Fares on ScotRail will rise by 4.8 per cent on 3 July, having been frozen since January last year.

The prices of season tickets and flexi-passes will not be going up, however.

In addition, ScotRail, which was renationalised last year, is planning to abolish peak time fares for six months, in a pilot scheme.

The unions and opposition politicians have criticised the increase, although it is less than March’s rise in England and Wales, which was 5.9 per cent.

Transport secretary Mairi McAllan said: ‘The Scottish Government rightly made the decision to freeze fares as part of its response to the cost-of-living crisis. While this has now remained in place for around 18 months, it is simply no longer sustainable.

‘From 3 July 2023, ScotRail fares will increase by 4.8 per cent, compared to 5.9 per cent fares rise across the rest of Great Britain, current RPI of 8.7 per cent and the August 2022 RPI rate of 12.3 per cent.

‘This fares rise does not include season tickets and flexi-passes which will remain frozen at current prices, ensuring those who use rail frequently are not discouraged from continuing to do so.

‘We know that any increase is unwelcome for passengers, therefore we have kept the rise as low as possible to maintain the attractiveness and affordability of rail as a travel option. We aim to continue this approach with the peaks fares removal pilot from October this year.’

Labour's transport spokesman Alex Rowley described the rise as ‘eye-watering’, and he warned that it ‘will hit the lowest paid workers hardest’.

He continued: ‘Our railways are already unreliable and overpriced, and now these punitive fare hikes will drive even more people off trains.’