The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that a new government-backed train ticket seller will be launched online, aiming to consolidate UK rail fares into a single digital platform.
However, the service will only go live once Great British Railways (GBR) – the new body charged with managing the UK’s rail network – is established, which the government says is unlikely before the end of 2026.
The DfT said the new website would bring together existing online sales for every train operator under one roof and is intended to work “alongside a thriving private sector retail market”. Major private companies including Trainline, RailEurope and TrainPal will continue to sell tickets, with the government promising to maintain an “open and fair” environment.
Private ticket sellers have been criticized in the past for ‘drip pricing’, where extra fees are charged once customers start booking, prompting concerns from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The new service will aim to eliminate such opaque fees and introduce further transparency for rail passengers.
Although the platform was initially proposed in 2021, it was shelved later that year, largely due to government reassurance about the importance of innovation in the private sector. Shares of Trainline, a leading online ticketing company with approximately 18 million customers, fell almost 7 percent on the news. The company’s value also suffered in 2021 when Grant Shapps, then Transport Secretary, first unveiled plans for a government-run retailer.
Jody Ford, CEO of Trainline, welcomed the promise of a “competitive retail market” while highlighting the benefits that private companies bring to consumers through technology development and easy-to-use apps.
These moves follow the new Labor government’s confirmation in last summer’s King’s Speech that it would introduce a railway bill. The legislation will create Great British Railways, which will centralize both rail and train services. The DfT says the new framework will “deliver on the government’s promise to simplify the complex web of fares and tickets”, giving customers greater clarity and convenience whether they book tickets online or offline.