Transfer to public ownership

The government has announced that Avanti West Coast will transfer into public ownership under DFTO (DfT Operator Ltd) on 7 March 2027. Although our ownership will change, your tickets and journeys will not be affected. Please continue to travel and book tickets as usual. 

Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, said: 

“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved over the last six years - from refurbishing our Pendolino fleet and introducing our new Evero trains to running more services than ever before. Together, these improvements have given customers greater choice, more capacity and better connectivity, while we’ve continued to innovate to shape the future of the West Coast and wider rail industry.    

“Over the coming months, we’ll work closely with the government to ensure a seamless transition into public ownership while remaining focused on delivering for our customers and communities.”