ScotRail Reviews 

Overall, the company is good in my opinion because the prices are reasonable. Bus journeys on the same routes are usually cheaper, but I have used ScotRail’s services many times and they are generally on time and have very friendly staff.

Submitting an online query to the ScotRail Customer Relations team is a total waste of time because they can't be bothered to respond.

Really good frequent services; friendly staff & competitive ticket prices. I find more often than not the train is cheaper than the bus in Glasgow. Depends where one is going of course.
I don't like the ScotRail app: it often doesn't show all the avaliable trsins: hopefully this gets fixed in the future. In the meantime, I either book at the station or use the ScotRail website, that doesn't have the same issues as the app.

I am lost for words as to these dirty worn out carriages and to say staff were extremely rude doesn't go near to describing their behaviour

Paid £44 for a return ticket. On my return journey back I was told by the guy at the gates that I could jump on the train an hour earlier than my ticket. Then got on the train and the guy who checks the tickets said I couldn't do that, so I had to pay another £30 for a single but I could call ScotRail and have the return journey refunded.

I called ScotRail for the refund, was on hold for a bit, then put through to 2 different people, just to be told that I can't have a refund.

Joke of a company.

Never seen so many trains consistently delayed, further delayed and then just out right cancelled almost daily!

There was a really nice young man in Milngavie station today, very pleasant and helpful towards everybody.

Experience excellent. Escorted on wheelchair by assistance staff member Adam Wilson from train arriving at Waverley from Burton on Trent to train leaving at 1700 for Glasgow Queen Street, stopping at Bishopbriggs. He alerted staff at Bishopbriggs re my need of help on arrival.
Luke, the ticket collector, helped me off the train with my case and Sandra , staff at Bishopbriggs Station, was waiting for me on the platform .
My thanks to all these people.

Went from Glasgow to Inverness on standard class. The seats were incredibly hard. In fact my backside was numb and sore for 3 or 4 hours afterward (and I still have pain at the base of my spine 24 hours later) .

I used to ride the train back in the 1980's and 1990's and back then they were spring loaded and you sank into them so comfortably!

I could NOT do this journey with Scotrail again (I dread the return journey) as its 3 and a half hours of pain (that lasts for days afterward).

They would probably cite the following fire regulations as a reason for seats being too hard -

N 50553 (Requirements for Running Capability in Case of Fire on Board of Rolling Stock), &

EN 45545 (Railway Applications: Fire Protection on Rolling Stock - replacing BS 6853)...

However, 'RSSB' ('Rail Safety and Standards Board') Head of Rolling Stock (Hugh O’Neill) was blunt in his rebuttle of this common lie from train companies:-

“It’s absolutely NOT TRUE that seat comfort is related to fire standards.”

He explained that there was no reason why thicker foam could not be fitted, and added that he thought the reason for the thin foam was entirely commercial (as thicker [more comfortable and softer] foam wears out in 5 years, as opposed to double that for the bricks they use at Scotrail!

They have no excuses here!

I physically should not have to endure pain simply because of the lack of padding on seats on their trains.

Its ridiculous!

Next time I travel North, I shall take my car!

Hadn’t travelled on Scotrail before and had no preconceptions, but was disappointed. The train on the service from Dundee to Edinburgh at 18.47 on Saturday was freezing. It seemed to have aircon on in sub-zero temperatures outside. The service started in Dundee and was in the platform for some time, but the toilets were manky.

Very poor experience with ScotRail staff at Glasgow Central.

Staff were rude, aggressive, and showed a clear attitude problem. Customers were prevented from going through the barriers despite having a green light, with no clear explanation given.

If certain barriers are not suitable for passengers with small trolleys, this should be clearly signposted. Expecting customers to guess the rules and then treating them poorly for it is unacceptable.

Overall, the staff demonstrated zero customer service skills, which is disappointing at a major station like Glasgow Central.

Trains are mostly getting late .

