Major events and promotions fueled demand, including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Edinburgh Festivals, high-profile concerts, and promotions like the £60 Family Pass for Easter and school holidays.

Growth is attributed to fare reforms such as removal of peak fares, a fare freeze through next year, and the £60 Family Pass during holidays, plus increased travel to major events.

ScotRail logged 48,419,573 journeys from April 1 to September 30, 2026, up 7% from a year earlier and 3.1 million more than 2025, signaling robust growth.

The six-month period benefited from the removal of peak fares in September 2025 and fare freezes through March 2027, simplifying pricing and boosting demand.

The rise follows the 2025 peak-fare removal and pricing simplification, with fares frozen until 2027, contributing to higher passenger numbers.

ScotRail remains focused on safe, reliable, and affordable service delivery to sustain growth and customer confidence.

David Ross, ScotRail’s chief operating officer, credited staff efforts, major events, fare reforms, and value offerings for the milestone, emphasizing safety and reliability.

Promotions like the £60 Family Pass boosted leisure travel, with Easter weekend journeys totaling over 800,000, up about 4% from the previous year.