ScotRail has announced that it is to add carriages to its train services between Glasgow Central and Largs throughout Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 September to help passengers travelling to and from the Largs Viking Festival.

The following weekend, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September, it will also add seats to its services between Glasgow Central and Ayr, for travellers to both the Viking Festival and the International Ayr Show – Festival of Flight.

On both weekends, ScotRail services will be much busier than usual. Stations along the route will use queuing systems, so the operator is advising passengers to allow extra time for their journey. Additional ScotRail staff will be available to assist.

The operator is also reminding people that they are not allowed to carry or consume alcohol on its trains or in its stations.

The Largs Viking Festival has run every year since 1980, and marks the 1263 Battle of Largs, in which the Scots fought off the last Norse attempt to invade the British mainland.

During the festival, the living history Viking Village is open to the public and showcases life in a Norse-Gael village during the thirteenth century. Free activities, games and workshops will take place in and around the Viking Village over both weekends. Visitors will need to register for workshops on the day, and are advised to do so early. They will also need to pay the Village entrance fee to access events within the Village.

The International Ayr Show takes place on Ayr shorefront from Friday 8 until Sunday 10 September, with flying displays on Saturday 9 September.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: “We’re really looking forward to helping people travel to and from the Largs Viking Festival, where they’ll be to catch a glimpse of what life would have been like in a 13th Century Viking Village.

“To help the festival run smoothly, we’re adding more seats to trains in Inverclyde and Ayrshire over the next two weekends, but services will be busier than normal, so customers should plan ahead and leave plenty of time for travel.

“I’d encourage everyone to purchase their train tickets before boarding to make their travel experience as smooth as possible. 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.”