Chiltern Railways will become the 10th rail company nationalised under Great British Railways on Sunday, bringing the operator back into public ownership after 30 years. Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy announced the move, which aims to cut costs, boost services, and tackle overcrowding through new daily services and extra seats.
Public Ownership Returns to Chiltern After Three Decades
Bringing a rail operator back into public ownership after 30 years will save money and provide a better service, according to government officials. Chiltern Railways is scheduled to become the 10th rail company to be nationalised under Great British Railways (GBR), the government’s ongoing public ownership program.
Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy met staff at Marylebone Station alongside the first Chiltern train to display the new GBR livery.
“We’re doing this because firstly it saves money and secondly we can offer a better service to passengers right across the nation.”
Lord Peter Hendy, Rail Minister
The company originally was privatised in 1996. Operating routes from London to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire, alongside destinations in the West Midlands, the provider connects vital regional corridors into the capital.
Capacity Upgrades and New Wi-Fi Rollouts
To combat persistent capacity issues, the operator plans to introduce 25 additional daily services starting in December. Company officials project this expansion will deliver 10,000 extra seats each weekday.
“The most difficult thing on Chiltern is that it’s shorter capacity and those extra trains and those extra seats will make a real difference to people travelling on this line up here from Marylebone every day.”
Lord Peter Hendy, Rail Minister
Beyond scheduling changes, the service improvements involve physical fleet enhancements. The rollout of the new trains would increase capacity while improving accessibility and providing better Wi-Fi on board.
Passengers also gain immediate ticketing flexibility. Beginning Sunday, travellers facing a cancelled train can use another operator’s service two hours either side of their scheduled departure at no extra cost.
Milestones Toward Great British Railways and East West Rail
“Sunday is a significant milestone for Chiltern Railways and we look forward to working together with the wider rail industry to deliver a better railway for everyone in Great Britain.”
Tony Baxter, Interim Managing Director of Chiltern Railways
Baxter added that public ownership will strengthen progress through closer collaboration across the industry, helping share best practices, drive innovation, and maintain focus on customers and local businesses.
The company noted that the transfer marks another step toward GBR operating all passenger services by the end of 2027. The firm previously secured appointment to run East West Rail (EWR), a new £6bn rail line designed to link Oxford and Cambridge, though passenger trains on the route’s first section have yet to begin operations. When asked about the impact of nationalisation on EWR, Lord Hendy indicated that public ownership of the operator provides an opportunity to advance the project further.
