ScotRail Reviews 

Arrived at Glasgow Queen Station, I wanted a same day return ticket to Edinburgh. It showed £16.5. Vendor machine does not support contactless. I went to the counter. The middle aged woman asked me to buy an any-time return ticket cost me £22.5. I stressed again same day, she insisted this is the one. It printed on the train ticket return within 1 month. I am living in the UK, do I look like a tourist to be scammed?

No doubt the general review score is so low already, the only constructive suggestion would be to add contactless payment and reduce your staff that impact your reputation further.

4/7/25:It has been an awful experience. Katarina in the ticket office was extremely unhelpful at Aberdeen station. My wife dealt with her extremely politely and cordially.
We had to get my family’s tickets printed(5) which were booked and paid to LNER originally.
Unfortunately we never received the printed tickets. Katarina at Aberdeen ticket office initially refused to help at all when we gave her the booking reference and said it was not possible to print any tickets.
We had the get the LNER lady on the phone to speak to Katarina directly and she gave her the same booking reference and it took 20 seconds to print the tickets. We had to catch a plane from Edinburgh and we had no ‘wriggle room’ to adjust. Also Katarina said there were no new tickets to purchase at the initial meeting as this train journey was sold out. Wow,what an unsettling experience. If staff are not conducive to public interaction and customer service then keep them in the back office. It was obvious she was not interested in any little bit of extra work which in the end was extremely simple. Customer service is not on the Scot rail agenda.
Scot rail — get your act together. Hire proper staff on the front desks.

Travelling Perth to Aberdeen bought advance ticket £39 for 2 people 11.40 train. Needed to leave earlier 10.46 train checked scotrail policy if we could use same ticket to travel on the earlier train it said up to the descrection of the station. The lady at Perth totally inflexible (both times advanced tickets same price) she ended saying you bought the tickets. Talked to us like we were stupid. Payed £74 pounds for 2 tickets on an old rickety half empty train. Scotrail worst railway service ever..

Traveled on the Glasgow to Carlisle train today brilliant on time also the great to see someone enjoying being at work 👍
The ticket inspector Mandy met everyone with a cheerful hello and lovely smile, made our day well done Mandy

Had a query about an upcoming journey. They list the number on there site but that puts you through to the national rail line. Had to phone back and eventually got someone who was very abrasive and not the least bit helpful. Absolutely stinking attitude which has made me write this review they are not fit for working on phones with customers. Easiest option now is to pop into local station and speak to someone properly.

Used Scotrail for the first time recently. Utter crap. Worst in UK. All the bad reviews are right.

After paying 31 gbp for a single ticket from Edinburgh to montrose I was expecting relaxing trip. My trip,not just mine turned to nightmare as it was +24 outside and it felt like sauna inside train as ventilation was not working and you can't open windows either. They had 3 carriages only and all these people travelling from Newcastle to Aberdeen stuck into 3 carriages with no ventilation. For a moment I thought I'll faint. It's unbelievable to have such a nightmare with that price

Glasgow to Manchester on the hottest day of the year. Train 18 minutes late. No air con, temperature in carriage 33 degrees. No offer of water and what we did buy was warm as no refrigeration. Journey took almost 4 hours, passangers were feeling unwell.
We were advised that we could get off and take the next train but unfortunatley it also had no air con. Suffice to say I will never travel with Scot Rail again

Appalling customer service after appalling train service. Customer service seniors require serious retraining, offhand and rude in their attitude.

My partner and I caught the 08.45 Inverurie to Inverness train on Saturday, 21st June. As the carriages had been mixed up, we were in the wrong carriage with our cases. The friendly lady conductor kindly took charge of our heavy cases and showed us to our seats for which we were grateful. I wish I could give her more than 5 stars!

horrible staff and also horrible trains and horrible prices £7 to get from Motherwell to Glasgow

Filthy trains, inside and out.
A real shame as we thought we would enjoy a trip over the West Highland line, but the windows were too dirty for photos/videos.
£46 for us to sit in a pig sty.

