The opening hours for Dunbar Railway Station’s ticket office, currently the only staffed ticket office in East Lothian, are expected to be reduced in 2025. While the station remains accessible to passengers, the revised hours aim to better align with customer usage patterns, particularly during peak daytime hours when most people use the facility.
Current and Proposed Opening Hours:
- Monday to Thursday: Current hours are from 5:55 am to 9:30 pm. Proposed change to open from 6:10 am to 7:15 pm.
- Friday: Currently open from 5:55 am to 9:30 pm. Proposed change to close earlier at 6:30 pm.
- Saturday: Current hours are from 6:25 am to 8:40 pm. Proposed change to open from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.
- Sunday: Currently open from 11:15 am to 9:30 pm. Proposed change to close at 6:30 pm.
These changes reduce the ticket office’s weekly opening hours substantially, from 102 hours to 82 hours, but ScotRails says the decrease is unlikely to affect the majority of customers and commuters travelling first thing, most of whom who will have pre-purchased a ticket and local users can purchase from a vending machine or on the train.
SoctRail’s reasoning for the Change:
ScotRail has noted a significant shift in customer ticket-purchasing habits, with a 50% drop in ticket office sales over the past decade. Currently, 43% of tickets are bought online, 20% from station vending machines, and just 16% through ticket offices, with most in-person sales concentrated in only 20 stations.
The reduced hours reflect ScotRail’s commitment to “more visible customer support” and a “safer and more supportive station environment” aligned with modern ticket-buying behaviors.
The main benefit of the ticket office is to navigate the complex ticket options that probably require visiting the customer dek during the off peak period.
Community Concerns:
Some have expressed concerns that reduced face-to-face interaction may inconvenience some users, especially those unfamiliar with the myriad of digital ticketing options. However this would only be in exceptional cases for customers travelling without a ticket very early or very late in the day. ScotRail confirmed that all trains continue to serve Dunbar and that the ticket office will remain open (essential) and has pledged to give significant notice before the new hours are implemented in 2025. They also confirmed that it would not affect platform staffing.
A longer version of this article appeared in the East Lothian Courier and was abridged and adapted using a guided prompt by chat GTP and a real person
