Scottish firms are facing a massive financial hit, potentially running into hundreds of millions of pounds, as a result of three days of national strike action on the railways by the RMT union.
Shops, hotels, restaurants, bars and tourist attractions will be among those worst affected.
Commuters and tourists are also be caught up in the wave of industrial action which started today and continues on Thursday and Saturday.
The north-east, in particular, will be badly hit on the strike days, as there will be no ScotRail services between the area and the rest of Scotland.
However, the problems on the railways north of the border will not be confined to today, Thursday and Saturday - and it could be Monday before things improve significantly.
ScotRail explained: "On the days following strike action, there will be disruption caused by the reopening of signal boxes at different times across the country.
"While the large signalling centres at Yoker, west of Scotland, and Edinburgh will be able to operate from 7.15am, this will not be the case at manual boxes elsewhere - and it may well be early afternoon before many routes are able to operate as normal. This is particularly the case for routes outwith the Central Belt."
Very limited services from ScotRail
ScotRail said it would run very limited services on five routes in the Central Belt only on the strike days - a move which has angered the north-east business community - with no replacement buses or taxis throughout the period of industrial action.
It also said that people should only travel if necessary.
ScotRail has cancelled 90% of its services on the strike days, while cross-border services are also likely to be badly affected.
RMT's dispute with Network Rail and some train-operating companies is over pay, working conditions and redundancies.
Last-ditch talks between the union and Network Rail failed on Monday.
Mick Lynch, the union's general secretary, blamed the "dead hand" of Government, saying ministers did not allow employers to negotiate freely.
Network Rail Scotland spokesman Nick King said: "Today's strike is going to be very disruptive to the public. We are going to see a very, very limited service running in Scotland.
Keen to reach a resolution
"We are still keen to reach a resolution with the union, postpone further strike action if we can, but any deal that is done has to be fair on both our workers and on the taxpayer, who ultimately funds Network Rail's operations."
The BBC reports this morning that Boris Johnson is to call for a "sensible compromise" on pay to end the largest rail strike in 30 years which involves tens of thousands of RMT members.
The Prime Minister is expected to say "too high demands" on wages will make it hard to halt rising inflation.
RMT is asking for a pay rise of at least 7% to offset the rising cost of living, but it says employers have offered a maximum of 3% - on condition they also accept job cuts and changes to working practices.
Ahead of a Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister will accuse unions of "driving away commuters who ultimately support the jobs of rail workers", while hurting businesses across the country.
"Too-high demands on pay will also make it incredibly difficult to bring to an end the current challenges facing families around the world with rising costs of living," he will say.
"Now is the time to come to a sensible compromise for the good of the British people and the rail workforce."
Pay increase must be 'proportionate and balanced'
The Prime Minister will say that "hard-working public sector workers" should be rewarded, but the pay increase must be "proportionate and balanced".
Otherwise, sustained high inflation would have a much-bigger impact on people's pay packets in the long run, he will say.
The Bank of England has forecast that inflation is set to hit 11% in the autumn, with prices rising at the fastest rate for 40 years.
On Monday, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke said it was not a "sustainable expectation" that pay can match inflation across the private and public sector if the country was to avoid "a repeat of the 1970s" when wages and prices spiralled upwards together.