List of companies operating trains in the United Kingdom

There are many companies operating trains in the United Kingdom, including the operators of franchised and publicly-owned passenger services, officially referred to as train operating companies (TOCs), as distinct from freight operating companies.

Passenger operators in Great Britain

Current operators

Operator	Type	Franchise / contract	Parent(s)	Passenger satisfaction<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Start date	Replaced	Code
Arriva Rail London (Trading as: London Overground)	TfL concession	London Overground	Arriva UK Trains	87%	Template:Dts<ref>Arriva wins £1.5bn London Overground contract BBC News 18 March 2016</ref><ref>Transport for London announces intention to award London Overground contract to Arriva Template:Webarchive Arriva 18 March 2016</ref><ref>TfL confirm London Overground contract with Arriva signed Railway Technology Magazine 18 April 2016</ref>	London Overground Rail Operations	LO
Avanti West Coast	Contract	West Coast Partnership	Template:Plainlist	84%	Template:Dts	Virgin Trains West Coast	VT
c2c	State-owned operator	Essex Thameside	DfT Operator	89%<ref name = dftoc2c202507>Template:Cite press release</ref>	Template:Dts<ref name = dftoc2c202507 />	c2c (Trenitalia)	CC
Caledonian Sleeper		Caledonian Sleeper	Scottish Rail Holdings	Template:Snd	Template:Dts	Caledonian Sleeper (Serco)	CS
Chiltern Railways	Contract	Chiltern Railways	Arriva UK Trains	88%	Template:Dts	Network SouthEast (Chiltern Division)	CH
CrossCountry		New CrossCountry		85%	Template:Dts	Central Trains (Birmingham – Stansted), (Cardiff – Nottingham) Virgin CrossCountry	XC
East Midlands Railway		East Midlands	Transport UK Group	83%	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	EM
Elizabeth line	TfL concession	Crossrail	GTS Rail Operations	89%	25 May 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Plainlist	XR
Eurostar	Open access	Template:Snd	Eurostar Group	Template:Snd	Template:Dts	Template:Snd	ES
Govia Thameslink Railway (Trading as: Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink)	Contract	Thameslink, Southern & Great Northern	Govia	80%	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	SN, TL, GN, GX
Grand Central<ref>In May 2010 Grand Northern services began, branded Grand Central to allow a single fleet pool to be used.</ref>	Open access	Template:Snd	Arriva UK Trains	95%	Template:Dts	Template:Snd	GC
Greater Anglia (also operating Stansted Express)	State-owned operator	East Anglia	Template:Plainlist	77%	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Greater Anglia (Transport UK Group, Mitsui)	LE
Great Western Railway	Contract	Greater Western	FirstGroup	86%	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	GW
Heathrow Express	Open access	Template:Snd	Heathrow Airport Holdings	94%	Template:Dts	Template:Snd	HX
Hull Trains		Template:Snd	FirstGroup	92%	Template:Dts	Template:Snd	HT
Template:Nowrap	State-owned operator	InterCity East Coast	DfT Operator	91%	Template:Dts	Virgin Trains East Coast	GR
Lumo	Open access	Template:Snd	FirstGroup	Template:Snd	Template:Dts	Template:Snd	LD
Merseyrail	Merseytravel contract	Merseyrail	Serco-Abellio	90%	Template:Dts	Arriva Trains Merseyside	ME
Northern Trains	State-owned operator	Northern	DfT Operator	77%	Template:Dts	Arriva Rail North	NT
ScotRail		ScotRail	Scottish Rail Holdings	Template:Snd	Template:Dts	Abellio ScotRail	SR
Southeastern		South Eastern	DfT Operator	Template:Snd	Template:Dts	Southeastern (Govia)	SE
South Western Railway (also operating Island Line)		South Western	DfT Operator	75%	Template:Dts	South Western Railway (First MTR)	SW, IL
TransPennine Express		TransPennine Express	DfT Operator	Template:Snd	Template:Dts	TransPennine Express (FirstGroup)	TP
Transport for Wales Rail		Wales & Borders	Transport for Wales	Template:Snd	Template:Dts	KeolisAmey Wales	AW
West Midlands Trains (Trading as: West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway)	Contract	West Midlands	Template:Plainlist	79%	Template:Dts<ref name="DFT Schedule">Template:Cite web</ref>	London Midland	LM

There are also a number of light rail systems.

Future operating companies

Future operating companies that have been announced by the Department for Transport. These will be the first nationalised operators to take over passenger services since the passing of the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, which makes public ownership the default option for passenger services.

