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Travel On Train ScotRail Inter7City (UK)
The iconic 125 trains are used for the Inter7City services

ScotRail Inter7City (UK)

Welcome to the guide to travelling by these Inter7City train services in Scotland.

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At a Glance

Travel Pass Supplement

Rail Pass Reservation Fees
Reservations

Available
Time of Day

Day
Catering

Food services available

Trolley Service:
Accessibility

Accessing the train

Wheelchair Spaces
Bikes Allowed
Train Specification

Attributes of the train

Has a Conductor
Country

Which country these trains operate in.

Great Britain
Travel Passes
Eurail
InterRail
Other

On Board

First Class

Perks
WiFi

A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.

Welcome drinks:

Complimentary drinks and snacks will be served, choices will include coffee, tea and orange juice.

Trolley Service:

A catering trolley with hot and cold drinks and snacks should be taken through the train at some point during its journey.

Power Socket (UK)

The power sockets on this train are compatible with the standard 3-point plugs as typically used in the UK.

Most of these seats in First Class have since been recovered in a new fabric Most of these seats in First Class have since been recovered in a new fabric
First Class coaches have the yellow band - note that the closest seats to each door are clearly indicated First Class coaches have the yellow band - note that the closest seats to each door are clearly indicated

First Class ticket holders will be given a complimentary hot/cold drink and some Scottish shortbread – guaranteed to enhance any journey, though be aware that additional items ordered from the catering trolley require payment.

All the First Class seats are now table seats which line up with the windows,

Standard

Perks
WiFi

A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.

Trolley Service:

A catering trolley with hot and cold drinks and snacks should be taken through the train at some point during its journey.

Power Socket (UK)

The power sockets on this train are compatible with the standard 3-point plugs as typically used in the UK.

The interior of a Standard Class coach on an Inter7City train The interior of a Standard Class coach on an Inter7City train
It can be worth targeting these table seats when reserving or boarding It can be worth targeting these table seats when reserving or boarding
An Inter7City service has arrived in Ediburgh An Inter7City service has arrived in Ediburgh
The cities served are illustrated on the exterior of these Inter7City trains The cities served are illustrated on the exterior of these Inter7City trains
The signs by the doors can guide to you to a reserved seat The signs by the doors can guide to you to a reserved seat

Scotrail Inter7City travel guide:

For more than 40 years the InterCity 125 train has been a highly regarded icon of UK transport, which is why ScotRail made the smart decision to acquire some of these trains when they were released from service by English train operators.

They have retained their sleek shape, but externally they have been given a new livery which echoes their new role of providing the premium ScotRail services to and from Scotland’s seven cities – Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth and Stirling – hence the Inter7City branding.

Routes:

These Inter7City trains are now used by ScotRail to provide many of the services on these routes:

(1) Edinburgh – Kirkcaldy – Leuchars (for St Andrews) – Dundee – Arbroath – Montrose – Stonehaven – Aberdeen
(2) Edinburgh – Kirkcaldy – Perth – Pitlochry – Aviemore – Inverness
(3) Glasgow Queen St – Stirling – Perth - Dundee – Arbroath – Montrose – Stonehaven – Aberdeen
(4) Glasgow Queen St – Stirling – Perth - Pitlochry – Aviemore – Inverness (some departures)
(5) Aberdeen – Elgin – Inverness

Boarding and seat reservations

Finding a reserved seat on an Inter7City train Finding a reserved seat on an Inter7City train

By each door on the train both the coach number and the numbers of the seats most easily accessed from that door are shown, so you can see which door on the train you should board by.
Though one aspect which does give away the relative age of these train is that fancy electronic displays which show the seat numbers have not been installed, instead the seat reservations are marked by paper labels.
It's worth checking these labels if you don't have a seat reservation as the seats may only have been reserved for part of the journey, so may in fact be available between your destinations.

Also on several journeys by these trains it seems as though coach B is set aside for travellers with no seat reservations.

On board:

Internally ScotRail has revamped these trains so that they’re worthy of 21st century rail travel, one particularly noteworthy improvement is that they now have power operated doors; the InterCity 125 trains still in use in England betray their age, by only having door handles on the outside of the train.

Other newly added features include more space for luggage, easy to access power sockets, updated Wi-fi and bike racks (in a clearly marked part of the train, which isn’t hard to find as these trains only have four or five coaches).
Standard Class table seat on an Inter7City train

More space has been provided between the seats and the table seats line up the windows, so they are worth targeting if you want to make the most of the stunning scenery; which can be experienced on most of the journeys by these trains.
Overall these are some of the most comfortable to ride trains on the British rail network.

Catering:

A more extensive menu including hot food is available on most departures from the buffet/café bar.
On certain departures only, a catering trolley with hot/cold drinks, snacks and sandwiches available will be taken through the train, so both First and Standard Class travellers will receive an at-seat catering service.
On the departures on which a catering trolley service is available, First Class ticket holders will be given a complimentary hot/cold drink and some Scottish shortbread; guaranteed to enhance any journey.

Bicycles:

Look for the bike symbols by the doors Look for the bike symbols by the doors
The bike rack on an Inter7City train The bike rack on an Inter7City train

Non-folding bicycles must be placed in racks in a clearly marked part of the train, which isn’t hard to find as these trains only have four or five coaches.
Bike spaces must be reserved in advance of boarding.

hand-money

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