Scotland rail fares increase 2020: how much will train tickets cost from January and the price of a Scotrail season ticket

Another new year, another hike in the cost of a rail ticket - so how much will you be paying for train travel in 2020?

The cost of an annual season ticket between Glasgow and Edinburgh has risen by £116 as fares across the UK are hiked by an average of 2.7% from today (2 January).

It means passengers who commute between Scotland's two biggest cities, on any permitted route, will now have to pay £4,200 for their year-round travel.

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The fare rise is just one of several long-distance commuter routes across the UK which sees an annual fare hike of more than £100 - despite fewer than two-thirds of trains being on time last year.

(Photo: Getty Images)(Photo: Getty Images)
(Photo: Getty Images)

Network Rail data shows only 65% of trains arrived at their scheduled station stops within one minute of the timetable in the 12 months to 7 December.

There's a little victory for travellers and commuters on Scottish trains though: the average rise in the country will be 2.4% - slightly less than the UK average.

Bruce Williamson, of pressure group Railfuture, claimed fares are "outstripping people's incomes".

He said: "Welcome to another decade of misery for rail passengers.

"How on earth is the Government going to meet its climate commitments by pricing people off environmentally-friendly trains and on to our polluted and congested roads?"

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a new fund will be created to support trials of more flexible fares across the country as part of improvements focused on "putting passengers first".

Shapps said he was "not delighted" about increasing rail fares.

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He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm not delighted by it, to be perfectly honest, as a train commuter.

"The truth is we do now have a situation where average wages are going up faster than inflation, so if you don't keep this tracking with inflation you are actually effectively putting less money into transport and less money into trains and you won't get them running on time doing that either."

How much more will you pay for a season ticket?

The price of a season ticket between Glasgow and Edinburgh will go up by £116 to £4,200.

Here we've rounded up the new cost of annual season tickets between Scotland's biggest cities:

(All tickets are valid on any permitted route)

Glasgow - Edinburgh/Edinburgh - Glasgow: £4,200

Glasgow - Dundee: £5,780

Glasgow - Perth: £4,836

Glasgow - Stirling: £2,292

Edinburgh - Dundee: £4,572

Edinburgh - Perth: £3,756

Edinburgh - Stirling: £2,636

Aberdeen - Dundee: £4,696

How much will you pay for return journeys?

An off-peak return ticket from Dundee to Edinburgh has increased in price by 50p to £29.40.

Here are the cheapest return prices on some of Scotland's busiest train routes:

Glasgow - Edinburgh: £13.60

Glasgow - Dundee: £40.30

Glasgow - Perth: £16.90

Glasgow - Stirling: £8.80

Edinburgh - Dundee: £29.40

Edinburgh - Perth: £18.30

Edinburgh - Stirling: £10.10

Aberdeen - Dundee: £32.20