ScotRail is officially launching its £10 minimum fare scheme on July 1 to tackle fare evasion. From that date, any traveller who boards a ScotRail train without a valid ticket, having had the opportunity to purchase one before boarding, will be charged a £10 minimum fare.
Why the £10 Minimum Fare?
The scheme is being introduced to address fare evasion, which costs ScotRail an estimated £11 million annually. Additionally, the railway hopes the change will help reduce anti-social behaviour, reportedly driven by a small minority of passengers travelling without tickets.
How the Minimum Fare Works
The £10 minimum fare applies to any route, even where the standard fare is cheaper. For example, if a traveller avoids paying £3 for a return ticket from Bishopbriggs to Glasgow Queen Street, they will be charged the £10 fare. However, if the standard ticket price exceeds £10, such as a £14 fare, passengers must pay the full £14 without any railcard discounts or other reductions.
Importantly, digital tickets purchased on phones after boarding or at the destination station will be treated as invalid, and the minimum fare policy will apply.
Exclusions to the Minimum Fare
Certain passengers are exempt from the minimum fare. These include those who have always bought Kids For A Quid tickets on board, and those purchasing concession tickets with a National Entitlement Card. Additionally, passengers boarding at stations without retail facilities—either a ticket office or ticket vending machine—are not charged the minimum fare. This also applies if facilities are closed or out of order, or if accessibility requirements prevent access to the ticket office or vending machine.
Another exclusion covers passengers unable to get the required ticket from a station's vending machine, for instance, a concession ticket when no office is available. Finally, if a station has no ticket office and the vending machine cannot accept cash, travellers must obtain a Promise to Pay ticket from the machine before boarding to avoid the minimum fare.
