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Last update 9 January 2020
Additional information is always gratefully received, whether entirely new records (particularly historical records), or information to fill in gaps or correct errors, via the contact link under the Miscellaneous entry in the navigation bar above. Thank you.
Please select a system type from the links below:
Introduction | Rail franchise operators | TOC timetable codes | Light rail system operators | Railway operator service groups | Station access rights | BR privatisation
This page gives a quick and easy decoder between GB timetable code and the relevant operator. Codes were introduced by BR with the 29 September 1996 timetable for its internal train operating units (TOUs) that later became the first privatised train operating companies (TOCs). Note that dates given here are for the GB Passenger Railway timetable period in which the codes appeared. Naturally, where franchise changes took place at dates other than timetable change dates, the new operator's code had to wait until the next timetable. Operating dates and other information are given on the franchises page.
This list also shows codes for organisations that do not or have not run timetabled passenger trains. Some of these (e.g. Railtrack) appeared in the timetable's commercial information pages as a station operator. Others, e.g. Network Rail (On Track Plant), have codes allocated in online and internal systems.
Entries are given alphabetically by code and subsequently chronologically by date. Names are given in the form
Legal name [Trading/brand name(s)]
All timetable change dates appear on this Rail Chronology page.
| Code | Train operator | Timetable dates |
|---|
| AM | Arriva Trains Merseyside [Arriva Trains Merseyside] | 30 September 2001 to 27 September 2003 |
| AN | Arriva Trains Northern [Arriva Trains Northern] | 30 September 2001 to 11 December 2004 |
| AR | Anglia Railways Train Services [Anglia Railways] | 29 September 1996 to 22 May 2004 |
| AR | Alliance Rail [Grand Southern Railway] | 10 December 2017 to date (but company not yet running trains) |
| AW | Arriva Trains Wales [Arriva Trains Wales] | 23 May 2004 to 16 May 2015; 13 December 2015 to 8 December 2018 |
| ATW | Arriva Trains Wales [Arriva Trains Wales] | 17 May 2015 to 12 December 2015 (erroneous code) |
| AW | Keolis Amey Operations [Transport for Wales Rail] | 9 December 2018 to date |
| CA | Cardiff Railway Company [Cardiff Railway Co] | 29 September 1996 to 23 May 1998 |
| CC | c2c rail [c2c] | 24 September 2000 to 13 December 2014 |
| CC | NXET Trains [c2c] | 14 December 2014 to 20 May 2017 |
| CC | Trenitalia c2c [c2c] | 21 May 2017 to date |
| CH | The Chiltern Railway Company [Chiltern Railways] | 29 September 1996 to date |
| CS | Serco Caledonian Sleepers [Caledonian Sleeper] | 17 May 2015 to date |
| CT | Central Trains [Central Trains] | 29 September 1996 to 8 December 2007 |
| CX | Connex South Central [Connex] | 27 September 1998 to 18 May 2003 |
| CX | Connex South Eastern [Connex] | 27 September 1998 to 22 May 2004 |
| DC | Devon & Cornwall Railways [Devon & Cornwall Railway] | 23 May 2010 to 16 May 2015 |
| EC | InterCity East Coast [Great North Eastern Railway] | 29 September 1996 to 31 May 1997 |
| EM | East Midlands Trains [East Midlands Trains] | 9 December 2007 to 14 December 2019 |
| EM | Abellio East Midlands [East Midlands Railway] | 15 December 2019 to date |
| EP | European Passenger Services [Eurostar] | 29 September 1996 to 31 May 1997 |
| EP | Eurostar (UK) [Eurostar] | 1 June 1997 to 23 September 2000 |
| ES | Eurostar (UK) [Eurostar] | 24 September 2000 to 11 December 2010 (but not included in timetable after 9 December 2006) |
| ES | Eurostar International [Eurostar] | 12 December 2010 to date (but not included in timetable, though included in error in May 2019 timetable for some trains calling at Ashford) |
| EU | Railfreight Distribution Channel Tunnel Intermodal | (online system code only) |
| FC | First Capital Connect [First Capital Connect] | 11 June 2006 to 13 December 2014 |
| GC | Grand Central Railway Company [Grand Central] | 10 December 2006 to date |
| GE | Great Eastern Railway [Great Eastern, First Great Eastern] | 29 September 1996 to 22 May 2004 |
| GL | First Great Western Link [First Great Western Link] | 12 December 2004 to 10 June 2006 |
| GL | First/HAA [Heathrow Connect] | 12 December 2004 to 10 December 2005 |
