ScotRail Reviews 

Booked train travel for our wedding anniversary to Edinburgh and my wife’s 60th birthday. Booked into a nice hotel. Disaster from the start, train cancelled from Carnoustie to Dundee. Cost £21 to park in Dundee.
Return leg was meant to be 7 carriages but because of a fault only 5 were available. Resulted in severe overcrowding with people standing in the isles and on the hottest day of the year. Congratulations Scotrail you managed to completely spoil or trip. Isn’t surprising really.

Hadn’t been on train for a while but caught it to Edinburgh at weekend. No hassles and competitive pricing. Like the fact there’s no premium for peak time. Would recommend

I bought a ticket on the app 10 minutes before my journey but didn't activate the ticket as I realised I needed a return. You cant get a refund through the app and if you phone the 'help' line it really is through the looking glass. I got through to someone who told me I can only get a refund if I'd claimed the day before ; so I would have to claim the refund before I bought to ticket!
Now 20 minutes into waiting to speak to someone and losing the will to live. So my advice is delete the app and get physical tickets as they are just not up to the job as others have said it seems designed to make you give up.

Scotrail website must have been designed in 1890 - not clear routes/ explanations - clunky, slow to repsond - really poor - even if I use nationalrail (preferred) it will then divert me to scotrail for payment - have been using italian train websites for last month - clear and easy - have your tried getting a refund from scotrail ? - everything is designed to make you give up -

Purchased a Club 50 Railcard and paid the £15 on June 5th,told max 5 days delivery! 12 days later nothing,so I contact them and discover the card hasn't been processed but it's now been done! So you pay your money,you don't get what they offer and your only way of getting it is if you phone to complain! Absolute shambles!

9/6/26
Ruardidh customer service was fantastic

Rude staff, no customer service, they expect all passengers to be cheating and riding without a ticket. On a 22 minute train journey my ticket is checked 3 times. I've never ridden without a ticket, but they expect everyone to be cheating them.

I forgot my keys, phone and friends. Police in the station found my phone, ended up finding a couple of friends. They where all so helpful❤️❤️❤️ thank you Scotrail

I took last train from Glasgow Central to Gretna Green. Unfortunately the 9:10pm train from Glasgow only goes to Dumfries. I checked trainline and it shows the arrival of the Dumfries train was too late to catch a connecting train to Gretna. So i booked a taxi from Dumfries to Gretna which was going to cost me £50. The female conductor on my train informed me that a train waits in Dumfries for my train to arrive and that she will ring that trains female conductor to inform she had at that time 1 passenger for gretna. Hence i cancelled my taxi. I was so pleased. Conductors are so friendly and informative. It really helped me as i had, had a rough day. And they made my day end on a much nicer note. When i got on the Carlisle train i asked the conductor if the other lass had actually called her, and she said she had and it was something they do to help passengers as well as colleagues. For this i thank Scotrail for the training of their colleagues in excellent customer service.

Wanna leave review fur Jason the ticket inespecter!!! Wanna the best, he's funny n welcoming, big up Jason he's the man, some boy hwg

Customer service is atrocious

Was on the 20:06 hrs train from Edinburgh Waverly too Newcastle.

I boarded the train with my luggage and sat down in the completely empty First Class Carriage. Thinking this wouldnt be a problem.

After the inspector came around and scanned my ticket he instructed me to leave the first class lounge.

The way he looked at me was like i was absolutely not worth the time of day.

But i politey moved to the standard class. Immediately the heat hit me due to no air conditioning. I sat down and the inspector came past me again, i asked him if me and the other 3 passangers on the train could sit in the first class Carriage as it was soo warm he replyed " emm no your alright" and walked off shaking his head.
After he completed his run he went and sat in the first class lounge all to himself .

Very disappointing in the treatment.

Terrible. The staff were very rude and unpleasant do not recommend absolute shocking experience

Extremely rude and unhelpful the so called customer service agent i got could barely speak a coherent sentence in english a complete and utter waste of time.

We were getting ready to board the train to Oban and all the passengers just flooded the platform and the doors weren't even open! We just had to stand there and wait for the driver to arrive which wasn't until the last couple of minutes which meant everyone pushing and shoving to get a seat. This is how accidents happen too. A health and safety nightmare! Coming back from Taynuilt, the train was packed. They never have enough carriages for the capacity needed. Noisy, cramped, stuffy and there seems to be no organisation or communication. The west highland line is the backbone of the Scottish tourist economy and you need to be doing a lot better. Pull your socks up ScotRail! This service needs a complete overhaul.

Travelling to dundee from stirling and returning 2 days later I required passenger assistance. Overall the service i recieve from all staff members was excellent and made it so much easier for me preventing stress. But I particularly want to commend the ticket operator on the 1307 to aberdeen from stirling on 26th may. A young woman got on with very young child in buggy. When ticket inspected she had got on wrong train having meant to be travelling to Dunblane but the 1st stop our train was Perth. The conductor seeing her panic reassured her and checked trains from Perth. He then saw a train left Perth for Dunblane 2 minutes after we arrived with the next train an hour later. He made a call and asked train to wait for this young woman. Although we arrived a couple of minutes late the young girl was able to run with pram cheered on by passengers and the other train was waiting for her. This was brilliant scotrail. Very well done .

Waiting for a refund for a cancelled train. After ignoring me for approx. 5 weeks, informed me today I could wait up to 14 days for my refund.
This train company is becoming an absolute joke, no wonder people will not give up their cars if this is the garbage service they are to expect.

14.50 train from Perth to Inverness
Staff member at Perth station absolutely lovely
Friendly outgoing and professional
Member of staff on train…. Equally as amazing

Seriously a pleasure to write this

Thanks

They’re happy to charge first class prices without providing the same service that LNER provide at the same price. Absolute rip off. Shame on you Scotfail

My partner and I had a really wonderful experience with two conductors. The first conductor, Paula, on the train 9:30 AM train to Perth from Waverly on May 15, 2026. I had a ticket situation and she went above and beyond to help. Maybe she saw how nervous I looked, but I think she’s just a genuinely nice person. She sat with me and talked me through possible solutions and also spoke in a manner that was so kind. She’s fantastic. Thank you for speaking to me like a human being!

The second conductor was Jason on our change train to Inverness that departed from Perth at 11:16 AM on the same day. He understood my situation and without hesitation, kindly helped me too.

I’m very grateful to them both.