ScotRail Reviews 

Got on the 11.20 train from Bishopton to Glasgow. Ticket collector Scott was brilliant. Watched his interaction with a 2 year old boy and it was really funny and he made the wee boys day. Apart from that he was extremely friendly and helpful. We need more people like Scott 👍👍

Received email to look out for ScotRail £20 return fair anywhere in Scotland Deal.
Email arrived, and clicked on to book two return tickets to Aberdeen from Queen Street station Glasgow.
Everything went through, £40 taken from my bank, and confirmed, received booking reference number from ScotRail, and then screen flashed up transaction failed.
Phone ScotRail and told yes transaction failed, and monies will be refunded within 3/5 work days.
Asked why transaction failed, and told due to train scheduling issues, again asked why scheduling not checked before payment was taken, could not answer, other than saying monies will be refunded within 3/5 working days.
Also asked why no follow up email or text to confirm transaction failed, again no answer, other than you will receive refund within 3/5 working days.
So why should I be out of pocket, until I receive refund, again sorry but that's procedure.
So while talking to him, went onto my ScotRail app, and put in same travel details, and a presto train time still showing, but at £140 for return.
So ScotRail come on, Don't take payment until all details checked.

Cleanliness ❌️

WiFi ❌️- it's absolutely appalling.

Timely 🤏

Staff ✅️ (Mostly/ Kind of/ Many grumpy t#!@s too).

Getting Scotrail anywhere is usually a bloody awful experience. Overbooked, unclean and with a tannoy in train that either blows your head off or can't be heard.

It needs millions spent on it, and as its nationalised that won't happen.

If you can, use LNER. Its a different class of service altogether. Night and Day. Even Cross-country is preferable.

Overcrowded trains are a constant with never enough carriages, you are very lucky if you get anything over a 4 carriage train these days. Expected to be crammed all down the aisles and at the doors and it’s less about convenience and more of a daily struggle on when and if your train will be on time, late or cancelled. I use the trains a lot and in the last few years they have deteriorated to the worst I’ve ever seen them.

Allan Reid nicest guy I’ve met felt safe the whole journey love this guy

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!

Freezing cold trains with no heating on the Glasgow to Edinburgh service , trains was so cold I started shaking , temperature was -3 outside and they have no heating onboard and they don't care it's working , 0-10 service, appalling every journey is terrible , staff at queen Street are so rude when asking for advice re a service or ticket problem , won't use them again!

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!!