ScotRail has issued travel advice ahead of this weekend’s football semi-finals at Hampden Park, when Celtic play Kilmarnock with a 5:30pm kick off on Saturday, 14th January, and Rangers play Aberdeen with a 3pm kick off on Sunday, 15th January.

To help fans travel to the games, ScotRail will run as many services as possible with additional trains to and from Mount Florida before and after the games. However, engineering works between Kilmarnock and Glasgow, and between Dundee and Aberdeen, will require supporters travelling on those routes using rail-replacement buses. Supporters should therefore allow more time for their journey, as the replacement buses will have fewer seats available and will take considerably longer.

To facilitate travel to the games, queuing systems will be in place at Glasgow Central before the matches, and after the final whistle at Mount Florida and Kings Park.

On Sunday, 15 January, there will be separate queues for Rangers and Aberdeen fans at Glasgow Central. Rangers fans will queue on the carriage driveway on Hope Street for services to Mount Florida, whilst Aberdeen supporters will queue on the main concourse in Glasgow Central for services to Kings Park. After the match, return trains for Rangers supporters will depart from Mount Florida, while trains for Aberdeen supporters will depart from Kings Park station.

To avoid queuing for tickets on the day, customers should buy their return tickets to Mount Florida or Kings Park in advance via the ScotRail app or website.

Customers are also reminded that the consumption of alcohol remains prohibited on ScotRail services.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail Head of Customer Operations, said: “We’re preparing for another big weekend of football with fans travelling to Glasgow to cheer on their team.

“To help the events run smoothly, we’ll be running as many trains as possible over the weekend, however, trains will be much busier than normal and engineering works will have an impact, so please plan ahead.

“I encourage anyone travelling this weekend to allow extra time for travel, and to minimise your need to queue, buy your tickets in advance on the ScotRail app or website.”

Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Scotland Route Director, said: “The multi-million-pound investment we’re making to replace life-expired track along several sections of the route is essential to keeping the railway safe and reliable.

“Works of this scale are planned far in advance of football fixtures being released.

“While we appreciate that there’s never a good time for disruption on the railway, we thank fans for their understanding and advise everyone to plan ahead and allow extra time for travelling to and from the respective matches.”