CrossCountry has been named the UK’s worst train operator for cancellations in 2026 so far, according to new analysis from Locals Insider.
- CrossCountry tops cancellation table in 2026 (6.8%)
- Avanti West Coast (6.4%) and East Midlands Railway (4.8%) also among worst performers
- Hull Trains (1.3%), Chiltern Railways (1.5%) and ScotRail (1.6%) named most reliable
- New data covers first three months of 2026 using industry-standard cancellation scoring
The study, based on recent Office of Rail and Road data covering the first three months of the year, shows that 6.8% of CrossCountry services have been either fully or partially cancelled – the highest proportion of any of the 23 operators analysed.
Avanti West Coast (6.4%) was close behind, while East Midlands Railway (4.8%) rounds out the top three worst performers for disruption so far this year.
Govia Thameslink Railway (4.4%) and West Midlands Trains (4.2%) also sit well above the national average, highlighting ongoing reliability challenges across major routes.
By contrast, several operators have delivered far more consistent services in early 2026. Hull Trains ranks as the most reliable operator with a cancellation score of just 1.3%, followed by Chiltern Railways (1.5%) and both ScotRail and c2c (1.6%). Greater Anglia (1.7%) and Southeastern (1.8%) also feature among the strongest performers.
The analysis uses the industry-standard “period cancellation score”, which accounts for both full and part-cancelled services. Fully cancelled trains count as one, while part cancellations are weighted as 0.5, providing a more accurate reflection of overall disruption experienced by passengers.
Martin Danemaq: “While there are signs of improvement across parts of the national rail network, our findings shows that disruption remains a real issue for many train passengers in 2026.
“Operators like CrossCountry and Avanti West Coast continue to sit well above the national average, particularly on longer-distance routes, with roughly 1 in 15 services disrupted.
“At the same time, it’s clear that reliability is achievable. Several operators are consistently keeping cancellations below 2%, which shows that a more dependable service is possible when the network is running effectively.
“For passengers, the gap between the best and worst operators is still significant – and where you travel in the UK can have a major impact on how reliable your journey is likely to be.”
Train Operator Period Cancellation Score Leaderboard 2026
- Hull Trains – 1.3%
- Chiltern Railways – 1.5%
- ScotRail – 1.6%
- c2c – 1.6%
- Greater Anglia – 1.7%
- Southeastern – 1.8%
- Merseyrail – 2.5%
- Northern – 2.7%
- Grand Central – 2.9%
- Elizabeth line – 3.0%
- TfW Rail – 3.2%
- Lumo – 3.3%
- Great Western Railway – 3.4%
- Caledonian Sleeper – 3.4%
- London North Eastern Railway – 3.6%
- South Western Railway – 3.6%
- TransPennine Express – 3.9%
- London Overground – 4.0%
- West Midlands Trains – 4.2%
- Govia Thameslink Railway – 4.4%
- East Midlands Railway – 4.8%
- Avanti West Coast – 6.4%
- CrossCountry – 6.8%
*Period cancellation score = full cancellations (1.0) + part cancellations (0.5) ÷ total planned services. Photo by Mangopear creative.
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