Why is nothing ever good with scotrail. 1st class WiFi non existent for the third week in a row - highlights comfy seat and a bottle of strathmore water!!! at least this week there wasn’t a last minute train change when your 1st ticket is worthless as the new train doesn’t have 1st ( ever tried to claim compensation??) the two scotrail employees behind me ripping into the management and how they refuse to do anything that management ask them to - Scot Gov nationalised this network, we thought Abello were bad but like everything under the control of this incompetent useless government it’s a disaster.

Travelled down LNER and back Scotrail. No comparison. Overloaded train , not enough provision for bikes but you still sold then tickets , no soap, no dryer , no seat. After a stop I accidently wandered into 1st class and never knew the difference except the folding table was broken . Get a grip and CEO needs to step down immediately.

Twice travelling from Edinburgh to Inverness after pre booking fist class tickets had to stand in second class until Kingussie on one occasion and Aviemore on the other. Not only very uncomfortable for 2 people over 60 but must be a serious health and safety issue.

On the 8.16 train from Hamilton to Glasgow this morning (12th June) , I watched as the "lady" train ticket assistant was appallingly rude to a young girl on the carriage. Her crime was to ask about the ticket and she received a series of rude and unnecessarily unpleasant comments from Train Karen. Most staff are lovely on ScotRail but geezo whoever unleashed this Gorgon onto the customers needs to give their head a wobble. Some people should not be in a customer facing role and I would suggest that is the case here. Perhaps her redeployment to line replacement works in the west Highlands would help us poor paying customers. Is £10 for a short 25 minute train journey and a mouthful of abuse what ScotRail are aiming for?

I contacted Scotrail on the 22nd March 2024 to submit a complaint. It is now June 2025 and I have chased this up and never received a phone call or an email providing a response to my complaint. Each time I called they said it was with another department. I have now taken it to the Rail Ombudsmen and know the matter will be closed and in favor of Scotrail saying there is no evidence.

On the 22nd March 2024 I was unhappy with what happened at the Central Station. A gateline manager attempted to approach me and I asked him not to. He still approached me then grabbed my arm and caused bruising. I asked him to remove his hand as I am autistic and do not like to be touched by strangers. I spoke to a British Transport Police officer straight away they were not interested in my complaint. My advice to anyone is start recording when you are dealing with an issue at Glasgow Central with individuals who work there otherwise they will deny everything. I watched a few videos of people being treated disgracefully at Central by Scotrail staff. From now on even if it is not me I will be recording the event to protect others. It is a shame as some of the employees of Scotrail are respectable and professional.

I travelled today 3rd June 2025 from Liverpool lime street to Aberdeen changing at Wigan north to Edinburgh then change for Aberdeen but before I got to Liverpool station I had a notification that the Wigan part of the journey was cancelled. I went to the ticket office who said we could go to Newcastle then Edinburgh and on to Aberdeen. All train companies honoured our tickets except the usual suspect Scotrail who had the audacity to charge the full fare of £32.35 and this is WITH a senior Railcard. Others on the train had to pay the same that were supposed to be on the cancelled Wigan train. If you are ever delayed I advise never to use Scot rail on your delayed journey as they seem to be the only rail company I know of who won't honour your ticket due to a cancellation. You get fare dodgers who get off with no ticket but Scotrail punish the traveler who paid for a ticket and through no fault of there own the train get cancelled and they have the Gaul to charge u again. I got one will never use again unless they are the only carrier that can take me to my destination.Their 1.9 star ratings tell you all you need to know. Robbers without the weapon.

Appalling customer service! I would have given 0 stars if it was an option.

I mistakenly bought a weekly season ticket on the Scotrail app and immediately requested a refund. I then purchased the flexipass ticket that I originally intended to buy.

I received only a partial refund! Apparently, they assume the ticket bought in error was used, which it wasn't. This can easily be verified against my flexipass purchase. Additionally, they deducted £10 for admin fees, essentially keeping most of the season ticket cost for no valid reason.

Why have transaction IDs for ticket purchases and conductors/barriers to scan tickets if Scotrail is just going to make assumptions about ticket usage?

I'm so glad I wasted over an hour on the phone, being passed from one person to another who couldn't help, only to be repeatedly told they understand but won't do anything to assist.

What's the point of having customer service if they're not authorised to help in any way?

Got train from Hairmyers New train station and was greeted by a lovely girl called Robyn , so friendly and talkative. Very helpful!