Work on the station expansion is due for completion in 2019.

The scope of the project will include:

• Demolition of the Millennium Hotel’s 1970s extension above the station
• Demolition of Consort House
• Removal of the canopy over the footway in Dundas Street
• Redevelopment of the station concourse,south and west façades,including reconstruction and extension of station buildings
• Improved station entrances at Dundas Street and George Square
• New lighting and public address systems
• New ticket office and staff accommodation block
• Construction of extended platforms to accommodate eight-car trains

Phil Verster, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance, said: “This is another tremendously exciting step forward in our plans to transform Scotland’s railway.

“Today’s we are confirming that one of our busiest and most important stations will also be transformed, making it larger and with much better facilities for our growing number of customers.

“Scotland’s railway is about more than running metal boxes up and down the tracks. We are all about using trains to connect people with jobs, businesses with customers and communities with more opportunities to grow and prosper.

“The changes we are making in the coming years will make sure that we have a modern fleet, running on improved infrastructure to and from world-class stations. That is a rail network we can all be proud of.”

Rodger Querns, programme director for the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme, added: “We look forward to delivering this challenging, but exciting project that will realise huge improvements for passengers.”