ScotRail has announced plans to reduce ticket office opening hours in Elgin, Keith and Forres – but argue customers will receive more support than ever.
The rail operator has published proposals due to come into effect next year after a review of how passengers buy tickets.
It means the Keith ticket office will now be open less than two hours Monday to Thursday, while the Elgin office will shut more than two hours earlier than previously.
Across the network, 54 ScotRail ticket offices will have their opening hours reduce while 12 will have their times increase.
There will be no job losses as part of the changes with staff expected to take on other duties in the stations when not selling tickets.
How ticket office opening hours will change in Elgin, Keith and Forres
Previous Elgin opening hours
- Monday to Saturday: 6.25am to 7.30pm
- Sunday: 10.25am to 6.05pm
New Elgin opening hours
- Monday to Thursday: 7am to 5pm
- Friday: 7am to 6.45pm
- Saturday: 6.45pm to 4.15pm
- Sunday: 9.45am to 4.30pm
Weekly overall reduction in Elgin: 18hrs 10mins
Previous Keith opening hours
- Monday to Saturday: 6.38am to 1.42pm
- Sunday: Closed
New Keith opening hours
- Monday to Thursday: 9am to 10.45am
- Friday: 7.45am to 12noon
- Saturday: 9am to 1.45pm
- Sunday: Closed
Weekly overall reduction in Keith: 26hrs 24mins
Previous Forres opening hours
- Monday to Saturday: 7.46am to 2.50pm
- Sunday: Closed
New Forres opening hours
- Monday to Thursday: 8am to 1.15pm
- Friday: 7.45am to 12.15pm
- Saturday: 8.45am to 1.45pm
- Sunday: Closed
Weekly overall reduction in Forres: 11hrs 56mins
How many fares are still bought from ticket offices?
ScotRail says it carried out an assessment in 2021 of where customers were buying their tickets from.
The results showed that in the previous 10 years there had been a 50% reduction in the numbers being bought from counter staff.
Figures show that online sales, including through the app, has been the most popular method of buying tickets since 2022, now accounting for 43% of all sales.
About 20% of tickets are currently bought from self-service vending machines at stations.
And about 16% of sales are from ticket offices. However, ScotRail says 90% of those are from just 20 stations.
About 17% of tickets are bought on trains.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s customer operations director, said: “The independent passenger watchdog Transport Focus carried out an extensive consultation on these proposals, which received feedback from thousands of people across Scotland.
“We have listened to our customers and updated our proposals based on that feedback.
“These changes will provide a service that is better suited for today and the ticket-buying habits of our customers, as well as create an environment that improves safety and customer support.”
Read more about ScotRail in Elgin
- Hourly trains were promised from Inverness and Elgin to Aberdeen 15 years ago: What happened to them?
- Better off or a raw deal? How Elgin ScotRail fares compare to Central Belt
- ScotRail delays in Elgin: More than 40% of trains are late
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