Scottish government begins procurement process to replace ScotRail high speed trains

The Scottish government has announced that it has initiated the procurement process to replace ScotRail’s High Speed Train (HST) fleet, which serves key InterCity routes across Scotland. The replacement project will be managed by ScotRail on behalf of Transport Scotland and will focus on upgrading the trains operating between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop emphasised the importance of reliable rail services for reducing transport emissions and encouraging train travel over car use. She stated, “Over four million passenger journeys were made on InterCity trains in the last year. We want to maintain and where possible, increase that number choosing to go by train between Scotland’s cities.

“We want to replace the current Intercity fleet with trains which provide more comfort and accessibility for passengers on these routes. This planned investment will ensure the reliability of our Intercity routes for the long-term, will reduce emissions from Intercity services and will support our efforts to decarbonise Scotland’s railways.”

This initiative is part of Scotland’s ongoing commitment to modernising its railway infrastructure and ensuring sustainable and efficient transportation options for the future.