ScotRail passengers travelling between Glasgow Central and East Kilbride are set to benefit from cleaner, quieter and more modern trains from Sunday 14 December 2025, when the operator introduces electric services on the route. The rollout of Class 380 electric trains follows the completion of a major electrification scheme funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Network Rail.

The new units will replace the four-car Class 156 diesel trains currently used on most services between the two stations, though six-car diesel formations will continue operating where they are already in place. Once the timetable change takes effect, around three-quarters of all journeys on the line will be electrically operated, marking a key step in the broader decarbonisation of Scotland’s rail network.

Customers will also see wider timetable improvements across the central belt. The East Kilbride line will gain additional evening services, offering a largely half-hourly frequency from Monday to Saturday and giving travellers more flexibility for leisure and late-night journeys. Extra carriages will also be added to several peak-time services on the Glasgow Central – Newton, Neilston and Cathcart Circle routes.

Elsewhere, evening services between Edinburgh Waverley and Dunblane will increase to two trains per hour for the first time from Monday to Saturday, with all stations served. Morning weekday improvements are planned for the Edinburgh – North Berwick and Edinburgh – Dunbar routes, while ScotRail services to North Berwick, Dunbar and Tweedbank will see timing adjustments to accommodate wider cross-border timetable changes. Some evening Edinburgh–Dunbar trains will also begin stopping at Prestonpans, Longniddry and Drem, filling a two-hour gap in the current service pattern.

In Fife, revisions on Monday to Thursday and Sunday evenings will see some trains diverted via Dunfermline instead of Kirkcaldy, and others incorporate additional stops. These changes are designed to give Network Rail greater access for its electrification programme between Burntisland and Thornton North Junction. ScotRail has advised passengers to check their journeys in advance, as many other timetable alterations—though smaller in scale—will take effect across the network.

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.”

Image: ScotRail