Just traveled from the south of England, 3 changes, great trains, all clean and nearly new, staff extremely courteous and friendly All good until my Scotrail service to Leuchars. Old filthy trains, WC out of order, what is happening to our railway in Scotland??

tried to leave review yesterday but strangely couldn't post! Couldn't buy a Helensburgh ticket to Glasgow using my NEC until after 9am, even though the 8.59 was still standing in station, was told by 'staff' tecnically couldn't use my yet to purchase ticket (the ticket office unmanned thus couldn't buy as she had disappeard til after the late leaving 8.59 had left the station ensuring I definitely wouldn't be boarding) as it was still supposed to leave at 8.59. Scotrail and staff are most definitely this year's Scrooge award winners. What kind of person arranged a timetable for trains to leave at 8.59 knowing NEC had to wait til 9.26 to travel especially in winter. There are posters at the station advertising be kind to older generation, it beggars belief. Cold miserable journey that was never ending. The last couple of times I unfortunately had to use Scotrail both journeys were cancelled at Dalmuir with no explanation just told to leave the train, no details of how to get back to helensburgh even though ticket had been purchased. Is it me or do most Scotrail staff get their kicks in causing misery, or is it just the West Coast staff. They give a good impression that they do. Merry Christmas!!

This should be called ScotFail…. My recent journey with ScotRail was appalling. The train was in a shocking state, with an obvious lack of basic cleaning and maintenance. The toilets were absolutely disgusting and broken, with urine covering the floor, making them unsafe and unhygienic to use. The conditions were so poor that I became ill later that night, which I strongly believe was caused by the filthy environment on the train. This level of neglect is unacceptable for a public transport service and shows a complete disregard for passenger health and dignity. Whoever owns these trains wants to be utterly ashamed of themselves taking a ridicules amount of money off people to travel like were in a third world country.

While travelling on business in the north of Scotland this week I had the misfortune to need to use ScotRail’s services to get myself from Invergordon to Inverness. The timing was vital as once in Inverness I had just 20 minutes before catching another train which I had pre-booked a seat on to get to Edinburgh that afternoon.

Having checked the timetable, i headed from the meeting I had attended to the station. Not a soul was there and neither was there any ticket machine so I had to mess around downloading the ScotRail app and set up an account in order to buy a digital ticket and then “activate” the ticket so it could be used.

The time the train was to arrive came and went and with zero information displayed on the electronic messaging board above the platform. Only with the help of another passenger who had also by then appeared did I discover that the train had been cancelled with another not due for at least three hours.

Fortunately the other passenger had parked their car outside the station, had the option of driving into Inverness, and was kind enough to offer me a lift.
By the slim margin of just 10 minutes I was able to make my connecting train to Edinburgh.

Later on, I decided to claim a refund of my ticket for the train which never turned up. When I called ScotRail customer services I was advised by an agent that because the digital ticket had already been “activated” a refund cannot be provided.

I pointed out to the agent in question,that none of this was my fault and it was they who had failed to provide the service I have paid for. When I made it clear that I was having none of this crap the agent sent almost immediately changed his tune.and said rhst that a refund will be in my bank accounts within five days. Had I not challenged this initial refusal to provide a refund I would definitely not have got one.

ScotRail are clearly quite happy to randomly cancel trains without providing any information about what is going on, and then try and rip the customers off by refusing to give a refund unless firmly challenged. Disgusting.

I was trying to go to cambuslang but the weather was very bad so they made us get off at fauldhouse because the train terminated there and they paid for the Uber to cambuslang

I was getting the 10.50pm train from Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street when the dispatcher had locked the train before 22.49 with it leaving the station before 10.50pm

On challenging the woman she told me the times was wrong on the clock, then when I said they weren't she said that the train doors are closed 30 seconds before departure I replied by saying well it is not even 22.49.30 seconds as we speak. Other were equally frustrated.

I then went to speak to the manager and asked the dispatcher who the manager was and they gent with her said he was the manager but he was off duty now and couldn't help ( Mr Mathers was his name I believe ) so asked who the manager was on duty of which he replied there is no on duty managers for the rest of the evening and the station is left to the staff to run for rest of the night. The dispatcher then told me I should have shouted and she would have opened the door again.

I had train booked at 4.10 London train to Edinburgh Waverley 20 mins before got message train cancelled due to someone being hit with train. This is understandable but called for refund to be told dont believe was cancelled i sent in screenshot and have had no reply nothing i cannot afford to pay for a train and just not get it i am due refund but am not getting any help

What can I say, a 3 hour journey and can't even buy a bottle of water. Disgraceful.