| GN | Govia Thameslink Railway [Great Northern] | 14 December 2014 to date |
| GR | Great North Eastern Railway [Great North Eastern Railway] | 1 June 1997 to 1 June 2002 |
| GR | Great North Eastern Railway [GNER] | 2 June 2002 to 8 December 2007 |
| GR | NXEC Trains [National Express East Coast] | 9 December 2007 to 12 December 2009 |
| GR | East Coast Main Line Company [East Coast] | 13 December 2009 to 16 May 2015 |
| GR | East Coast Main Line Company [Virgin Trains East Coast] | 17 May 2015 to 8 December 2018 |
| GR | London North Eastern Railway [LNER] | 9 December 2018 to date |
| GW | Great Western Trains Company [Great Western Trains, First Great Western] | 29 September 1996 to 10 June 2006 |
| GW | First Greater Western [First Great Western, Great Western Railway] | 11 June 2006 to date |
| GWR | First Greater Western [Great Western Railway] | 11 December 2016 to 20 May 2017 (erroneous code used in commercial information pages only) |
| GX | Gatwick Express [Gatwick Express] | 29 September 1996 to 13 December 2008 |
| GX | Southern Railway [Gatwick Express] | 14 December 2008 to 16 May 2015 |
| GX | Govia Thameslink Railway [Gatwick Express] | 17 May 2015 to date |
| HB | London North Eastern Railway [LNER] | 9 December 2018 to 18 May 2019 (erroneous code used in commercial information pages only) |
| HC | First/HAA [Heathrow Connect] | 11 December 2005 to 8 December 2018 |
| HT | Hull Trains Company [Hull Trains, First Hull Trains] | 24 September 2000 to date |
| HX | Heathrow Express Operating Company [Heathrow Express] | 24 May 1998 to date |
| IL | Island Line [Island Line] | 29 September 1996 to 19 May 2007 |
| IL | Stagecoach South Western Trains [Island Line] | 20 May 2007 to 10 December 2017 |
| IL | First MTR South Western Trains [Island Line] | 11 December 2017 to date |
| LE | London Eastern Railway ['one', National Express East Anglia] | 23 May 2004 to 13 May 2012 |
| LE | Abellio Greater Anglia [Abellio Greater Anglia, Greater Anglia] | 14 May 2012 to 10 December 2016 |
| LE | Abellio East Anglia [Greater Anglia] | 11 December 2016 to date |
| LG | Legge Infrastructure Services | (internal system code only) |
| LM | London & Birmingham Railway [London Midland] | 9 December 2007 to 9 December 2017 |
| LM | West Midlands Trains [West Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway] | 10 December 2017 to date |
| LN | Great North Western Railway Company [Great North Western Railway] | (code used in online systems from 3 May 2020) |
| LN | West Midlands Trains [London Northwestern Railway] | (code not yet used in GBTT/eNRT, LM used for all West Midlands Trains services) |
| LO | London Overground Rail Operations [London Overground] | 9 December 2007 10 December 2016 |
| LO | Arriva Rail London [London Overground] | 11 December 2016 to date |
| LR | Network Rail (On Track Plant) | (online system code only) |
| LS | LTS Rail [LTS Rail] | 29 September 1996 to 23 September 2000 |
| LS | Locomotive Services (TOC) | (online system code only) |
| LT | London Transport [London Underground] | (code not yet used in GBTT/eNRT) |
| ME | Merseyrail Electrics [Merseyrail Electrics] | 29 September 1996 to 29 September 2001 |
| ME | Merseyrail Electrics 2002 [Merseyrail] | 28 September 2003 to date |
| ML | Midland Main Line [Midland Mainline] | 29 September 1996 to 8 December 2007 |
| NL | North London Railways [North London Railways] | 29 September 1996 to 23 May 1998 |
| NR | Network Rail | 18 May 2003 to date |
| NS | Network Southcentral [Network SouthCentral] | 29 September 1996 to 31 May 1997 |
| NS | Northern Spirit [Northern Spirit] | 27 September 1998 to 29 September 2001 |
| NT | Northern Rail [Northern] | 12 December 2004 to 14 May 2016 |
| NT | Arriva Rail North [Northern] | 15 May 2016 to date |
| NW | North West Regional Railways [North Western Trains] | 29 September 1996 to 31 May 1997 |
| NW | North Western Trains Company [North Western Trains, First North Western] | 1 June 1997 to 11 December 2004 |
| NY | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | 11 June 2006 to date |
| RE | Regional Railways North East [Regional Railways North East] | 29 September 1996 to 26 September 1998 |
| RT | Railtrack | 29 September 1996 to 17 May 2003 |
| SC | Connex South Central [Connex South Central] | 1 June 1997 to 26 September 1998 |
| SC | New Southern Railway [South Central] | 2 June 2002 to 22 May 2004 |
| SE | The South Eastern Train Co [South Eastern Trains] | 29 September 1996 to 31 May 1997 |
