COP26 trains: how will Glasgow climate summit impact ScotRail, and other rail services?

The global COP26 summit in Glasgow is now just a few days away and its impact is expected to be felt around the city.

The summit, which will see more than 100 world leaders and in excess of 25,000 delegates descend on the city, is expected to cause major disruption for travellers.

Significant road closures around the event venue at the SEC will have a knock-on effect on traffic elsewhere and affect bus services.

The summit will also affect train services into and around Glasgow

How will COP26 affect Glasgow trains?

ScotRail, which operates train services around Glasgow has warned that during the summit, from 31 October until 12 November, train services will be much busier than usual.

Services within the city as well as from other areas are expected to come under pressure as regular passenger numbers are swollen by summit delegates using trains. The Scottish Government is also encouraging those who normally travel by car to use trains instead, in order to avoid road closure.

In response, ScotRail has said it will put on additional services and longer trains on key routes.

All trains to the summit venue at the SEC will be extended to six carriages to carry more passengers.

Late-night services between Exhibition Centre station at the SEC and Glasgow Central will also be extended, with the last train to Glasgow Central at 00:18, and last train from Glasgow Central to Exhibition Centre at 00:24.

Glasgow to Edinburgh services will also be enhanced, with eight carriages per train during the day and additional 00:15 and 00:45 trains from Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk High.

ScotRail has said it will offer “additional strengthening” to day services along a number of other key routes and extra trains including:

• Glasgow to Ayrshire: Additional 00:16 and 00:45 Glasgow to Ayr trains.
• Dunbartonshire: Last westbound service 00:15 to Dalmuir, last eastbound service at 00:30 to Rutherglen via Glasgow Central Low Level,
• Stirling/Dunblane: Additional 00:18 and 00:48 Glasgow to Dunblane.

How will ScotRail strikes affect train services?

RMT union members working for ScotRail had threatened to strike during the summit.

The union was planning 12 days of strikes to coincide with COP26 but called off the action at the last minute after reaching a pay deal with ScotRail bosses.

The move means that the strikes, which were expected to cause major travel disruption, will no longer go ahead and services will run as planned.

Union and ScotRail bosses reached an agreement on Wednesday that will see staff get a 2.5% pay rise backdated to April without any conditions on productivity improvements or efficiency savings.

How will the Subway be affected?

SPT, which runs the city’s subway service has also warned of an “unprecedented” impact on travel during the summit, with trains expected to be far busier than usual.

It says the subway will run as normal throughout the summit, with trains operating from 6.30am to 11.40pm each day.

Additional services will be operated on Sunday 31 October and Sunday 7 November. On both days, services will run from 8am until 10pm.