By Editor,Erin Deborah Waks
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UK’s least reliable train operator revealed
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By ERIN DEBORAH WAKS, TRAVEL WRITER
Published: 11:48 BST, 3 October 2025 | Updated: 12:02 BST, 3 October 2025
CrossCountry has been revealed as the UK’s worst major train operator for cancellations this year.
According to new analysis, nearly one in ten CrossCountry trains have been cancelled this year.
The study from Locals Insider shows that 9.54 per cent CrossCountry trains have been cancelled this year – the highest proportion of any recorded operator.
The research is based on Office of Rail and Road data for 2025 to date.
Meanwhile, plenty of other providers are not far behind.
TransPennine Express and Avanti West Coast complete the top three worst performers.
It has been found 8.48 per cent of TransPennine Express trains have been cancelled this year, and 8.19 per cent of Avanti West Coast trains.
Transport for Wales (7.60 per cent) and Northern (7.09 per cent) are comfortably above the national average of 3.43 per cent.
CrossCountry has been revealed as the UK’s worst major train operator for cancellations this year
The research is based on Office of Rail and Road data for 2025 to date
By contrast, the best-performing operators have achieved far lower cancellation rates.
ScotRail (1.68 per cent), Lumo (1.76 per cent) and Greater Anglia (1.82 per cent) all rank among the most reliable.
Chiltern Railways (1.92 per cent), Hull Trains and c2c (both 1.94 per cent) also among the operators to maintain a cancellation rate below 2 per cent across 2025.
The data also shows major swings in reliability over the past year.
Northern recorded a staggering 14.3 per cent cancellation rate in January 2025, but has steadily improved throughout the year – falling to just 2.5 per cent in April.
TransPennine Express, notorious for disruption in recent years, has also seen periods of improvement, dropping as low as 2.1 per cent of cancelations in the first two months of 2025, although its average for the year remains among the worst.
Meanwhile, the Elizabeth line, usually one of the most reliable operators, suffered a surprise spike in late 2024 when nearly 9 per cent of trains were cancelled in a single reporting period.
But performance has since returned closer to normal levels, with a cancelation rate of 3.57 per cent for 2025.
The study from Locals Insider shows that 9.54 per cent CrossCountry trains have been cancelled this year – the highest proportion of any recorded operator
Spokesperson for Locals Insider Martin Danemaq said: ‘Our research highlights just how uneven the rail experience is across the UK.
Long-distance operators like CrossCountry, TransPennine Express and Avanti West Coast are consistently at the top of the cancellation table – showing that passengers travelling further afield often face the greatest disruption.
‘Another observation is the gap in performance between these operators and commuter-focused lines in London and the South East. While nearly one in ten CrossCountry services are scrapped, lines such as Greater Anglia and c2c cancel fewer than 2 per cent – proving that train reliability is possible.
‘Regional passengers, by comparison, are being let down far more often. Northern and Transport for Wales both feature in the worst five, highlighting that it’s those outside the capital who are bearing the brunt of cancellations.’
The Daily Mail has contacted CrossCountry for comment.
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UK’s least reliable train operator revealed
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