List of companies operating trains in the United Kingdom

There are several companies operating trains in the United Kingdom. These include the operators of passenger services, which are, rather confusingly, officially referred to as "train operating companies" or TOCs, as distinct from "freight operating companies".

 Passenger operators in Great Britain 
 OperatorTypeFranchiseParent(s)Passengersatisfaction Start dateReplacedArriva Rail London (Trading as: London Overground)TfL concessionLondon OvergroundArriva UK Trains87%Arriva wins £1.5bn London Overground contract BBC News 18 March 2016Transport for London announces intention to award London Overground contract to Arriva  Arriva 18 March 2016TfL confirm London Overground contract with Arriva signed Railway Technology Magazine 18 April 2016London Overground Rail OperationsAvanti West CoastFranchiseWest Coast Partnership84%Virgin Trains West Coastc2cEssex ThamesideDfT Operator84%20 July 2025c2c (Trenitalia)Caledonian SleeperCaledonian SleeperScottish Rail Holdings—Caledonian Sleeper (Serco)Chiltern RailwaysChiltern RailwaysArriva UK Trains88%Network SouthEast (Chiltern Division)CrossCountryNew CrossCountry85%Central Trains(Birmingham – Stansted), (Cardiff – Nottingham)Virgin CrossCountryEast Midlands RailwayEast MidlandsTransport UK Group83%Elizabeth lineTfL concessionCrossrailMTR Elizabeth line89% (as TfL Rail)EurostarOpen access—Eurostar Group——Govia Thameslink Railway (Trading as: Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink)FranchiseThameslink, Southern & Great NorthernGovia80%Grand CentralIn May 2010 Grand Northern services began, branded Grand Central to allow a single fleet pool to be used.Open access—Arriva UK Trains95%—Greater Anglia (also operating Stansted Express)FranchiseEast AngliaDfT Operator77%12 October 2025Greater Anglia (Transport UK, Mitsui)Great Western RailwayGreater WesternFirstGroup86%Heathrow ExpressOpen access—Heathrow Airport Holdings94%—Hull Trains—FirstGroup92%—FranchiseInterCity East CoastDfT Operator91%Virgin Trains East CoastLumoOpen access—FirstGroup——MerseyrailMerseytravel contractMerseyrailSerco-Abellio90%Arriva Trains MerseysideNorthern TrainsFranchiseNorthernDfT Operator77%Arriva Rail NorthScotRailScotRailScottish Rail Holdings—Abellio ScotRailSoutheasternSouth EasternDfT Operator—Southeastern (Govia)South Western Railway (also operating Island Line)South WesternDfT Operator75%25 May 2025South Western Railway (First, MTR)TransPennine ExpressTransPennine ExpressDfT OperatorTransPennine Express (FirstGroup)Transport for Wales RailWales & BordersTransport for Wales—KeolisAmey WalesWest Midlands Trains (Trading as: West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway)West Midlands79%London Midland

There are also a number of light rail systems.

