C2C is the most reliable train company in Great Britain, a new study has revealed.
Bus travel expert GetByBus analysed data from the Office of Rail and Road on the performance of 24 rail operators over the last five full rail financial years (2019/20-2023/24). Researchers examined five factors: the percentage of trains on time (arriving within 59 seconds); trains arriving within three minutes; trains arriving within 15 minutes; trains fully cancelled; and the total delayed minutes per 1,000 kilometres travelled.
Analysts weighed each metric equally and ranked each operator based on an overall reliability score out of 100.
c2c ranks top as Great Britain’s most reliable train company, scoring an impressive 99.5 out of 100. Serving commuters in East London and South Essex, the operator has the fewest minutes delayed per 1,000 kilometres (11.71), as well as the lowest percentage of trains fully cancelled (0.86%). Despite this, three other operators see trains arrive on time more often – the Elizabeth line, Greater Anglia, and Heathrow Express. However, c2c cemented its position at the top with a greater percentage of trains arriving within three and 15 minutes (94.43% and 99.65%).
Merseyrail ranks second in the study with a score of 95.13. The Northwest services are some of the most punctual nationally, ranking top for trains arriving within three minutes (94.43%) and 15 minutes (99.84%). The operator also has the second-fewest delay minutes per 1,000km with 13.84.
The Elizabeth line places third in the reliability study. Services on the Elizabeth line are on time more frequently than any other at 83.67%, while those arriving within three minutes (93.59%) and 15 minutes (99.49%) also rank high. The operator falls just short of the top two spots due to a slightly higher percentage of trains fully cancelled (2.04%) and delay minutes per 1,000km (17.34). The Elizabeth line is operated by MTR under a concession from TfL and is separate from other London Underground or Overground services.
Passengers on Greater Anglia trains have access to the fourth-most reliable service. While not rating top in any of the five metrics, the company is consistently among the top seven operators in each category. Approximately 81.88% of trains are on time, 92.77% arrive within three minutes, and 99.29% arrive within 15 minutes. For every 1,000km travelled, 17.62 minutes of delay are recorded on Greater Anglia services.
Chiltern Railways rounds out Great Britain’s five most reliable train operators, with a score of 89.33 out of 100. Covering areas of Greater London, South East England, and the West Midlands, services are fully cancelled 1.31% of the time, the fourth lowest in the study. Over the last five financial years, 74.29% of trains have arrived on time, followed by 89.14% within three minutes and 98.93% within 15 minutes.
Heathrow Express claims sixth spot in the ranking, scoring 88.28. Only the Elizabeth line has a higher percentage of services on time, at 83.67% compared to 82.29% for Heathrow Express. The operator ranked lower than five others due to a higher percentage of trains cancelled (3.13%) and more delay minutes per 1,000km (24.3).
ScotRail scores 87.84 out of 100 for reliability, claiming seventh place. The Scottish operator ranked among the top nine in all five categories. Approximately 99.48% of services arrive within 15 minutes, the fifth-highest figure in the study. Meanwhile, 71.02% of trains are on time, and minutes delayed per 1,000km travelled sit at 19.29.
London Overground, Southeastern, and London North Eastern Railway top off the 10 most reliable operators with scores of 87.53, 83.91, and 83.51, respectively.
Avanti West Coast brings up the bottom of the table as Great Britain’s least reliable train company. Just 47.77% of services are on time and 67.36% arrive within three minutes, both nationwide lows, while the percentage of trains fully cancelled is the highest of the companies studied (3.76%).
Similarly, Hull Trains has the lowest percentage of trains arriving within 15 minutes at 90.07%, and Northern Trains averages more delay minutes per 1,000km than any other with 36.53.
Ante Dagelić, CEO of GetByBus, commented on the study, “The reliability of train services nationwide has an impact on commuters daily, with many relying on services for travel to work, school, and more. Delayed or cancelled services can result in loss of pay over lateness to work, increased stress, and further costs for additional transport options.
“The Elizabeth line’s performance in the study raises an interesting discussion about rail infrastructure investment, further highlighting its importance nationwide. After undergoing a multi-billion upgrade, the operator’s reliability is among the nation’s best.
“From April 2019 until March 2024, 49.97% of part and full train cancellations in Great Britain have been due to a train operator fault, a higher percentage than the previous five financial years at 45.78%. These figures further enforce the need for greater action on rail infrastructure nationwide to futureproof the network, reduce delays, and improve connectivity.”
