Borders Railway Starts Passenger Service

Borders Railway, the first domestic line to be built in the UK in over 100 years, has welcomed passengers aboard regular services operating between Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders.

The Scottish Government funded £296 million Borders Railway has welcomed passengers aboard the first regular passenger service in almost half a century. The inaugural service left Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders at 8.45am on Sunday 06 September, bringing this long-awaited project to life 46 years after the original line, known as the Waverley Line, was torn out in the infamous Beeching cuts.

Border services are scheduled to call at Edinburgh Waverley, Brunstane and Newcraighall, followed by newly constructed stations at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gnorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank. The service is expected to carry almost 650,000 passengers a year providing economic growth across Midlothian and the Borders.

Speaking on Sunday 06 September, Scottish Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown said: “The Borders Railway is now open for business! Many people have waited a very long time to hear those words and I am proud and excited to be able to say them.