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Same Train - Same Time - Same Seat - Just Cheaper

Your guide to Britain's railways

UK train operators, current and past

Find the operator for your journey, explore its routes and stations, or trace a former train company's services to the operators running them today.

Operator information reviewed 6 November 2026.

Current operators ↓Past operators ↓

94 current and former operator guides.

Plan a journey today

Current train operators

38 operators & networks

National Rail passenger brands, international and Northern Ireland services, and the urban networks covered by this directory.

Avanti West Coast Avanti West CoastNational Rail intercity operatorView operator guide → c2c c2cNational Rail regional operatorView operator guide → Caledonian Sleeper Caledonian SleeperNational Rail overnight operatorView operator guide → Chiltern Railways Chiltern RailwaysNational Rail regional and intercity operatorView operator guide → CrossCountry CrossCountryNational Rail intercity and regional operatorView operator guide → Docklands Light Railway Docklands Light RailwayUrban light metro networkView operator guide → East Midlands Railway East Midlands RailwayNational Rail intercity and regional operatorView operator guide → Elizabeth line Elizabeth lineTfL cross-London railwayView operator guide → Eurostar EurostarInternational high-speed passenger operatorView operator guide → Gatwick Express Gatwick ExpressNational Rail airport service brandView operator guide → Glasgow Subway Glasgow SubwayUrban subway networkView operator guide → Grand Central Grand CentralNational Rail open-access operatorView operator guide → Great Northern Great NorthernNational Rail regional service brandView operator guide → Great Western Railway Great Western RailwayNational Rail intercity, regional and sleeper operatorView operator guide → Greater Anglia Greater AngliaNational Rail regional and intercity operatorView operator guide → Heathrow Express Heathrow ExpressNational Rail airport express operatorView operator guide → Hull Trains Hull TrainsNational Rail open-access operatorView operator guide → Island Line Island LineNational Rail Isle of Wight serviceView operator guide → LNER LNERNational Rail intercity operatorView operator guide → London Northwestern Railway London Northwestern RailwayNational Rail regional and interurban brandView operator guide → London Overground London OvergroundTfL suburban rail networkView operator guide → London Underground London UndergroundUrban underground railwayView operator guide → Lumo LumoNational Rail open-access operatorView operator guide → Manchester Metrolink Manchester MetrolinkTram and light rail networkView operator guide → Merseyrail MerseyrailNational Rail metropolitan operatorView operator guide → NI Railways NI RailwaysNorthern Ireland passenger railwayView operator guide → Northern NorthernNational Rail regional operatorView operator guide → ScotRail ScotRailNational Rail Scottish regional and intercity operatorView operator guide → South Western Railway South Western RailwayNational Rail regional and intercity operatorView operator guide → Southeastern SoutheasternNational Rail regional and domestic high-speed operatorView operator guide → Southern SouthernNational Rail suburban and regional operatorView operator guide → Stansted Express Stansted ExpressNational Rail airport service brandView operator guide → Thameslink ThameslinkNational Rail cross-London regional operatorView operator guide → TransPennine Express TransPennine ExpressNational Rail intercity and regional operatorView operator guide → Transport for London Transport for LondonUrban transport authorityView operator guide → Transport for Wales Transport for WalesNational Rail Wales and Borders operatorView operator guide → Tyne and Wear Metro Tyne and Wear MetroUrban light metro networkView operator guide → West Midlands Railway West Midlands RailwayNational Rail regional operatorView operator guide →

Trace the railway's history

Past train operators

56 historical guides

Former passenger franchises and brands, with major earlier railway organisations. Each guide distinguishes historical routes from today's travel choices.

Anglia Railways Anglia RailwaysFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Arriva Rail London Arriva Rail LondonFormer London Overground concession operatorView operator guide → Arriva Trains Merseyside Arriva Trains MerseysideFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Arriva Trains Northern Arriva Trains NorthernFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Arriva Trains Wales Arriva Trains WalesFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → British Rail British RailFormer national railway organisationView operator guide → Central Trains Central TrainsFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Connex South Central Connex South CentralFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Connex South Eastern Connex South EasternFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → East Coast (2009–2015) East Coast (2009–2015)Former public passenger operatorView operator guide → East Midlands Trains East Midlands TrainsFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → First Capital Connect First Capital ConnectFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → First Great Eastern First Great EasternFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → First Great Western First Great WesternFormer passenger brandView operator guide → First Great Western Link First Great Western LinkFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → First North Western First North WesternFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → First ScotRail First ScotRailFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → First TransPennine Express First TransPennine ExpressFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Gatwick Express (former standalone franchise) Gatwick Express (former standalone franchise)Former passenger franchise operatorView operator guide → Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR)Former passenger operating companyView operator guide → Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) Great North Eastern Railway (GNER)Former passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Great Western Railway (historic company) Great Western Railway (historic company)Historic passenger railway companyView operator guide → Great Western Trains (1996–1998) Great Western Trains (1996–1998)Former passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Heathrow Connect Heathrow ConnectFormer airport passenger brandView operator guide → InterCity (British Rail) InterCity (British Rail)Former British Rail passenger sector and brandView operator guide → Island Line Trains (former standalone franchise) Island Line Trains (former standalone franchise)Former passenger franchise operatorView operator guide → London and North Eastern Railway (historic LNER) London and North Eastern Railway (historic LNER)Historic passenger railway companyView operator guide → London Midland London MidlandFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS)Historic passenger railway companyView operator guide → LTS Rail LTS RailFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Midland Mainline Midland MainlineFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → National Express East Anglia National Express East AngliaFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → National Express East Coast National Express East CoastFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Network SouthEast Network SouthEastFormer British Rail passenger sectorView operator guide → Northern Rail (2004–2016) Northern Rail (2004–2016)Former passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Northern Spirit Northern SpiritFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Northern under Arriva (2016–2020) Northern under Arriva (2016–2020)Former passenger franchise operatorView operator guide → one railway one railwayFormer passenger brandView operator guide → Regional Railways Regional RailwaysFormer British Rail passenger sectorView operator guide → ScotRail under National Express ScotRail under National ExpressFormer passenger franchise operatorView operator guide → Silverlink SilverlinkFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → South Eastern Trains (2003–2006) South Eastern Trains (2003–2006)Former public passenger operatorView operator guide → South West Trains South West TrainsFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Southern Railway (historic company) Southern Railway (historic company)Historic passenger railway companyView operator guide → TfL Rail TfL RailFormer passenger brandView operator guide → Thames Trains Thames TrainsFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Thameslink (original 1997–2006 franchise) Thameslink (original 1997–2006 franchise)Former passenger franchise operatorView operator guide → Valley Lines (Cardiff Railway) Valley Lines (Cardiff Railway)Former passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Virgin CrossCountry Virgin CrossCountryFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Virgin Trains (West Coast) Virgin Trains (West Coast)Former passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Virgin Trains East Coast Virgin Trains East CoastFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Wales & Borders Wales & BordersFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Wales & West Wales & WestFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Wessex Trains Wessex TrainsFormer passenger franchise brandView operator guide → West Anglia Great Northern (WAGN) West Anglia Great Northern (WAGN)Former passenger franchise brandView operator guide → Wrexham & Shropshire Wrexham & ShropshireFormer open-access passenger operatorView operator guide →

Choose the right operator and ticket

A route may be served by more than one operator. Check the operator and route restrictions on your ticket, particularly with Advance, operator-only and split-ticket journeys.

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