SCOTRAIL services will be crippled on Saturday and Monday after strike action by rail workers.
A strike action planned for Monday will leave just three services running during the day.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union “overwhelmingly” turned down the latest rail workers pay rise implemented by the newly-nationalised firm after talks on Thursday.
Workers involved include ScotRail train conductors and ticket examiners, station staff and cleaners.
It comes after an undisclosed deal was offered on Tuesday – weeks on from a separate 5% increase which was also rejected.
ScotRail said only three services would be running during the day on Monday. They include Milngavie to Edinburgh at two trains per hour; Glasgow to Lanark at one train per hour and Glasgow to Larkhall at one train per hour.
ScotRail told passengers: “Only travel if you really need to”.
Among the events being hit is the opening night in Glasgow of legendary art rock band Roxy Music's first UK concert tour in 11 years.
The Ovo Hydro has warned of travel disruption for the event saying Scotrail services to and from Exhibition Centre Station will be "significantly affected".
Bryan Ferry, Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera and Paul Thompson, are due to be on stage for the first time since their sold-out and critically acclaimed 2011 For Your Pleasure tour.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister Graham Simpson said: “Ordinary passengers are at their wits’ ends over these continual strikes.
“The SNP spent most of the summer trying and failing to dodge responsibility for disruptive ScotRail strike action, and now the militant RMT union is refusing to resolve this latest dispute.
“All of which only means more misery for ordinary rail travellers and struggling Scottish businesses.
“The SNP need to learn that when they nationalise a service, the buck stops with them. The RMT need to stop this selfish and irresponsible campaign and get back round the negotiating table.
“Scots are sick and tired of these strikes.”
RMT leaders said it was “full steam ahead” with Monday's planned strike action.
It is understood the new offer included an extra £500 for using new technology, additional commission for platform staff selling tickets and train crew checking electronic tickets, and a commitment to no compulsory redundancies being extended by a year to six years.
But the RMT has it wanted the £500 payment doubled to £1,000.
The strike is separate from a dispute by Network Rail staff who maintain the infrastructure, such as tracks and signalling.
They are unhappy about the future of jobs, as well as pay and conditions, and are due to walk out on Saturday - bringing further disruption to ScotRail services ScotRail is expect to run a limited daytime service on a number of routes around the Central Belt and the Borders including trains every 30 minutes between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
That strike hits cross-border services and the running of operations across the country including Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper services.
ScotRail said it will run a similar service to previous strike actions in the Network Rail dispute. It involves the operation of just 11 ScotRail routes on a limited scale in the central belt only which would operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm.
The train operator said that on Friday evening and on Sunday morning there will be continued disruption caused by the closing and reopening of signal boxes at different times across the country.
The latest ScotRail turmoil comes two months after train drivers accepted a pay deal which will effectively end the pay dispute which led to an emergency timetable and major cuts to ScotRail services for nearly two months.
Members of the train drivers union Aslef voted to accept an improved offer from nationalised ScotRail which amounted to up to 10% extra in pay packets in a year.
A 5% pay deal came with a performance bonus scheme which would take the wage rise to nearer 10%.
The union's executive commitee had previously rejected a 4.2% pay offer in the midst of threatened strike action.
Mick Hogg, RMT Scottish organiser described the 5% pay offer to ScotRail workers as a “kick in the teeth” and urged the First Minister to “get it sorted.”
“The 5% goes no where near the cost of living crisis and constitutes a pay cut, not acceptable to RMT members. Enough is enough," he said.
“RMT members are not prepared to sit back and watch the bosses get richer at the expense of the workers who deliver for ScotRail…the 5% is a kick in the teeth, therefore we want more.
“If we don’t get more we will strike until we win or until someone says, ‘if it’s good enough for the bosses it’s good enough for the workers’.”
In a message to Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Hogg added: “Our message to the First Minister is as follows: Get real and stop the p*ssing about, it’s your annual conference in Aberdeenshire this weekend, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, therefore no delegates will travel by train up to Aberdeen, and no delegates will travel home by train.
“Get it sorted as it’s under your watch.”
Mr Hogg said RMT remains available for talks to continue.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail head of customer operations, said: “We’re really disappointed that the dispute with the RMT has reached this outcome, given the strength of the improved pay offer ScotRail made.
“This strike action does nothing for the railway’s recovery at this fragile time. It will severely impact our customers and it will also cost our staff through lost wages.
“Due to the large number of ScotRail staff who are members of the RMT, ScotRail customers should expect significant disruption to services on Monday, October 10, as we won’t be able to operate the vast majority of our services.
“We’re advising customers to seek alternative means of transport and to only travel if they really need to on Monday, October 10.
“We remain open to resolving this dispute.”
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