Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line
| Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Type | Heavy rail |
| System | National Rail |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale | Scotland |
| Operation | |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Operator(s) |
CrossCountry Abellio ScotRail Virgin Trains Virgin Trains East Coast DB Schenker Freightliner Direct Rail Services |
| Rolling stock |
Class 91 Class 220 "Voyager" Class 221 "SuperVoyager" Class 380 "Desiro" Class 390 "Pendolino" |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 25kV 50hz AC |
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 branches of the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
Along with the Shotts line, the Falkirk line, and the Helensburgh to Edinburgh route via Airdrie and Bathgate, the line is one of four direct rail links between Edinburgh and Glasgow (and one of two electrified links) and is frequently used by passenger and freight traffic. Passenger services are operated by CrossCountry, Abellio ScotRail, Virgin Trains East Coast and Virgin Trains with freight services operated by DB Schenker, Freightliner and Direct Rail Services.
This line was opened by the Caledonian Railway as part of a plan to link Glasgow and Edinburgh to the railways in England. The main line from England (now known as WCML, the West Coast Main Line) splits at Carstairs, with one branch going to Edinburgh and the other to Glasgow. The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line consists of those two branches joined by a short connecting chord at Carstairs. The Edinburgh portion opened for passengers on 15 February 1848; and the Glasgow section opened for passengers on 1 November 1849.
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