The Scottish Government has commenced procurement to replace ScotRail’s fleet of InterCity trains.
This procurement will replace 25 trains in ScotRail’s High Speed Train (HST) fleet. These vehicles operate on InterCity routes between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Inverness.
The new trains will be designed to improve comfort and accessibility, ensure reliability and reduce emissions.
The replacement plan was first announced earlier this year. Further details will be shared when the contract is awarded in 2025.
A refreshed Decarbonisation Action Plan is also expected to be published in Spring 2025 with updated targets for replacing ScotRail’s existing diesel fleets.
“Resilient, reliable ScotRail services are key to encouraging more people to choose to travel by train for work, leisure and learning.
“Over 4 million passengers travelled on InterCity trains between our key cities in the last year – we want to encourage even more people to do so. This procurement will enable us to replace the current Intercity fleet with trains which provide improved facilities and accessibility.
“Any replacement fleet is expected to be more energy efficient and therefore will significantly reduce emissions, reduce operating costs and be more in line with current passenger expectations, including for accessibility. The procurement process ensures Scottish suppliers will be able to offer to provide their services to potential bidders.
“This latest milestone in our rolling programme of decarbonisation will ensure the reliability of our Intercity routes for the long-term, making Scotland’s railway a more attractive and greener travel choice.”
