ScotRail fare freeze announced as Scots get 2026 cost‑of‑living boost

The Scottish Government has announced a freeze on rail fares for the next 12 months as part of a £4.3 million investment plan.

The decision comes as part of wider efforts to help commuters with the rising cost of living, particularly after a 3.8% fare increase last year.

The Scottish Government has announced a freeze on rail fares for the next 12 months as part of a £4.3 million investment plan. (Image: Jane Barlow)

First Minister John Swinney made the announcement on Thursday morning, during a visit to Edinburgh Waverley Station.

He said: "The government recognises the challenges that people face in wrestling with the cost of living at the moment, so we’re looking for every step we can take to try to help people.

"We’ve decided to freeze rail fares for next year, so there’ll be no annual increase in rail fares, and what that will do is help commuters to afford their daily travel.

"When you add to that the abolition of peak rail fares, which we undertook in September last year, it’s a huge saving in the cost of travel for individuals and helps people at a time when household incomes are under such pressure."

The funding, which will fluctuate based on passenger demand, will support the fare freeze through the 2026-27 financial year.

He said the move will make rail travel "a much more credible option" for Scots.

The policy is "striking the right balance between investment in customers and their costs and investment in the rail network".

The Scottish Government has announced a freeze on rail fares for the next 12 months as part of a £4.3 million investment plan. (Image: Jane Barlow)

While some have questioned the timing of the announcement ahead of the upcoming Holyrood election in May, the First Minister said the decision is part of a broader focus on reducing living costs.

He declined to link the policy directly to the election, saying only that he is "always looking at what we can do to reduce the cost of living."

The fare freeze comes after the Scottish Government scrapped peak-time rail fares in September, a move that has already delivered significant savings for regular rail users.

Speaking to the Press Association, the First Minister said: “The Government recognises the challenges that people face in wrestling with the cost of living at the moment, so we’re looking for every step we can take to try to help people.

“We’ve decided to freeze rail fares for next year, so there’ll be no annual increase in rail fares, and what that will do is help commuters to afford their daily travel.

“When you add to that the abolition of peak rail fares, which we undertook in September last year, it’s a huge saving in the cost of travel for individuals and helps people at a time when household incomes are under such pressure.”

The Government hopes the move will make rail travel “a much more credible option” for Scots, he said, adding the policy is “striking the right balance between investment in customers and their costs and investment in the rail network”.