ScotRail is to bring a special Santa Express train service to Fife this December as part of a charity initiative.
The trains are being run from Edinburgh in partnership with the operator and the Railway Children charity.
While they will not stop in the kingdom, the services will leave Edinburgh Waverley and travel round the Fife Circle line on December 11 and 18 – one in the morning and another in the afternoon.
There is also a service heading for Boat of Garten in the Highlands on December 4.
Children on board will receive treats, activities and entertainment, including a visit from Father Christmas.
Santa Express ticket sales to support vulnerable children
Tickets for the Fife Santa Express trip are priced at £12.50 for a child and £25 for an adult, with a family ticket costing £65.
The first journey leaves Edinburgh at 10.15am, arriving back at noon, while the second departs at 1.16pm, returning at 3.04pm.
All ticket sales will go to Railway Children, which supports vulnerable children who live alone and at risk on the streets across the world.
David Simpson, ScotRail operations director, said: “We are delighted to be launching Christmas 2021 today with Santa and the Railway Children charity.
“It’ll be great to see the faces of all the children, and maybe the parents too, when Father Christmas hands out presents to them on the train.
It should be a brilliant experience for everyone and a great start to the Christmas season
“These five Santa Express trains will be a brilliant addition to the festive fun in the lead up to the big day.”
Terina Keene, Railway Children CEO, said: “Thank you so much to ScotRail for supporting us with this lovely, festive event.
“It should be a brilliant experience for everyone and a great start to the Christmas season at the same time as raising funds to help us reach vulnerable children and families around the world.”