Monday June 1st 2026
ScotRail official tartan
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
ScotRail is unveiling its own unique tartan design as the train operator gets ready to support a momentous year for sport in Scotland.
With the men’s football squad taking part in their first World Cup finals for almost 30 years and the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow, as well as many other festivals and one-off sporting occasions, 2026 will be a year to remember.
The ScotRail tartan, which is the brainchild of the company’s chief graphic designer Susie MacLeod, was inspired by the rhythm, form, and connectivity of the nation’s rail network.
The colour palette is rooted in ScotRail’s brand colours of blue and white. Variations in tones are intended to give the feeling of direction and movement.
The double white lines are intended to represent the rail tracks in physical form and mirror the shape of the iconic Saltire, each one joined to the next, representing the communities connected by Scotland’s Railway.
To become listed on the official Scottish Register of Tartans, the design had to meet strict criteria including being a new and unique design as well as meeting the definition of tartan contained in the Scottish Register of Tartans Act (2008).
ScotRail customers will soon begin seeing the new design everywhere, from tea and coffee cups on hospitality trolleys to screens on Ticket Vending Machines and as part of the interior livery on the new intercity Class 222s which will be replacing the operator’s High Speed Trains (HSTs).
Customers will also be able to see the tartan displayed on huge advertising billboards in the likes of Queen Street station in Glasgow and Haymarket in Edinburgh.
Claire Dickie, ScotRail Commercial Director, said:
“ScotRail is proud to be part of the fabric of Scotland, connecting communities, supporting major events, and helping people get to where they need to be every day.
“This tartan is a creative celebration of that role, bringing together elements of our heritage, national identity, and the modern railway we operate.
“As Scotland prepares for some truly unforgettable sporting and cultural moments in 2026, this feels like a fitting way to show our support and celebrate alongside the customers and communities we serve.
“We’re rightly proud of our history and our roots, and we think with the message, ‘We’ll never stop supporting you, Scotland’, the ScotRail tartan has truly arrived.”
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