 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 FranchiseParent(s) Date started Date ceasedReplaced byAbellio ScotRailFranchiseScotRailAbellioScotRail (Scottish Government)Anglia RailwaysAngliaGB RailwaysOneArriva Trains WalesWales & BordersArriva UK TrainsKeolisAmey WalesArriva Trains MerseysideMerseytravel contractMerseyrailMerseyrailArriva Trains NorthernFranchise Regional Railways North EastArriva Rail NorthNorthernNorthern TrainsCaledonian Sleeper (Serco)Caledonian SleeperSercoCaledonian Sleeper(Scottish Rail Holdings)Central TrainsCentralNational ExpressConnex South CentralNetwork SouthCentralConnexSouthernConnex South EasternSouth EasternSouth Eastern TrainsEast CoastInterCity East CoastDirectly Operated RailwaysVirgin Trains East CoastEast Midlands TrainsEast MidlandsStagecoachEast Midlands RailwayFirst Capital ConnectThameslink Great NorthernFirstGroupGovia Thameslink RailwayFirst Great EasternGreat EasternFirstGroupNational Express East AngliaFirst Great Western LinkThamesFirstGroupFirst Great WesternFirst North WesternNorth West Regional RailwaysFirstGroupFirst ScotRailScotrailFirstGroupAbellio ScotRailFirst TransPennine ExpressTransPennine ExpressTransPennine ExpressGatwick ExpressGatwick ExpressNational ExpressSouthernGreat North Eastern RailwayInterCity East CoastSea ContainersNational Express East CoastGreat Western TrainsGreat WesternGreat Western HoldingsFirst Great WesternHeathrow ConnectOpen Access—Heathrow Airport Holdings, FirstGroupTfL RailIsland LineFranchiseIsland LineStagecoachSouth West TrainsLondon MidlandWest MidlandsGoviaWest Midlands TrainsLondon Overground Rail OperationsTfL concessionLondon OvergroundArriva Rail LondonMerseyrail ElectricsMerseytravel contractMerseyrailMTLArriva Trains MerseysideMidland MainlineFranchiseMidland Main LineNational ExpressEast Midlands TrainsNational Express East AngliaGreater AngliaGreater AngliaNational Express East CoastInterCity East CoastEast CoastNorthern RailNorthern RailSerco-AbellioArriva Rail NorthNorthern SpiritRegional Railways North EastMTLArriva Trains NorthernNorth Western TrainsNorth West Regional RailwaysGreat Western HoldingsFirst North WesternScotRailScotRailNational ExpressFirst ScotRailSilverlinkNorth London RailwaysSoutheasternIntegrated KentGoviaSoutheasternSouth Eastern TrainsSouth EasternStrategic Rail AuthoritySoutheasternSouth West TrainsSouth WesternStagecoachhttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/533363/swf-itt.pdf South Western RailwaySouthernSouth CentralGoviaGovia Thameslink RailwayThames TrainsThamesGo-Ahead GroupFirst Great Western LinkThameslinkThameslinkGoviaFirst Capital ConnectTransPennine ExpressTransPennine ExpressFirstGroupTransPennine Trains(trading as TransPennine Express)KeolisAmey WalesWales & BordersKeolis/AmeyTransport for Wales RailValley LinesValley LinesNational ExpressWales & BordersVirgin Trains East CoastInterCity East CoastLondon North Eastern RailwayVirgin CrossCountryCrossCountryVirgin Rail GroupVirgin Trains West CoastInterCity West CoastAvanti West CoastWest Anglia Great Northern (West Anglia Main Line and Lea Valley Lines)West Anglia Great NorthernNational ExpressOneWest Anglia Great Northern (Great Northern and Fenline routes)West Anglia Great NorthernNational ExpressFirst Capital ConnectWales & BordersWales & BordersNational ExpressArriva Trains WalesWales & WestWales & WestNational ExpressWessex TrainsWessexNational ExpressFirst Great WesternWrexham & ShropshireOpen accessWrexham to LondonDB RegioCeased due to lack of profitability

 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 Lanyon Place on the Belfast-Dublin line joint venture between Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnród Éireann.
Iarnród Éireann, Operates 2 Northern Commuter services a day to/from Newry.

 UK Railtour operators 
Compass Tours
DPS Railtours
Pathfinder Tours
Scottish Railway Preservation Society
Venice-Simplon Orient Express (British Pullman and Northern Belle services)
Vintage Trains
West Coast Railways
Locomotive Services Limited

Luxury railtours
Belmond Grand Hibernian (From August 2016)
Steam Dreams (Emerald Isle Explorer)

In Northern Ireland
Enthusiast railtours
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Irish Railway Record Society
The Modern Railway Society of Ireland

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

 Franchised passenger operator structure in Great Britain 
Sector of British RailFranchisePre-grouping companyOriginal privatised operatorCurrent operator(s)InterCityCaledonian SleeperN/AScotRailCaledonian SleeperEast MidlandsMidland RailwayMidland MainlineEast Midlands RailwayGreater WesternGreat Western RailwayGreat Western TrainsGreat Western RailwayInterCity East CoastGreat Northern RailwayGreat North Eastern RailwayLondon North Eastern RailwayNew CrossCountryN/AVirgin CrossCountryCrossCountryWest Coast PartnershipLondon & North Western RailwayVirgin Trains West CoastAvanti West CoastNetwork SouthEastChilternGreat Central RailwayChiltern RailwaysEast AngliaGreat Eastern RailwayAnglia RailwaysGreater AngliaEssex ThamesideLondon, Tilbury & Southend RailwayLTS Railc2cSouth EasternSouth Eastern & Chatham RailwayConnex South EasternSoutheasternSouth WesternLondon & South Western RailwaySouth West TrainsSouth Western RailwayThameslink, Southern & Great NorthernLondon, Brighton & South Coast RailwayThameslinkConnex South CentralWest Anglia Great Northern(Great Northern and Fenline routes)ThameslinkSouthernGreat Northern(Govia Thameslink Railway)West MidlandsN/ACentral TrainsWest Midlands RailwayLondon Northwestern Railway(West Midlands Trains)Regional RailwaysWales & BordersPredominantly London & North Western RailwayWales & BordersTransport for Wales RailTransPennine ExpressNorth Western TrainsTransPennine ExpressNorthernNorthern SpiritNorthern TrainsScotRailCaledonian Railway, Glasgow & South Western Railway,Great North of Scotland Railway, Highland Railway andNorth British RailwayScotRailScotRail

References

Category:British railway-related lists
Category:Post-privatisation British railway companies
Category:Lists of companies