Scotrail Super Off-Peak

[megabusser]

Before the ‘off peak all day’ trial, Scotrail Short Off-Peak tickets were only available on app as m-tickets and on Smartcard. They were withdrawn during the off-peak all day trial and are supposed to be back now - but apparently only to purchase at ticket offices and on-train staff where starting from an unstaffed station. The website states this and also has a ‘book your super off peak tickets now’ button that takes you to the standard journey planners that doesn’t sell them.

Peak fares gone. For good.

From 1 September 2025, you’ll pay the same train fare no matter the time of day or the day of the week you travel.

www.scotrail.co.uk

Super savings from a super ticket. Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets let you enjoy the cheapest fares on our least busy trains.

For the majority of journeys, you can travel outbound and return anytime after 11:00, Monday to Friday with your Super Off-Peak Day Return ticket.

If Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness is the starting point of your outbound or return journey, you can only use a Super Off-Peak Day Return ticket on services departing between 11:00 and 14:59, and after 20:00, Monday to Friday.

Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets are only available to buy from stations or on-train when boarding at a station where no ticket office is available.

This seems like a very odd move when they’re pushing app-based tickets and I can only imagine that most people are unaware these tickets exist. Admittedly, the restrictions are pretty harsh and the savings not huge, but then why have them at all?

I make this post as I’m looking to check the price of a super off-peak Glasgow to Edinburgh and can’t see it listed online anywhere. Journey planners (including Scotrail’s own) don’t show it (the pre-trial ones definitely came up on their own planner and on traintimes.org.uk, which uses the National Rail site).

Does anyone know if it’s possible to check which routes they’re now available on and what price? And any ideas about why they have become an almost secret product?!

 

[CyrusWuff]

The Super Off-Peak between Glasgow and Edinburgh still exists according to BRFares.

However, they're no longer available online, nor from TVMs it seems.

 

[kkong]

I'm sure I saw a post on here from a member of ScotRail staff who said this change was due to so many people buying Super Off-Peak and using them on trains they weren't valid on.

Supposedly the move to selling by a human only was meant to ensure passengers are personally made aware of the restrictions on their use.

 

[GregSRHST]

I pretty regularly use the ScotRail Super off-peak day return tickets.

Apparently they are available on "all routes"? I found this on twitter from their official page...

x.com

x.com

"Hi William, Super Off Peak tickets are available on all routes. Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets are only available to buy from stations or on-train when boarding at a station where no ticket office is available. ^ Lewis"

I have used Super off-peak day return tickets from Dundee to Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Splitting at Stonehaven, Perth and Leuchars respectively for the cheapest price.

I have found the price to be around 20% less than the usual off peak price on the selected route.

But the specifics of the pricing doesn't seem to be made available anywhere on the ScotRail website.

 

[Watershed]

I'm sure I saw a post on here from a member of ScotRail staff who said this change was due to so many people buying Super Off-Peak and using them on trains they weren't valid on.

Supposedly the move to selling by a human only was meant to ensure passengers are personally made aware of the restrictions on their use.

This just about symbolises ScotRail's anachronistic and bizarre approach to ticketing. On the one hand they try to encourage buying your ticket online or through their app, yet on the other they overcharge people who would be happy to comply with the restrictions for this ticket but just don't know it exists.

Has it ever occurred to them that they could help matters by clearly communicating the restrictions, and easing them slightly so that day trips are actually feasible (can't think of any other tickets that have a 5 hour evening peak)?

 

[kkong]

Apparently they are available on "all routes"? I found this on twitter from their official page...

I have found the price to be around 20% less than the usual off peak price on the selected route.

But the specifics of the pricing doesn't seem to be made available anywhere on the ScotRail website.

Yes, the ScotRail website still seems to have some content / broken links left over from before their peak fares removal trial, when it was possible to buy online, via TVMs and load to smartcards using your phone.

This bit is more accurate:

Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets are available on more than 300 journeys across Scotland and are ideal for those traveling at the quietest times of day.

 

[smsm1]

It seems to only cover a very limited set of stations, and has to involve a city, and specifically the main city station. Eg Camelon to Haymarket isn't included but Camelon to Edinburgh is. When I used it recently the staff hadn't realised that the ticket existed.

 

[route101]

Don't think they were ever offered on a TVM, you could buy online and collect at a TVM although. I found the timings a bit restrictive.

 

[GregSRHST]

I'm certain a ticket stating Edinburgh will allow you to get off at Haymarket and through the barriers.



