ScotRail is set to introduce a £10 minimum fare for passengers who deliberately board trains without a valid ticket, in a move aimed at tackling fare evasion estimated to cost Scotland’s Railway more than £11 million a year. The new policy will mean that in many cases, particularly on shorter journeys, the charge will be higher than the standard fare, with ScotRail arguing it will act as a deterrent and promote fairness for paying customers.
From July 2026, following a three‑month customer education period beginning on 1 April, anyone purposefully travelling without a ticket where buying one was reasonably possible will face the £10 minimum fare. An example given by the operator shows that a return between Bishopbriggs and Glasgow Queen Street, which normally costs £3, would instead incur the £10 charge if a passenger chose not to purchase a ticket before boarding.
The minimum fare will not apply where the cost of a valid ticket for the journey is already more than £10, but ScotRail is stressing that passengers must still buy before they board to access any discounted rail travel. Independent analysis cited by the operator suggests that most people caught without a ticket had access either to an open ticket office or a working ticket vending machine, but opted not to use them. ScotRail also believes the measure will help reduce anti‑social behaviour, which it says is often linked to a small minority travelling without paying.
A number of exemptions are built into the policy, including for customers holding a national entitlement card, for stations without a ticket office or ticket vending machine, and where ticket offices are closed. Passengers with a registered disability that prevents them using ticket machines are also exempt, while staff will retain discretion to decide whether the minimum fare is appropriate based on individual circumstances. Customers who can only pay in cash will be expected to obtain a “promise to pay” ticket from a machine and then purchase their ticket from on‑train staff.
In Case You Missed It:
Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s Customer Operations Director, said the introduction of a minimum fare is intended to target “the small number of customers who don’t buy a ticket before they travel, ensuring fairness for honest, fare‑paying ScotRail passengers”. “Every pound lost through fraudulent travel is money that would have been reinvested into the railway, and we will take robust action to deal with those purposely avoiding payment,” he added, highlighting increased staffing, more checks at stations and enhanced data analysis as part of a wider clampdown on ticket fraud.
Since returning to public ownership in 2022, ScotRail has expanded its revenue protection team, focusing officers on known routes and repeat offenders, and providing frontline staff with better tools to report and manage fare evasion. The operator says these changes are already reducing instances of ticket fraud year‑on‑year and that the minimum fare is the next step in tightening up compliance.
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, said the policy complements the Scottish Government‑backed fares freeze, which is designed to support passengers with the cost of living while keeping services financially sustainable. She described the minimum fare as a “deterrent” aimed at those who deliberately evade payment and a way of protecting the significant public investment being made in Scotland’s railway while allowing time to educate customers about the new rules.