Operator	Type	Franchise / contract	Parent	Date commencing	Replacing	Code
West Midlands Trains (2026)	State-owned operator	West Midlands	DfT Operator	1 February 2026	West Midlands Trains (Transport UK Group and Mitsui & Co )	LM
Thameslink Southern Great Northern	State-owned operator	Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise	DfT Operator	31 May 2026	Govia Thameslink Railway	GN, GX, SN, TL

Defunct operating companies

Operating companies have ceased to exist for various reasons, including withdrawal of the franchise, the term of the franchise has expired, bankruptcy or merger.

Operator	Type	Franchise	Parent(s)	Date started	Date ceased	Replaced by	Code
Abellio ScotRail	Franchise	ScotRail	Abellio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	ScotRail (Scottish Government)	SR
Anglia Railways		Anglia	GB Railways	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	One	AR
Arriva Trains Wales		Wales & Borders	Arriva UK Trains	Template:Dts	Template:Dts<ref name=aslef>Template:Cite web</ref>	KeolisAmey Wales	AW
Arriva Trains Merseyside	Merseytravel contract	Merseyrail		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Merseyrail	ME
Arriva Trains Northern	Franchise	Regional Railways North East		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	AN
Arriva Rail North		Northern		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Northern Trains	NT
Caledonian Sleeper (Serco)		Caledonian Sleeper	Serco	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Caledonian Sleeper (Scottish Rail Holdings)	CS
c2c		Essex Thameside	Trenitalia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	c2c	CC
Central Trains		Central	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	CT
Connex South Central		Network SouthCentral	Connex	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Southern	CX
Connex South Eastern		South Eastern		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	South Eastern Trains
East Coast		InterCity East Coast	Directly Operated Railways	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Virgin Trains East Coast	GR
East Midlands Trains		East Midlands	Stagecoach	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	East Midlands Railway	EM
First Capital Connect		Thameslink Great Northern	FirstGroup	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Govia Thameslink Railway	FC
First Great Eastern		Great Eastern	FirstGroup	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	National Express East Anglia	GE
First Great Western Link		Thames	FirstGroup	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	First Great Western	FK
First North Western		North West Regional Railways	FirstGroup	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	NW
First ScotRail		Scotrail	FirstGroup	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Abellio ScotRail	SR
First TransPennine Express		TransPennine Express	Template:Plainlist	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	TransPennine Express	TP
Gatwick Express		Gatwick Express	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Southern	GX
Great North Eastern Railway		InterCity East Coast	Sea Containers	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	National Express East Coast	GR
Greater Anglia		East Anglia	Transport UK Group (60%) Mitsui & Co (40%)	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Greater Anglia	LE
Great Western Trains		Great Western	Great Western Holdings	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	First Great Western	GW
Heathrow Connect	Open Access	—	Heathrow Airport Holdings, FirstGroup	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	TfL Rail	HC
Island Line	Franchise	Island Line	Stagecoach	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	South West Trains	IL
London Midland		West Midlands	Govia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	West Midlands Trains	LM
London Overground Rail Operations	TfL concession	London Overground	Template:Plainlist	Template:Dts	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Arriva Rail London	LO
Merseyrail Electrics	Merseytravel contract	Merseyrail	MTL	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Arriva Trains Merseyside	ME
Midland Mainline	Franchise	Midland Main Line	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	East Midlands Trains	ML
National Express East Anglia		Greater Anglia		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Greater Anglia	LE
National Express East Coast		InterCity East Coast		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	East Coast	GR
Northern Rail		Northern Rail	Serco-Abellio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Arriva Rail North	NT
Northern Spirit		Regional Railways North East	MTL	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Arriva Trains Northern	NS
North Western Trains		North West Regional Railways	Great Western Holdings	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	First North Western	NW
ScotRail		ScotRail	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	First ScotRail	SR
Silverlink		North London Railways		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	SS
Southeastern		Integrated Kent	Govia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Southeastern	SE
South Eastern Trains		South Eastern	Strategic Rail Authority	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Southeastern	SE
South Western Railway		South Western	FirstGroup (70%) MTR Corporation (30%)	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	South Western Railway	SW
South West Trains		South Western	Stagecoach	Template:Dts	Template:Dts<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/533363/swf-itt.pdf Template:Dead link</ref>	South Western Railway	SW
Southern		South Central	Govia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Govia Thameslink Railway	SN
Thames Trains		Thames	Go-Ahead Group	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	First Great Western Link	TT
Thameslink		Thameslink	Govia	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	First Capital Connect	TR
TransPennine Express		TransPennine Express	FirstGroup	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	TransPennine Trains (trading as TransPennine Express)	TP
KeolisAmey Wales		Wales & Borders	Keolis/Amey	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Transport for Wales Rail	AW
Valley Lines		Valley Lines	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Wales & Borders	VL
Virgin Trains East Coast		InterCity East Coast	Template:Plainlist	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	London North Eastern Railway	GR
Virgin CrossCountry		CrossCountry	Virgin Rail Group	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	VXC
Virgin Trains West Coast		InterCity West Coast		Template:Dts	Template:Dts<ref name="WestCoastRail">Template:Cite web</ref>	Avanti West Coast	VT
West Anglia Great Northern (West Anglia Main Line and Lea Valley Lines)		West Anglia Great Northern	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	One	WN
West Anglia Great Northern (Great Northern and Fenline routes)		West Anglia Great Northern	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	First Capital Connect
Wales & Borders		Wales & Borders	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Arriva Trains Wales	WB
Wales & West		Wales & West	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Plainlist	WW
Wessex Trains		Wessex	National Express	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	First Great Western	WE
Wrexham & Shropshire	Open access	Wrexham to London	DB Regio	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Ceased due to lack of profitability	WS

