New timetable delivers electric trains to East Kilbride

ScotRail customers travelling between Glasgow Central and East Kilbride will benefit from the introduction of electric trains when the new timetable starts on Sunday, 14 December 2025.

The introduction of modern four-carriage class 380 trains follows the major project – funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Network Rail – to electrify the East Kilbride line, delivering smoother, quieter, and more comfortable journeys for customers.

The electric trains replace four-carriage class 156 diesel trains currently operating on the route. Services currently formed of six-carriage class 156 trains will continue to operate in their existing format.

Once the timetable change is introduced, around 75 per cent of services between Glasgow Central and East Kilbride will be operated by electric trains, marking a significant step forward in Scotland’s ongoing rail decarbonisation programme.

Customers on the East Kilbride line will also benefit from additional evening services, delivering a broadly half-hour service Monday to Saturday, offering more choice and flexibility for leisure and late-night travel.

The new timetable change will also deliver more carriages on a number of peak-time services on the Glasgow Central – Newton/Neilston/Cathcart Circle routes.

Additional evening services will operate between Edinburgh Waverley and Dunblane, providing, for the first time, two trains per hour Monday to Saturday, calling at all stations.

Customers on the Edinburgh Waverley – North Berwick / Dunbar line will see new morning weekday services, with ScotRail services between Edinburgh Waverley and North Berwick, Dunbar, and Tweedbank also seeing revised timings to accommodate cross-border timetable changes by other train operators as part of the East Coast Main Line timetable changes.

Some evening Edinburgh – Dunbar services will stop at Prestonpans, Longniddry, and Drem, removing a two-hour gap between services.

In Fife, on Monday to Thursday, and Sunday evenings, some services are being revised and will operate via Dunfermline instead of Kirkcaldy, and others with some additional stops to allow Network Rail enhanced access for the ongoing electrification works between Burntisland and Thornton North Junction.

Most other changes across the network are minor, but customers are encouraged to check their journeys on the ScotRail website, mobile app, or through social media channels as train times may have changed.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said:

“This timetable marks another important milestone for Scotland’s Railway, as we introduce electric trains on the East Kilbride line following the successful completion of the electrification project.

“The move to electric trains will mean smoother, quieter, and more sustainable journeys for customers, while our additional evening services will offer greater flexibility for those travelling later in the day.

“Across the network, we’ve made a range of changes to deliver more services, improve capacity where it’s needed most, and to support ongoing investment in the decarbonisation of Scotland’s Railway.”

Details on the main changes that will be introduced from Sunday, 14 December:

Additional evening services on Glasgow Central – East Kilbride line:

• 2021 Glasgow Central to East Kilbride.
• 2058 East Kilbride to Glasgow Central.
• 2117 Glasgow Central to East Kilbride.
• 2157 East Kilbride to Glasgow Central.
• 2218 Glasgow Central to East Kilbride.
• 2257 East Kilbride to Glasgow Central.

Additional carriages on peak-time services between Glasgow Central and Neilston / Newton / Cathcart Circle:

• 0724 Neilston to Glasgow Central now six carriages (was four).
• 0813 Glasgow Central to Glasgow Central (via Cathcart Circle) now six carriages (was three).
• 0852 Glasgow Central to Glasgow Central (via Cathcart Circle) now six carriages (was three).
• 1720 Glasgow Central to Newton now six carriages (was four).

Additional evening services between Edinburgh Waverley and Dunblane:

• 2101 Dunblane to Edinburgh Waverley.
• 2154 Dunblane to Edinburgh Waverley.
• 2255 Dunblane to Edinburgh Waverley.
• 2035 Edinburgh Waverley to Dunblane.
• 2134 Edinburgh Waverley to Dunblane.
• 2235 Edinburgh Waverley to Dunblane.
• 2332 Edinburgh Waverley to Dunblane (Saturday only).

Additional morning weekday services from Dunbar / North Berwick to Edinburgh Waverley:

• 0741 Dunbar to Edinburgh Waverley (calling at East Linton, Drem, Prestonpans, Wallyford, Musselburgh).
• 0819 North Berwick to Edinburgh Waverley (all stations).

Source: ScotRail