Rail travel in the United Kingdom structure · Structure in Rail travel in the United Kingdom
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
Structure in Rail travel in the United Kingdom
Structure in Rail travel in the United Kingdom
The track, stations and infrastructure of Britain's railway network (with the exception of preserved railways) is owned by Network Rail, a British "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee and owned by the government.
Trains are operated by privately owned and commercially run train companies, known as Train operating companies (TOCs), who lease or own passenger trains to run passenger services as set down in their franchise agreements. Different companies compete to win franchises for a certain number of years. Their continued permission to operate, or their ability to win extensions or repeated franchises, depends on a combination of factors, including value-for-money, performance and customer satisfaction.
The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) represents all the passenger train companies, and markets them collectively as National Rail. National Rail has inherited the famous white-on-red "crossing arrows" logo of the former (nationalised) railway company British Rail, which ceased to exist in the 1990s. It is frequently used on signs to identify railway stations.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Rail travel in the United Kingdom
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Rail travel in the United Kingdom - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Rail travel in the United Kingdom hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Rail travel in the United Kingdom Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.