UK train operator punctuality rankings
For January to March 2026, Greater Anglia ranked highest for punctuality with a Public Performance Measure (PPM) of 94.0%. Avanti West Coast had the lowest PPM at 66.4%. The Great Britain network average was 87.1%. These figures come from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and measure how often trains reach their final destination on time.
Operator rankings
| 1 | Greater Anglia | 94.0% | 2.0% | London and South East | +6.9 pp |
| 2 | London Overground | 92.3% | 3.8% | London and South East | +5.2 pp |
| 3 | c2c | 91.9% | 3.1% | London and South East | +4.8 pp |
| 4 | Merseyrail | 91.1% | 3.4% | Regional and Scotland | +4.0 pp |
| 5 | Caledonian Sleeper | 90.7% | 7.3% | Long Distance | +3.6 pp |
| 6 | Chiltern Railways | 90.3% | 3.6% | London and South East | +3.2 pp |
| 7 | Elizabeth line | 89.8% | 4.1% | London and South East | +2.7 pp |
| 8 | ScotRail | 89.7% | 4.2% | Regional and Scotland | +2.6 pp |
| 9 | Heathrow Express | 88.2% | 4.5% | Open Access | +1.1 pp |
| 10 | Southeastern | 84.6% | 5.8% | London and South East | −2.5 pp |
| 11 | TransPennine Express | 84.1% | 6.2% | Regional and Scotland | −3.0 pp |
| 12 | West Midlands Trains | 83.5% | 5.5% | Regional and Scotland | −3.6 pp |
| 13 | Great Western Railway | 83.3% | 5.2% | Long Distance | −3.8 pp |
| 14 | South Western Railway | 83.1% | 6.0% | London and South East | −4.0 pp |
| 15 | Govia Thameslink Railway | 82.6% | 5.9% | London and South East | −4.5 pp |
| 16 | Transport for Wales Rail | 82.5% | 6.1% | Regional and Scotland | −4.6 pp |
| 17 | London North Eastern Railway | 81.1% | 6.8% | Long Distance | −6.0 pp |
| 18 | East Midlands Railway | 80.3% | 7.0% | Regional and Scotland | −6.8 pp |
| 19 | Northern | 79.8% | 7.4% | Regional and Scotland | −7.3 pp |
| 20 | Hull Trains | 79.1% | 8.2% | Open Access | −8.0 pp |
| 21 | CrossCountry | 78.1% | 7.9% | Long Distance | −9.0 pp |
| 22 | Lumo | 76.3% | 9.1% | Open Access | −10.8 pp |
| 23 | Grand Central | 72.4% | 10.2% | Open Access | −14.7 pp |
| 24 | Avanti West Coast | 66.4% | 13.0% | Long Distance | −20.7 pp |
Best performing operators
The three highest-ranked operators by PPM are Greater Anglia (94.0%), London Overground (92.3%), c2c (91.9%). All three exceeded the network average, reflecting strong punctuality at destination for the reporting period.
Operators with the most delays
The three lowest-ranked operators by PPM are Avanti West Coast (66.4%), Grand Central (72.4%), Lumo (76.3%). Long-distance operators often face stricter timing windows (ten minutes rather than five), which affects their PPM compared with commuter services.
What do these numbers mean?
The Public Performance Measure (PPM) is the headline punctuality metric used by the rail industry in Great Britain. It records the percentage of trains that arrive at their final destination within the allowed window: five minutes for London & South East and regional operators, ten minutes for long-distance operators. If a train fails to stop at a booked calling point, it counts as a PPM failure even if it arrives on time at the destination.
Cancellation score is a weighted measure of full and partial cancellations published alongside PPM in ORR performance tables. Lower cancellation scores indicate fewer disrupted services.
These rankings reflect official ORR statistics, not passenger satisfaction surveys. An operator can score poorly on PPM while passengers report reasonable satisfaction on specific routes, and vice versa. Always check live departures before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most punctual train operator in the UK?
For January to March 2026, Greater Anglia had the highest Public Performance Measure (PPM) at 94.0%, meaning the greatest share of trains arrived at their final destination within the allowed window.
Which train operator has the worst punctuality?
For January to March 2026, Avanti West Coast had the lowest PPM at 66.4% among operators reporting to the Office of Rail and Road. Rankings reflect official punctuality data, not passenger satisfaction surveys.
What is PPM (Public Performance Measure)?
PPM is the percentage of trains arriving at their final destination within five minutes of schedule (London & South East and regional operators) or ten minutes (long-distance operators). A train that skips a booked stop counts as a PPM failure. Higher is better.
When was this data last updated?
These rankings use ORR statistics for January to March 2026. The page was last updated on 2026-06-15.