| SE | Connex South Eastern [Connex South Eastern] | 1 June 1997 to 26 September 1998 |
| SE | South Eastern Trains [South Eastern Trains] | 23 May 2004 to 10 June 2006 |
| SE | London & South Eastern Railway [Southeastern] | 11 June 2006 to date |
| SJ | South Yorkshire Supertram [Stagecoach Supertram] | (code not yet used in GBTT/eNRT) |
| SN | New Southern Railway [South Central] | 30 September 2001 to 1 June 2002 |
| SN | South Central [Southern] | 23 May 2004 to 14 December 2008 |
| SN | Southern Railway [New Southern Railway, Southern] | 15 December 2008 to 12 December 2015 |
| SN | Govia Thameslink Railway [Southern] | 13 December 2015 to date |
| SP | Swanage Railway | (code not yet used in GBTT/eNRT) |
| SR | ScotRail Railways [Scotrail] | 29 September 1996 to 11 December 2004 |
| SR | First ScotRail [First ScotRail, Scotrail] | 12 December 2004 to 16 May 2015 |
| SR | Abellio ScotRail [ScotRail] | 17 May 2015 to date |
| SS | Silverlink Train Services [Silverlink Train Services] | 24 May 1998 to 8 December 2007 |
| SW | South West Trains [South West Trains] | 29 September 1996 to 19 May 2007 |
| SW | Stagecoach South Western Trains [South West Trains] | 20 May 2007 to 9 December 2017 |
| SW | First MTR South Western Trains [South Western Railway] | 10 December 2017 to date |
| SX | Abellio East Anglia [Stansted Express] | 21 May 2017 to 8 December 2018 |
| TL | Thameslink Rail [Thameslink] | 29 September 1996 to 10 June 2006 |
| TL | Govia Thameslink Railway [Thameslink] | 14 December 2014 to date |
| TP | First/Keolis TransPennine [First TransPennine Express[ | 23 May 2004 to 14 May 2016 |
| TP | First TransPennine Express [TransPennine Express] | 15 May 2016 to date |
| TS | Vintage Trains | (code not yet used in GBTT/eNRT) |
| TT | Thames Trains [Thames Trains] | 29 September 1996 to 22 May 2004 |
| TT | First Great Western Link [First Great Western Link] | 23 May 2004 to 11 December 2004 |
| TW | Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive [Nexus, Metro] | (code not yet used in GBTT/eNRT) |
| VL | Cardiff Railway Company [Cardiff Railway Co, Valley Lines] | 24 May 1998 to 29 September 2001 |
| VT | CrossCountry Trains [Virgin CrossCountry, Virgin Trains] | 28 September 1997 to 8 December 2007 |
| VT | West Coast Trains [Virgin Trains] | 28 September 1997 to 14 December 2019 |
| VT | First Trenitalia West Coast Rail [Avanti West Coast] | 15 December 2019 to date |
| WB | Cardiff Railway Company [Wales & Borders Trains] | 30 September 2001 to 22 May 2004 |
| WC | West Coast Trains [InterCity West Coast, Virgin West Coast] | 29 September 1996 to 27 September 1997 |
| WE | Wales & West Passenger Trains [Wessex Trains] | 30 September 2001 to 10 June 2006 |
| WM | West Midlands Trains [West Midlands Railway] | (code not yet used in GBTT/eNRT) |
| WN | West Anglia Great Northern Railway [West Anglia Great Northern, WAGN Railway, Wagn Railway, Wagn] | 29 September 1996 to 10 June 2006 |
| WR | West Coast Railway Company [West Coast Railways] | 1 June 1997 to date |
| WS | Wrexham Shropshire & Marylebone Railway [Wrexham & Shropshire] | 9 December 2007 to 21 May 2011 |
| WW | South Wales & West Railway [South Wales & West] | 29 September 1996 to 23 May 1998 |
| WW | Wales & West Passenger Trains [Wales & West] | 24 May 1998 to 29 September 2001 |
| XC | CrossCountry Trains [Virgin CrossCountry] | 29 September 1996 to 27 September 1997 |
| XC | XC Trains [CrossCountry] | 9 December 2007 to date |
| XM | Christmas Special | (spoof online systems code) |
| XP | PIK | (online system code only) |
| XP | Prestwick International Airport | (online system code only) |
| XP | Glasgow Prestwick International Airport | (online system code only) |
| XP | Glasgow Prestwick Airport | (online system code only) |
| XR | MTR Corporation (Crossrail) [TFL Rail, Crossrail] | 17 May 2015 to date (latter name used from 10 December 2017 timetable but service still uses former) |
| XS | Stobart Rail | (online system code only) |
| ZZ | Govia Thameslink Railway [Thameslink] | 9 December 2018 to date (erroneous code used for certain services only) |
| ZZ | Govia Thameslink Railway [Southern] | 19 May 2019 to date (erroneous code used for one service only) |
| ZZ | Keolis Amey Operations [Transport for Wales Rail] | 9 December 2018 to 18 May 2019 (erroneous code used for some services only) |
| ZZ | Freight and miscellaneous operators | (online system code only) |