money which could be reinvested in improving services for customers.
During the education phase, ScotRail staff have been supporting customers to understand the different ways they can buy tickets, including at station ticket offices, from self-service ticket machines, online, and through the ScotRail app.
Signage and posters have been in place at stations and on trains, supported by station announcements, radio advertising, and increased social media activity.
The minimum fare will apply to customers who choose to travel without buying a ticket before boarding when they had the opportunity to do so.
For many shorter journeys, the minimum fare will be higher than the standard ticket price. For example, a return ticket between Bishopbriggs and Glasgow Queen Street costs £3, meaning a customer who deliberately travels without a ticket could end up paying significantly more.
Independent analysis of ticketless travel shows that many passengers travelling without a ticket had the opportunity to buy before boarding. In 74 per cent of cases, the station ticket office was open, while 90 per cent of journeys involved stations with working ticket vending machines.
The change is also expected to help reduce anti-social behaviour on the railway, which is often linked to a small minority of passengers travelling without a ticket.
There are several circumstances where the minimum fare will not apply, including where ticket offices are closed, stations do not have self-service ticket machines, or where customers have disabilities that prevent them from using ticket machines.
Since returning to public ownership in 2022, ScotRail has strengthened revenue protection across the network, including introducing dedicated Revenue Protection Officers and improving tools for frontline staff.
Ticketless travel has reduced from 8.8 per cent in April 2022 to 2.98 per cent, while ScotRail’s Revenue Protection team recovers around £2million each year that would otherwise be lost.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said:
“We are delighted that our education campaign to remind everyone of the importance of buying before boarding is proving to be successful.
“It’s about making sure customers understand the different ways they can purchase a ticket before they start their journey.
“Fare evasion costs Scotland’s Railway millions of pounds every year, and that is money which could otherwise be reinvested in improving services for customers.
“The introduction of a minimum fare from 1 July will help ensure fairness for the vast majority of honest, fare-paying customers, who do the right thing and buy their ticket before they travel, while supporting our frontline teams in tackling deliberate ticketless travel.”
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