Scotland's reputation for hosting major events is "being trashed" as the last train home for many Scots was brought forward by four hours amidst ongoing nationalised ScotRail disruption due to the train drivers' dispute.

A new Saturday emergency timetable reveals that the late train to some areas has disappeared in many areas - with final trips setting out before night outs have barely begun.  A Sunday timetable is still not yet available.

Now the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader has urged ministers to make a deal and warned that if rail chaos drags on it will discourage major events organisers from choosing to host events in Scotland.

On Saturday, the final train on the Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh line leaving in each direction is at 10.15pm. This is approximately half an hour before the Alice Cooper gig at the OVO Hydro is expected to finish.

There are also concerns over the effect on the Edinburgh Marathon Festival which will run on Saturday and Sunday.

The last train on the Central Scotland line from Glasgow Queen Street through Bishopbriggs, Lenzie, Stirling and Alloa which is usually around midnight has been brought forward to 7.49pm. The last official train on the line from Glasgow is 10.15pm but only stops at Croy.

The final journey to Neilston and Newton from Glasgow Central passing through city stations such as Shawlands and Kings Park is 7.45pm. You have to be ten minutes earlier to get to other city stations such as Queens Park, Mount Florida and Cathcart and those outside the boundary such as Muirend and Williamwood.

On the Glasgow Queen Street to Falkirk Grahamston service, which goes through Robroyston, Stepps and Cumbernauld, the last train is 7.26pm.

The Herald:

Those planning on travelling on the Edinburgh to Perth and Dundee via the Fife Circle route are warned that the final train leaving Waverley is at 8.03pm, with the last train from Dundee to Edinburgh on the same route leaving at 8.45pm.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "Scotland's reputation as a host of major events is being trashed under the wheels of SNP incompetence. If this rail ​chaos goes on, organisers will think twice before planning to host events here. Ministers need to make a deal happen.

"Saturday's timetable is a nightmare for anyone trying to get home from Scotland's cities. Gig and theatre goers face having to take the car or end up out of pocket for taxis or hotels.

"Meanwhile runners and fans attending Sunday's Edinburgh marathon still don't have a timetable at all. It's farcical that they still don't know when trains will actually be running.

"If we want people to travel by rail it needs to be convenient and reliable. Instead, the SNP and Greens have taken just two months to wreck Scotland's rail network."

The state-controlled service cut 700 rail services on weekdays from Monday due to a lack of drivers.

The emergency timetable cuts came after over 1800 trains were cancelled at the last minute over 15 days and just over seven weeks after ScotRail was taken into public ownership by the Scottish Government in what ministers hailed a “historic” move.

ScotRail says the temporary but indefinite timetable has come as a result of the drivers' pay dispute which has meant some refusing to take up the option of working rest days and Sundays, crucial to keep trains running in Scotland.

While the ScotRail offer has been made, it will not yet bring an end to disruption to rail services this weekend.

In an update to passengers, ScotRail wrote: “We’re aware how much recent disruption has been affecting our customers and believe introducing a temporary timetable will provide greater certainty and reliability for those travelling.

“We’ve been relying on drivers working overtime or on their rest days to run a normal timetable, as the pandemic meant that training new drivers was significantly delayed. Without Covid and that impact on training, we would have trained around an extra 130 drivers today.

“Following an announcement by the drivers’ union Aslef that it will ballot for industrial action over pay, a significant number of drivers have been declining to make themselves available for overtime or rest day working. This has resulted in the recent disruption and our need to introduce a temporary timetable going forward.

“We want to resolve this dispute with the trade unions and move forward together to provide the safest, greenest, and most reliable railway we can for Scotland.

“In the meantime, we’re asking customers to check your journey as your train times may have changed.”