Chiltern Railways to enter public ownership on 20 September

Chiltern Railways will transition into public ownership on Sunday, 20 September 2026. The operator will move from Arriva to a new public entity operating as a subsidiary of DfT Operator Limited, marking the sixth rail operator to be transferred under the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024.

As part of the transition, a package of service improvements is planned. Starting in December, the operator intends to introduce 25 additional weekday services, providing approximately 10,000 extra seats per weekday. The rollout will also include new trains designed to improve accessibility, capacity, and onboard Wi-Fi.

A new policy regarding cancelled services will also take effect on the day of the transfer. Passengers whose trains are cancelled will be permitted to use services from other operators at no additional cost, provided the alternative service departs within two hours of the original scheduled time and follows a direct or reasonable alternative route.

The transfer is part of a broader government strategy to move all contracted train operators into public ownership by the end of 2027, serving as a milestone toward the establishment of Great British Railways.