FIFERS heading to events in Edinburgh this weekend are being encouraged to plan ahead to minimise disruption.

Harry Styles will take to the stage at BT Murrayfield on Friday and Saturday while football matches and the Edinburgh Marathon are also taking place over the weekend.

Scotrail say customers travelling to and from Fife to see Harry Styles may consider travelling to and from the concert via Edinburgh Gateway station.

From there, Edinburgh Trams operate a fast and frequent connections between the entrance of BT Murrayfield and the station.

As well as the events in Edinburgh, trains are also expected to be busy with passengers travelling to Radio 1's Big Weekend in Dundee which runs from Friday until Sunday, 28 May.

To support all the weekend's events, ScotRail is adding more carriages and more trains across the network.

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

Gates at BT Murrayfield will be open from 5pm each day, and ScotRail is encouraging fans to get to the venue early as trains will be very busy.

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

When the concert ends, music-lovers are encouraged to walk, if they can, back to Haymarket station as quickly as possible and join the holding area on Haymarket Terrace, where they will then be directed to the appropriate queue. 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.

The train operator is advising those attending the festival to plan ahead and allow additional time for travel as services are expected to be busy, and queuing systems may be in place at key stations across the country.

To support runners in the Edinburgh Marathon on Sunday, ScotRail is adding more seats to trains in and out of Edinburgh, wherever possible, with additional trains between Prestonpans and Edinburgh Waverley throughout the afternoon to transport participants back to the city after they cross the finish line.

Customers travelling by rail across the weekend are all encouraged to buy their return tickets for travel through the mTicket system on the ScotRail app, either from the comfort of their home or on the way to the station, where it will instantly become available on their mobile device.

This will reduce their need to queue on the day.

ScotRail will have extra staff on hand at key stations across the network throughout the weekend to help customers, who are also reminded that the consumption of alcohol is prohibited on ScotRail services and in ScotRail stations.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail Head of Customer Operations, said: “We’re preparing for a really busy weekend, with events across the country, including Harry Styles at BT Murrayfield, Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee, and the Edinburgh Marathon.

“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.

"Buying return tickets in advance on the ScotRail app or website will minimise your need to queue and help your day run smoothly.”