Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) – the UK’s largest train operator – will be nationalised on Sunday 31 May 2026. Chiltern Railways’ and Great Western Railways’ services are expected to follow at a later date.
Knowing that a date for nationalisation would be set at some point, GTR has already started planning for this transition, and will work closely with the Department for Transport over the next eight months.
Passengers can be reassured that train services, timetables and station facilities are unaffected with no changes to travel cards and ticketing terms and conditions. Employees’ roles are also unaffected, as they will all transfer across into the publicly owned company.
For now, GTR’s priority is maintaining its strong focus on providing the best service for customers, ensuring they continue to have safe and reliable journeys across the network.
Since taking over the franchise in 2014, GTR has delivered major improvements, becoming a thriving operation and contributor to growth that will make a significant contribution to the future success of Great British Railways (GBR).
Chief Executive Officer Angie Doll said: “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved for the millions of customers who rely on us, and for the communities we serve. As well as helping people travel, our purpose is about building a railway ready for the future, with people and communities at the heart of making that happen.
“By investing in skills, nurturing talent and building a more diverse workforce, we’ve laid the foundations for a railway that will endure, support sustainable growth, and inspire future generations. That is the legacy we have created.
“Our transition to public ownership comes at a time when GTR is at the forefront of key initiatives, essential to building a thriving sector under GBR and a stronger economy for Britain’s future.”
Some of GTR’s most recent achievements, that provide a blueprint for GBR include:
- 10-year track record of operating a state-of-the-art joint Network Rail-GTR control room at Three Bridges.
- Investing in skills and employability to attract young and diverse people to rail, with an award-winning apprenticeship programme and a 10-year partnership with the King’s Trust.
- Generating £192 million in social value through community, careers, sustainability and wellbeing initiatives in the past 15 months alone.
- Delivering an award-winning timetable consultation with customers and communities on the south coast. This best-in-class approach can be used by others and delivered a 10 per cent increase in Saturday ridership, 50 per cent reduction in standing customers arriving into Brighton and a £3.6m increase in revenue between June and September 2024.
- Adopting pioneering in-cab digital signalling, with 100 per cent of Northern City Line services now running under ETCS – the first UK rail commuter route using this technology.
- Introducing over 1,500 modern carriages, transforming what was one of the UK’s oldest fleets.
Image credit: GTR
