Statement on transfer to public ownership

Services under contract with the Department for Transport will eventually transfer into public ownership. This is part of the Government’s long-term plan to bring train operators and rail infrastructure together to form Great British Railways.

Although some operators are already publicly owned, c2c is joining South Western Railway who transferred over in May, and Greater Anglia will follow later this year.

Our new owners will be DfT Operator (DFTO).

Eventually the Government plans to bring the railway’s track and train businesses, so Network Rail and operators including c2c, together under one umbrella organisation called Great British Railways which will be established over the coming years.

Ticket prices are not changing as a direct result of the transfer.

Fares are set by the Government and we will follow the same process used before the transfer, continuing with a range of tickets and offers to suit all journeys.

Yes, you can still use your travel vouchers. They will remain valid up to their expiry.

Yes, all valid tickets will continue to be accepted as they would have been before the transfer. We are working with all other train companies and third parties, such as Trainline, to ensure this process is uninterrupted.

Yes. All tickets are still valid for the dates shown on the ticket.

No, season tickets and railcards will continue to be accepted as normal. Their benefits and validity remain unchanged.

Yes, there are no changes to c2c’s railcard policy.

The c2c loyalty rewards system is unchanged and your points remain valid.

There are no planned changes to timetables and routes as a direct result of the transfer.

The number of trains will not change as a direct result of the transfer.

We will continue investing DfT funds allocated on an annual basis and securing external funding to improve stations across our network.

Customer service contact details remain the same.

The Delay repay scheme and other compensation policies remain unchanged.

The current arrangements for carrying bikes, luggage, dogs, and so on will stay the same.

No, you do not need to rebook. All your travel arrangements will be carried forward and this transfer will not affect your journey.

The c2c brand and the same brand colours when we transfer. There may be future changes to the brand when Great British Railways is created but there is no discussion yet on what that means for us.

c2c continually works with Network Rail and all parties to improve performance and will continue doing so under DFTO leadership.

It’s business as usual, you can purchase tickets in the usual way on the same timetable and trains.

A more united, integrated and simpler rail industry. There will be new initiatives and improvements rolling out across the public owned operators in the coming months and beyond, as we transition towards Great British Railways.