Chiltern and Great Western Railways to be nationalised later this year

"The government isn't buying the train companies, but is allowing their existing management contracts to expire and folding them into a separate company, the DfT Operator (DFTO), which then takes legal control."

"In a small update to the Great British Railways page, the Department for Transport ( DfT) announced that Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railway will transfer into public ownership on 20th September 2026 and 13th December 2026, respectively."

"Later this month, the big beast that is Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) will fold into public ownership - on 31st May 2026. Then Chiltern Railways on Sunday 20th September 2026, followed by Great Western Railway on 13th December 2026."

"That leaves East Midlands Railway, Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry, with dates to be announced, but it's expected that all will be nationalised by the end of 2027. ScotRail and TfW Rail are both owned by the Scottish and Welsh governments, respectively."

Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railway are scheduled to transfer into public ownership on 20 September 2026 and 13 December 2026. The government will not purchase the companies directly; instead, existing management contracts will expire and the services will be folded into the DfT Operator (DFTO), which then takes legal control. The approach supports a commitment to renationalise passenger rail. DFTO already manages London North Eastern Railway, Northern Trains, Southeastern, TransPennine Express, South Western Railway, c2c, Greater Anglia, and West Midlands Trains, with dates spanning from 2018 to February 2026. Govia Thameslink Railway is due to transfer on 31 May 2026, and further operators are expected to be nationalised by the end of 2027. Great British Railways headquarters will be based in Derby, with joint working groups and regional commands forming single points of accountability.

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