When will all the major UK train operators be nationalised? Dates revealed after Avanti West Coast announcement
BRITAIN’S railways continue to see a major overhaul as operators continue to be nationalised – with more to follow in the coming year.
Last week, the Government announced that Avanti West Coast would be taken into public ownership next spring.
Britain’s railways continue to see major changes as four rail companies are set to be nationalised in the next year.
The decision to take the majority of British train operators into public ownership formed a major part of Labour’s manifesto in 2024, believing the reforms would make trains more reliable and cheaper.
It laid out plans to bring all major railways out of the private sector by 2027.
Great Western Railway is set to be taken into public ownership on December 13, 2026.
This is expected to be followed by East Midlands Railway at some point in the latter months of 2026.
The next to be nationalised will be Avanti West Coast, following the announcement last weekend revealing Labour will take control of the private operator from March 7, 2027.
The Government revealed it would be taking Avanti into public ownership “at the earliest opportunity” with Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, saying that the service had been “underperforming”, leaving customers “paying the price”.
CrossCountry is the final operator set to be nationalised.
A date for this is yet to be confirmed, however reports indicate it is expected to take place in autumn 2027.
- Great Western Railway – December 13, 2026
- East Midlands Railway – expected December 2026
- Avanti West Coast – March 7, 2027
- CrossCountry – TBC (expected autumn 2027)
Many rail companies have made their way into public ownership more recently, as private contracts with the Department for Transport ended.
The following services were all renationalised from 2025:
- South Western Railway (SWR) – May 25, 2025
- c2c – July 20, 2025
- Greater Anglia – October 12, 2025
- West Midlands Trains (including West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway) – February 1, 2026
- Govia Thameslink Railway (including Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink) – May 31, 2026
- Chiltern Railways – September 20, 2026
LNER, Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine Express, ScotRail and Transport for Wales Rail are already in the public sector.
At the end of last year, it was also announced that Britain’s renationalised trains were set to be rebranded in a design that split public opinion.
While nearly all passenger train operators are set to be taken into public ownership, some services, including private open-access firms, rolling stock companies and rail freight, will not be nationalised.