Scotland's Borders Railway celebrates 10th anniversary

Описание: First Minister John Swinney joined celebrations in Galashiels today to mark ten years since the reopening of the Borders Railway.

On 6 September 2015, train services returned to the Scottish Borders for the first time in more than forty years, reconnecting Edinburgh with communities across Midlothian and all the way to Tweedbank.

The major project, funded by the Scottish Government, included seven new stations and the restoration of a vital 30-mile route that had been lost when the original line closed in 1969.

Since its return, the Borders Railway has carried over 13 million passenger journeys and has become a vital transport link for residents, commuters and visitors.

The anniversary was marked with a special event at the Great Tapestry of Scotland Museum on Saturday, 6 September 2025. The First Minister was joined by Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop, local MSP Christine Grahame, and around 100 guests including representatives from Scotland’s Railway and community leaders.

The celebration featured speeches reflecting on the reconnection and regeneration the Borders Railway has inspired over the past decade, alongside a recital of a tenth anniversary poem by spoken word artist Erin Boyle.