There are four

electrified Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic history ...

railway lines linking

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

with

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, the two largest cities in Scotland. These are, from north to south: *

Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line is a mainline railway line linking Glasgow and Edinburgh via Falkirk in Scotland. It is the principal route out of the five rail links between Scotland's two biggest cities, hosting the flagship "Shutt ...

(from Glasgow Queen Street) *

North Clyde Line The North Clyde Line (defined by Network Rail as the ''Glasgow North Electric Suburban'' line) is a suburban railway in West Central Scotland. The route is operated by ScotRail Trains. As a result of the incorporation of the Airdrie–Bathgat ...

: Glasgow (Queen Street)–Edinburgh via Airdrie and Bathgate *

Shotts Line The Shotts Line is a suburban railway line linking and via in Scotland. It is one of the four rail links between the two cities. Between Glasgow Central and , the line is shared with the West Coast Main Line (WCML), before branching off tow ...

: Glasgow (

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

)–Edinburgh via Shotts *

Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line is a main railway route which connects the Scottish cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, by means of their respective sections of the West Coast Main Line (WCML). Along with the Shotts line, the Falki ...

, from Glasgow Central station Historically, the first line between Glasgow and Edinburgh was the

Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was authorised by Act of Parliament on 4 July 1838. It was opened to passenger traffic on 21 February 1842, between its Glasgow Queen Street railway station (sometimes referred to at first as Dundas Street) and ...

, equivalent to today's Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line. Former Routes Glasgow–Edinburgh via Cumbernauld line: used the

Cumbernauld Line The Cumbernauld Line is a suburban railway line linking Glasgow to Falkirk via Cumbernauld in Scotland. Since May 2014, the newly electrified track between Springburn and Cumbernauld has become an extension of the North Clyde network. Servi ...

from

Glasgow Queen Street , symbol_location = gb , symbol = rail , image = Queen Street railway station (geograph 6687389).jpg , caption = Main entrance in 2020 , borough = Glasgow , country = Scotland , coordinates = , grid_name = Grid reference , grid_positi ...

, and the

Edinburgh–Dunblane line The Edinburgh–Dunblane line is a railway line in East Central Scotland. It links the city of Edinburgh via Falkirk to the city of Stirling and the town of Dunblane. Service provision Connections to other services This line connects into oth ...

. The use of this line as a secondary route between Glasgow and Edinburgh was introduced as part of the December 2018 timetable and later removed. Services now only go as far as

Cumbernauld Cumbernauld (; gd, Comar nan Allt, meeting of the streams) is a large town in the historic county of Dunbartonshire and council area of North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is the tenth most-populous locality in Scotland and the most populated t ...

Falkirk Grahamston , symbol_location = gb , symbol = rail , image = Falkirk Grahamston railway station, Stirlingshire (geograph 5979986).jpg , caption = Falkirk Grahamston station in 2018, following electrification , ...

from Glasgow Queen Street as of May 2022 timetable change. EGIP At a conference in 2009, major upgrades were proposed for completion by 2016. The first of these was the

Airdrie–Bathgate rail link The Airdrie–Bathgate rail link is a completed railway project in central Scotland. Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive in 2003, the plan was to open up a fourth direct railw ...

, completed in late 2010. The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line was electrified in 2017. The Shotts Line was electrified in 2019. Currently the quickest services between Edinburgh and Glasgow run on the Falkirk line (to and from Glasgow Queen Street).

References

Railway lines in Scotland {{Scotland-rail-transport-stub