I'm sure they are available from any station as long as you are within the time limitations. The ticket staff in Dundee confirmed this.



I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong (and I'll let the Dundee ticket office staff know) as I've only ever bought this type of ticket from Dundee.



The staff in Dundee have been very helpful when I've purchased Super off-peak day return tickets. Although I've never used them when not travelling to a city.

 

[Bill57p9]

This just about symbolises ScotRail's anachronistic and bizarre approach to ticketing. On the one hand they try to encourage buying your ticket online or through their app, yet on the other they overcharge people who would be happy to comply with the restrictions for this ticket but just don't know it exists.

Has it ever occurred to them that they could help matters by clearly communicating the restrictions, and easing them slightly so that day trips are actually feasible (can't think of any other tickets that have a 5 hour evening peak)?

Equally they promote buying your ticket online, and Kids for a Quid however the latter is not available on line/in app, which will happily and silently charge you full whack.

 

[Haywain]

Equally they promote buying your ticket online, and Kids for a Quid however the latter is not available on line/in app, which will happily and silently charge you full whack.

Similarly their stupidly set-up Groupsave tickets

 

[megabusser]

I'm sure I saw a post on here from a member of ScotRail staff who said this change was due to so many people buying Super Off-Peak and using them on trains they weren't valid on.

Supposedly the move to selling by a human only was meant to ensure passengers are personally made aware of the restrictions on their use.

Thanks - this makes a lot of sense, but does point to those restrictions being too harsh/complicated perhaps? Something like 1030-1530 and 1830 onwards would seem a lot more reasonable. Having to buy in-person is one thing, but it doesn't seem right that it isn't shown as an option on journey planners (including Scotrail's own).

Equally they promote buying your ticket online, and Kids for a Quid however the latter is not available on line/in app, which will happily and silently charge you full whack.

That's harder to justify given that it's not a complicated ticket like Super Off Peak. I guess the restriction that you must be with an adult is the bit they want to enforce?

 

[gladiac]

I used to use these, loaded onto Smartcard via the Scotrail app, quite frequently before the peak fares trial removal but don't make the same journeys now - did buy one from my local station ticket office recently (so a few months after the trial had ended) and the staff member remarked this was the second one he'd ever sold.

 

[TUC]

I'm sure I saw a post on here from a member of ScotRail staff who said this change was due to so many people buying Super Off-Peak and using them on trains they weren't valid on.

Supposedly the move to selling by a human only was meant to ensure passengers are personally made aware of the restrictions on their use.

How patronising. There are much greater restrictions on Advance tickets, but we're treated as capable of reading a website/app.

 

[megabusser]

How patronising. There are much greater restrictions on Advance tickets, but we're treated as capable of reading a website/app.

I suppose Advances have greater restrictions, but they're also very easy to understand - 'booked train only', not unlike almost (?) all coach/plane etc tickets. Super Off-Peak is a new concept in Scotland and the restrictions are very strict, especially where the 5 hour evening peak applies. I can easily imagine someone planning to leave at 11am and returning at 7pm assuming a ticket called 'super off peak' would apply, when in fact the evening peak is until 8pm (where it applies).

 

[GregSRHST]

Travel times

For most journeys, Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets are valid for travel anytime after 11:00, Monday to Friday. If Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness is the start point of your outbound or return journey, you can only travel between 11:00 and 14:59, and after 20:00, Monday to Friday. For most other journeys you can use the return portion of your ticket anytime after 11:00.

If Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness is the start point of your outbound or return journey, you can only travel between 11:00 and 14:59, and after 20:00, Monday to Friday.

Presumably it's absolutely fine for example to travel from Dundee to Glasgow and arrive after the 14:59.

Departing Dundee 15:53 arriving at Glasgow 17:18 for example.

 

[route101]

How patronising. There are much greater restrictions on Advance tickets, but we're treated as capable of reading a website/app.

Do the super off peak restrictions apply at the weekend?

 

[GregSRHST]

Do the super off peak restrictions apply at the weekend?

ScotRail Super Off-Peak Day Return tickets are only available Monday - Friday

 

[AY1975]

Yes, the ScotRail website still seems to have some content / broken links left over from before their peak fares removal trial, when it was possible to buy online, via TVMs and load to smartcards using your phone.