Passenger operators in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, passenger trains are NI/Ireland government-owned by Translink or the National Transport Authority. The following brands are used:

• Northern Ireland Railways
• Enterprise service from Dublin Connolly to Belfast Grand Central on the Belfast-Dublin line joint venture between Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnród Éireann.

UK Railtour operators

• Pathfinder Tours
• Scottish Railway Preservation Society
• Venice-Simplon Orient Express (British Pullman and Northern Belle services)
• Vintage Trains
• West Coast Railways
• Locomotive Services Limited (Including Steam Dreams, InterCity, Blue Pullman, Saphos Trains, and Statesman Rail)
• Hanson and Hall

Luxury railtours

• Belmond Royal Scotsman
• Belmond Brittanic Explorer (From 2025)

In Northern Ireland

• Enthusiast railtours
• Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
• Irish Railway Record Society
• The Modern Railway Society of Ireland

Defunct:

• Compass Tours
• Belmond Grand Hibernian

Freight operators

• Colas Rail
• DCRail
• Direct Rail Services
• DB Cargo UK (formerly English Welsh & Scottish Railway)
• Freightliner
• GB Railfreight
• Mendip Rail
• RailAdventure

Franchised passenger operator structure in Great Britain

Sector of British Rail	Franchise	Pre-grouping company	Original privatised operator	Current operator(s)
InterCity	Caledonian Sleeper	N/A	ScotRail	Caledonian Sleeper
	East Midlands	Midland Railway	Midland Mainline	East Midlands Railway
	Greater Western	Great Western Railway	Great Western Trains	Great Western Railway
	InterCity East Coast	Great Northern Railway	Great North Eastern Railway	London North Eastern Railway
	New CrossCountry	N/A	Virgin CrossCountry	CrossCountry
	West Coast Partnership	London & North Western Railway	Virgin Trains West Coast	Avanti West Coast
Network SouthEast	Chiltern	Great Central Railway	Chiltern Railways
	East Anglia	Great Eastern Railway	Anglia Railways	Greater Anglia
	Essex Thameside	London, Tilbury & Southend Railway	LTS Rail	c2c
	South Eastern	South Eastern & Chatham Railway	Connex South Eastern	Southeastern
	South Western	London & South Western Railway	South West Trains	South Western Railway
	Thameslink, Southern & Great Northern	London, Brighton & South Coast Railway	Thameslink Connex South Central West Anglia Great Northern (Great Northern and Fenline routes)	Thameslink Southern Great Northern (Govia Thameslink Railway)
	West Midlands	N/A	Central Trains	West Midlands Railway London Northwestern Railway (West Midlands Trains)
Regional Railways	Wales & Borders	Predominantly London & North Western Railway	Wales & Borders	Transport for Wales Rail
	TransPennine Express		North Western Trains	TransPennine Express
	Northern		Northern Spirit	Northern Trains
	ScotRail	Caledonian Railway, Glasgow & South Western Railway, Great North of Scotland Railway, Highland Railway and North British Railway	ScotRail	ScotRail

See also

• Passenger rail franchising in Great Britain (for detailed information about the history of each franchise)

External links

• List of Train Operating Companies on the National Rail website Template:Webarchive
• Map of Train Operating Companies on the National Rail website
• Barry Doe's colour-coded map showing operator(s) on each route (Large PDF)