The first fully electric service on the Edinburgh to Glasgow railway line is in operation.

All journeys between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High used the new fleet of electric trains on Wednesday.

ScotRail said the achievement was a first in the line’s 176-year history, and it meant all customers travelling on the route benefited from quieter, greener and smoother journeys.

The move is part of a series of improvements aimed at cutting journey times on the busy line, although the introduction of the new vehicles was delayed.

ScotRail has said the electric trains will help it cut the current 51-minute journey time between the two cities by up to a fifth – although managing director Alex Hynes said in May it will be 2019 before all services on the route are cut to 42 minutes.

Manufacturer Hitachi is building 70 of the trains, which will also be introduced on other routes across central Scotland in the coming months.

Mr Hynes said: “Delivering a fully electric service on our flagship Edinburgh to Glasgow route is another major milestone for Scotland’s railway.

“A fully electric service means smoother journeys, more seats and better services for our customers – and a greener railway.

“It’s all part of our plan to build the best railway Scotland has ever had.”