Explained in plain English
Who runs our trains?
In the UK, train services are mostly run by private companies under contracts called franchises or concessions, like Thameslink. These companies operate the trains, employ staff, and manage stations, but the tracks and infrastructure are owned and maintained by Network Rail, a public body. The Department for Transport oversees the whole system.
Stories that explain this
Thameslink named Britain's most overcrowded train routeThis explainer came from a news story
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