UK's 20 Best and Worst Train Companies Revealed: Find Out Where Yours Stands

The latest rankings have named and shamed the UK’s top 20 best and worst train companies amid ongoing frustrations over delays, cancellations, and rising ticket prices. With the British rail system set for full nationalisation by 2027 under Great British Railways (GBR), scrutiny of train company performance has never been more intense.

GBR, a state-owned organization headquartered in Derby, will soon manage the country’s rail infrastructure, operations, ticketing, and timetabling. While political leaders like Keir Starmer promise smoother, more efficient travel under public ownership, passenger experiences remain mixed.

Data from the Office for Rail and Road highlights some stark performance differences among operators. CrossCountry, owned by Arriva, ranks bottom, plagued by cancellations—7% of services in 2024—up from 5.2% last year. Much of its fleet is over 20 years old, compounding reliability issues.

Other struggling companies include TransPennine Express, with over half of its station stops delayed last year, and Great Northern, which suffers a dismal TrustPilot score of 1.6 out of 5.

Below is the full ranking of the UK’s 20 best and worst train operators, scored across service quality, pricing, destinations, comfort, and practicalities:

CrossCountry – Score: 23/50
Service: 5/10 | Price: 4/10 | Destinations: 7/10 | Comfort: 2/10 | Practicalities: 5/10
TransPennine Express – Score: 24/50
Service: 5/10 | Price: 4/10 | Destinations: 6/10 | Comfort: 4/10 | Practicalities: 5/10
Great Northern – Score: 25/50
Service: 6/10 | Price: 5/10 | Destinations: 3/10 | Comfort: 5/10 | Practicalities: 6/10
Southern – Score: 26/50
Service: 6/10 | Price: 4/10 | Destinations: 6/10 | Comfort: 4/10 | Practicalities: 6/10

… [Intervening rankings omitted for brevity] …

Great Western Railway – Score: 34/50
Service: 7/10 | Price: 5/10 | Destinations: 8/10 | Comfort: 8/10 | Practicalities: 6/10
ScotRail – Score: 34.5/50
Service: 7/10 | Price: 6/10 | Destinations: 9/10 | Comfort: 6.5/10 | Practicalities: 6/10
Merseyrail – Score: 37/50
Service: 9/10 | Price: 6/10 | Destinations: 7/10 | Comfort: 8/10 | Practicalities: 7/10

As GBR takes control, many hope these rankings will improve, delivering reliable and comfortable journeys that better justify ticket costs.