ScotRail has issued travel advice ahead of Scotland’s first match in the Famous Grouse Nations Series this weekend.  

Scotland host Italy at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday, 29 July, at 3.15pm, and the train operator is encouraging fans to plan ahead and allow sufficient time for travel as services will be much busier than normal.   

To help fans travel to and from the match, ScotRail is adding more seats to trains, where possible, throughout the day on routes in and out of Edinburgh Waverley. 

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Customers are encouraged to plan their journey in advance and purchase their tickets through the ScotRail app as part of the mTickets system. This means people can secure their tickets from the comfort of their home, or on the way to the station, and it will instantly become available on their mobile device.  

Fans attending the match are reminded that access at Haymarket station is restricted due to the ongoing redevelopment of an adjacent building not owned by ScotRail.  

ScotRail is encouraging fans to join the holding area on Haymarket Terrace after the match where they will be directed to the appropriate queue. Alternatively, customers may choose to travel from an alternative station.  

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Edinburgh Trams offer a fast and frequent service between the stadium entrance and various destinations such as Edinburgh Gateway, Edinburgh Park, and St Andrew Square tram stop, which is a short walk from Edinburgh Waverley.  

Additionally, Edinburgh City Centre can be accessed from Scottish Gas Murrayfield through several Lothian Bus services, including routes 1, 3, 12, 22, 25, 26, 30, 31, or 33.  

ScotRail will have extra staff on hand to assist customers, and the train operator is reminding everyone that the carrying and consumption of alcohol is prohibited on ScotRail trains and in ScotRail stations.  

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Phil Campbell, ScotRail Head of Customer Operations, said: “We’re really looking forward to helping rugby fans travel to and from Murrayfield this weekend as Scotland get their Nations Series underway against Italy. 

“To help fans travel to and from the match, we’re adding more seats to trains in and out of Edinburgh throughout the day, but customers should plan ahead and allow more time for travel as trains will be busier than normal. 

“To make their journey as smooth as possible, I’d encourage everyone to purchase their train tickets before boarding. The mTicket system, available on the ScotRail app, offers a convenient way to secure your tickets and download them straight to your mobile phone, avoiding any unnecessary queues on the day.”