The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that Great Western Railway (GWR) train services will officially be nationalised on 13 December 2026.
Currently run by First Group; GWR will become the 11th operator with a government contract to come under public ownership later this year, falling under the newly formed Great British Railways banner.
GWR operates services from across the South and South West of England
Timing of the transfer of ownership will coincide with the introduction of new timetables across the country.
With the announcement of GWR’s transition, updates regarding the three remaining operators in private ownership, Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry and East Midlands Railway, are all expected within the coming months.
Last year saw the first operator come under public ownership with the transition of South Western Railway, and Govia Thameslink Railway is scheduled to be nationalised by the end of May.
A DfT spokesperson said:
This is another significant moment for the Government’s flagship public ownership programme and brings a simpler, more reliable network under Great British Railways a step closer.
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring services back into public ownership and put passengers, not shareholders, at the heart of our railways.
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