Harry Styles: ScotRail lays on extra trains for fans leaving Murrayfield

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Harry Styles fans have been asked to get to Murrayfield before the gates open at 17:00

Scotland's transport network is bracing for a busy weekend as Harry Styles fans head to Edinburgh while road closures are in place for the marathon.

Extra trains are being put on for visitors to the capital city.

Harry Styles' stadium tour will be at Murrayfield on Friday and Saturday, while the marathon festival is being held on Saturday and Sunday.

Radio 1's Big Weekend in Dundee and several football matches are expected to add to pressure on normal services.

The Scottish Premiership season is drawing to a close and large crowds are expected at matches across the central belt.

ScotRail has asked passengers to plan ahead because public transport will be much busier than normal over the weekend.

The train operator is adding extra seats to services on routes in and out of Edinburgh Waverley for the Harry Styles concerts, with extra trains planned after the shows.

It has advised fans to get to the stadium ahead of the gates opening at 1700 because trains will be very busy.

Haymarket station is also expected to be much busier than normal in the early evening with football fans and concert-goers using the station.

After the concert people are encouraged to walk to Haymarket station and join a holding area on Haymarket Terrace to queue for trains.

Those travelling to and from Fife have been advised to go to the stadium via tram from Edinburgh Gateway station.

Meanwhile additional trams are be laid to ferry fans of the former One Direction star to Murrayfield.

Edinburgh Trams said they will run every three minutes before the gigs, and additional trams will also be operation after the shows.

Thousands of people are also expected at Radio 1's Big Weekend at Camperdown Park in Dundee from Friday to Sunday.

Image source, Reuters
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Wet Leg are supporting Harry Styles at Murrayfield and playing Radio 1's Big Weekend

Lewis Capaldi, The 1975, Wet Leg, and Arlo Parks are among the acts performing at the festival.

ScotRail has confirmed it will add additional carriages to services connecting Dundee with Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh Waverley, and Aberdeen throughout the weekend with extra late-night services back to the three cities each evening.

Meanwhile road closures and parking restrictions will be in place from Friday to Sunday, external for the Edinburgh Marathon Festival between the city centre and Longniddry.

On Sunday, when the full marathon is taking place, ScotRail plans to add more seats to trains in and out of Edinburgh, and more trains between Prestonpans and Edinburgh Waverley to take runners back to the city after they cross the finish line.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail head of customer operations, urged passengers to buy digital tickets online to save time and reduce queues.

He said: "We'll be running as many trains as possible to help people enjoy the occasion, however, trains will be much busier than normal, so our advice to anyone travelling this weekend is to plan ahead and allow extra time for travel."