Scottish Citylink is helping families in Scotland beat the credit crunch by offering free weekend travel for children.

The new Family Day Ticket, due to be launched on Monday (August 11), will mean that children accompanied by a fare-paying adult will travel for free on Saturdays and Sundays.

The ticket applies to children up to the age of 15 and is valid on all Citylink services across Scotland.

Nicola Campbell, marketing manager for Scottish Citylink, said “With so many families having to keep a close watch on their outgoings in the current financial climate, the Family Day Ticket is a great way for them to take a day out without stretching the purse-strings.

 “Family days out are a great way to spend some quality time together and hopefully this service will encourage people to make the most of the great attractions we have here in Scotland, including Loch Lomond, Oban and all the major cities.

“There is so much to see and do in Scotland and this new offer will allow families to take advantage of these opportunities while still keeping within their budgets.”
The number of families choosing to travel by coach has increased in the past year with the number of children travelling on Citylink’s services up 8% on last year’s figures.

The new Family Day Ticket is subject to a limit of two children per fee-paying adult.  Two adults travelling with four children from Glasgow to Edinburgh could pay as little as £16.80 for six seats.

Tickets must be booked in advance from Citylink’s website, ticket office or call centre and are valid only for same-day return journeys.

VisitScotland has adapted its marketing tactics in light of the current economic situation, to encourage more UK visitors to holiday at home.  

Philip Riddle, Chief Executive of the national tourism organization said: “It is great to see Scottish Citylink encouraging families to get out and explore Scotland this summer. The current economic situation means that more Scots will be thinking of holidaying at home this year, and they are certain to have a great time whether they fancy the buzz of our big cities, or the beauty and tranquility of Scotland’s countryside.”

The Family Day Ticket is one of a number of ticket offers currently available from Scottish Citylink.  Other popular offers include the Super Singles ticket, which offers journeys from Glasgow to Edinburgh for as little as £1, and the Explorer Pass, which allows coach travel all over Scotland for a flat rate.

Citylink is Scotland’s leading coach company with a comprehensive network linking over 200 towns and cities and offering more than 400 services every day on comfortable, modern coaches.

Issued by the BIG Partnership on behalf of Scottish Citylink

For further information or interview requests, contact Elaine Brewer on 0141 333 9585 (office), 07795 435484 (mobile) or elaine.brewer@bigpartnership.co.uk or Kim Munro on 0141 333 9585 (office), 07966 224910 (mobile) and or kim.munro@bigpartnership.co.uk