ScotRail has advised rail passengers to only travel if their journey is "essential" on routes affected during major engineering works next week.
"Safety-critical" works will see a specialist netting system installed on a rock cutting above the railway near Ratho on the main Edinburgh to Glasgow railway line.
ScotRail said the work, which is scheduled to take place from Monday (January 29) to February 1, will cause "significant disruption" to rail services.
The rail operator's advice to rail users is that they should only travel on the following routes if their journey is essential:
- Glasgow - Edinburgh via Falkirk High
- Dunblane to Edinburgh services will terminate at Falkirk Grahamston
- Edinburgh - Helensburgh/Milngavie services will terminate at Bathgate
- Inverness to Edinburgh services will run via Fife and will not call at Stirling
ScotRail has warned that replacement bus options will be limited and journey times will be significantly longer. Full details of the arrangements can be found here
Rail users looking to travel directly between Edinburgh and Glasgow can travel on routes via Shotts and Carstairs.
READ MORE: ScotRail warns of major disruption across central belt due to works
ScotRail has warned that there will be limited additional capacity, with journey times around 30 to 50 minutes longer compared to services via Falkirk High.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: “These safety critical engineering works will bring significant disruption to the services ScotRail can operate between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Stirling, and Inverness.
“Our advice to customers travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk High or via Bathgate, and between Edinburgh and Dunblane, is that you should only travel if your journey is essential.
“Customers travelling between Inverness and Edinburgh should also be aware that journey times will may be longer as those services are diverted via Fife, and will not call at Stirling.
“We understand the disruption this will cause to customers journeys, but it is essential that Network Rail carries out these works. We thank customers for their patience.”
Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: “The improvements we’re making on the route are vital to the safe and reliable running of the railway.
“While we appreciate that this work will cause some inconvenience to our customers, we’ll deliver this project as quickly as possible to minimise disruption.
“Our thanks go to passengers for their patience while we complete this essential safety project.”
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