THE Scottish Government set out plans to expand a £2 bus fare cap across Scotland earlier this year.
But prices, at this point in time, still very much vary currently according to where you are and which operator.
I mean, for my trip to work from Glasgow’s southside to the city centre, I could be paying three different prices depending on which bus provider I go for (McGill’s or First Bus) or whether I grab the train and then walk – with a price span ranging from £2.40 to £2.80.
Regardless, one point still remains: Scotland (roughly in line with the rest of the UK) sits on the more expensive end when it comes to public transport worldwide.
Even compared with comparable European cities, the comparison isn’t always favourable.
When it comes to transport in major European cities, most single tickets for urban public transport (bus, tram, metro) range between roughly €1.20 and €3.20, which would be about £1–£2.70 at current exchange rates.
Southern and eastern European countries and cities are more on the lower end of that spectrum.
Take Bilbao in Spain, which is sometimes compared to Glasgow given its size and shared industrial past.
There, using the reloadable Barik card, single rides cost roughly €0.66 to €0.75 depending on whether it is the bus or tram. Without, it is between €1.50 and £2 – which is still better than Scotland’s largest city.
The cheapest country worldwide is the tiny European country of Luxembourg, where all public transport is free. Later in our transport series, we will be going into how this is possible.
It is important to note that Scotland does compare favourably in other ways, including a comprehensive concession regime for – say – under 22s and over 60s, which certainly isn’t universal either worldwide or across Europe.
Comparable Nordic countries, meanwhile, can have even higher public transport costs.
In Oslo, for example, a single ticket costs 42 kr – roughly £3.27.
But, it is important to note that this is an integrated ticket valid for transfers across bus, train, metro, and tram services.
In other words, it could end up much cheaper.
When it comes to train travel specifically, the picture is less rosy.
A Campaign for Better Transport report from last year – for example – found that UK rail fares are “disproportionately expensive compared to similar European nations with similar economies”.
Take the classic Glasgow to Edinburgh route, A 70 km intercity rail trip such as Glasgow to Edinburgh costs roughly £12-£17 one way in Scotland, versus around €8-€15 for a comparable regional or intercity journey in many continental European countries.
This has been mitigated recently by ScotRail fares being frozen for 12 months in February this year.
But it’s safe to say that it sits on the higher end of the spectrum.
How do you feel about bus and train prices in Scotland? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