Indeed, their website says Super Off-Peak Day Returns can only be bought at stations or on-train where no ticket purchase facilities are available before boarding, but it also says they are available to buy on smartcard or as a paper ticket. I presume that if the former is still available, this means you now have to take your smartcard to a ticket office to load such a ticket onto it.

 

[reb0118]

.......

You can also have a ticket loaded onto a smartcard on board the train.

this means you now have to take your smartcard to a ticket office to load such a ticket onto it.

 

[Pushpit]

I was very surprised to read about this here, it was the first I knew about it. I'm on a route which benefits from this, Tweedbank to Edinburgh, and for Old Dears like me the difference is noticeable. The normal railcard discounted day return is £9.65 and the Super Off Peak day return is £7.70. The single is £9.05. Moreover it is useful for me since I do go to gigs and rugby matches in Edinburgh and come back on the penultimate or last train of the evening. Now I was clearly taking at face value the multiple indications in the App that such and such ticket is "Cheapest" and that buying online is "Best value", that my Smartcard ensures I get the best ticket. In the FAQ there isn't the question "Does buying online get you the cheapest fare" (answer: no), but there is a chunk about buying about buying before you board / fare evasion. TWB is unstaffed, as is the case for all stations on the route until Waverley. It is common practice to buy onboard, though, notwithstanding the multiple TVMs.

I will send in a complaint.

 

[PG]

I only discovered that this ticket exists through BRfares and then subsequently queried its validity in this thread. As I'm inbetween two stations I asked both about it: one was categorically saying it was only valid after 1100 until 1500 then after 2000, in both directions, while the other correctly advised of the restrictions. I got the impression that neither sold many of them.

I will send in a complaint

Hopefully withdrawal of the ticket is not something considered as a remedy

 

[hux385]

Does the new Tap & Pay app charge super off-peak fares if you travel at those times? Or does it only do peak/off-peak?

 

[Scotrail84]

Equally they promote buying your ticket online, and Kids for a Quid however the latter is not available on line/in app, which will happily and silently charge you full whack.

Thats because of 2 things. 1, the kids for a quid tickets can only be purchased by an adult travelling with said kids as the kids cannot travel alone on these tickets. 2, if they were available online or on the app they would 100% be abused daily by absolute chancers who'd plead ignorance.

 

[alistairlees]

Thats because of 2 things. 1, the kids for a quid tickets can only be purchased by an adult travelling with said kids as the kids cannot travel alone on these tickets. 2, if they were available online or on the app they would 100% be abused daily by absolute chancers who'd plead ignorance.

The SE and GTR kids for a quid equivalent tickets can be bought online, as part of a transaction with one or more adults. The rules work perfectly well and there are no issues that I know of. There is no reason for these ScotRail kids for a quid fares not to be retailable online.

 

[AY1975]

Does the new Tap & Pay app charge super off-peak fares if you travel at those times?

Yes, entry #21 in the thread on ScotRail Tap & Pay would suggest that it does now support Super Off-Peak fares: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/scotrail-tap-and-pay-app.274460/

 

[sannox]

Does the new Tap & Pay app charge super off-peak fares if you travel at those times? Or does it only do peak/off-peak?

It does super off peak. Even if you just make the appropriate single journey it charges the lesser super off peak return fare.

 

[Pushpit]

I will send in a complaint.

Here is the main text of the reply from Scotrail, ignoring the core point that they advertise tickets as incorrectly being "Lowest price" or "best buy" when on some trains it is always cheaper to buy on board or use Tap and Pay.
===
All Train Operating Companies including ScotRail adhere to the National Rail Conditions of Travel, which is governed by ATOC (The Association of Train Operating Companies).

We are making buying a ticket before you board recommended to customers - at our stations, online, over the phone and at self-service ticket vending machines.

However, please be advised this does not apply to customers using concession cards, who do not have a booking office at their local station or it is closed. Concession cards have different discounts per council area and zonal region, therefore require a ticket office clerk or conductor to accurately administer the ticket. As it stands, these discounts are only valid via terms and conditions through either of those purchase methods.

Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Once again thank you for contacting ScotRail, should you need any further assistance in the future, please get back in touch.

 

[smsm1]

If you are within the Scotrail Tap & Pay area (roughly Strathclyde - Edinburgh) you can use that to be charged the cheaper super off peak fare that isn't possible via mobile app or online purchase. Granted doesn't cover the two together or family railcards (I've got both), though useful when we travel alone.

 

[Pushpit]

Out of interest, today I got a survey from The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) about how Scotrail handled this complaint.