Train services in Scotland this weekend are expected to be much busier than normal as there is a rugby match at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday, 26 August when Scotland play Georgia with a 5:30 pm kick-off, and its the final weekend of the Edinburgh Festivals.

To assist fans travelling to and from Murrayfield, where possible ScotRail is adding more seats to and from Edinburgh Waverley. To avoid queueing at stations, customers should try to plan their journey in advance and purchase their tickets through the ScotRail app as part of the mTickets system. This allows tickets to be purchased at home or on the way to the station, and it is then available on their mobile device.

Because of redevelopment of a building next to Haymarket station that is not owned by ScotRail, access to the station will be very restricted. It will therefore expected to be much busier than normal, especially in the afternoon and early evening, as both rugby fans and people attending the Edinburgh Festivals will be using the station.

After the match, there will be a holding area on Haymarket Terrace where fans will be directed to the appropriate queue to streamline their homeward journey.

As an alternatively, there is a fast and frequent service by Edinburgh Trams between the stadium entrance and various destinations including Edinburgh Gateway, Edinburgh Park, and St Andrew Square, just a short walk from Edinburgh Waverley.

Several Lothian Bus services including routes 1, 3, 12, 22, 25, 26, 30, 31, and 33. Operate service between BT Murrayfield and Edinburgh City Centre.

Extra ScotRail staff will be available to assist customers, and the company is reminding everyone that the carrying and consumption of alcohol is prohibited on its trains and in its stations.

Because of the queuing systems that are expected to be in place at both Haymarket and Edinburgh Waverley, customers should allow extra time for their journey.

On Saturday, 26 August, the RMT union is taking strike action, and although it does not affect ScotRail services, it will affect services by other train operators, including Avanti West Coast and LNER.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: “!ScotRail services to and from the Capital City are going to be really busy this weekend as Scotland host Georgia at Murrayfield, and the Edinburgh Festivals come to a close, so customers should plan ahead.

“To help fans travel to and from the match, we’re adding more seats to trains in and out of Edinburgh throughout the day in addition to the significant enhancements we’ve made to support the festivals.

“To make your travel experience 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.”