Shoppers popping into town to get last-minute Christmas gifts have been warned that rail services are set to be severely disrupted.
RMT union Rail strikes on Friday December 16 and Saturday 17 are expected to go ahead, with Network Rail workers walking out due to an ongoing pay dispute.
While this strike action does not include ScotRail employees, the national rail operator's services will be disrupted and a reduced timetable will be in place.
This is because Network Rail employees who are in safety-critical roles such as signallers and maintenance staff will be on strike.
A ScotRail travel warning states: "RMT announced further national strike action across the Great Britain railway network in a separate dispute with Network Rail and other train operating companies."
Full list of services on strike days
On strike days, services will only run between 7.30AM and 6.30PM.
However, it is important to note that last trains will depart well before 6.30PM so you should check your service online to make sure that you do not miss it.
A full list of services running today and tomorrow is as follows:
- Edinburgh – Glasgow via Falkirk High: two trains per hour
- Glasgow - Edinburgh via Airdrie & Bathgate: two trains per hour
- Glasgow – Hamilton/Larkhall: two trains per hour
- Glasgow – Lanark: two trains per hour
- Edinburgh – Glasgow via Shotts: one train per hour
- Edinburgh – Cowdenbeath: two trains per hour
- Edinburgh - North Berwick: one train per hour
- Edinburgh – Tweedbank: two trains per hour
- Edinburgh - Larbert: one train per hour
- Glasgow Queen St – Larbert: one train per hour
- Glasgow Queen St – Falkirk Grahamston: one train per hour
- Dunbartonshire: two trains per hour
ScotRail asks people to only travel if necessary, and if you do have to use rail services, the operator adds: "you should expect disruption and plan ahead."
A number of services will also be cancelled on the day after the strike action, Sunday 18 December.
A full list of cancelled or amended services on Sunday can be found on the ScotRail website.
Future strike dates
There are further strike dates that will see Scots disrupted through the Christmas and New Year periods.
They are as follows:
- 24-27 December
- 3-4 January
- 6-7 January
Talks are reportedly underway between the RMT and rail operators, with the union announcing fresh negotiations on Twitter yesterday.
On Thursday, December 16, they tweeted: "@RMTunion attended talks convened by the Rail Minister @HuwMerriman tonight including Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group and agreed to further discussions."
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