Customer voice at heart of landmark rail survey showing 88% satisfaction

This new rolling survey provides the most comprehensive and granular view yet of how passengers feel about the railway, with responses provided by passengers en route to their destination. Given the opportunity to voice their experiences and share their views on journeys, along with areas for improvement, this marks a long‑term shift in how the rail industry listens and responds.

Overall, 88% of journeys between mid-July and early October were rated very or fairly satisfied. Customers also rated the ease of planning a journey, with 95% satisfied.

The first release of data, covering the period from 20^th July to 11^th October, offers an early indication of how passengers rate key aspects of their journeys with Frequency and Punctuality Satisfaction reported at 77% and at 86% respectively.

While these results are encouraging, the industry recognises that services are not always at the level customers expect. That is why train operators and industry partners are working together with renewed commitment to provide better, more reliable services, using customer feedback to drive improvements where they are most needed.

The survey also captures a wide range of operationally relevant measures, including the quality and timeliness of information, station experience and staff interaction. Data will be updated every rail period (four weeks), ensuring the industry has access to near real-time insight that can support decision-making and longer-term planning.

Jacqueline Starr, Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Rail Delivery Group, said:

“We’re grateful to the thousands of customers who have already taken part in this survey, giving us a clear and consistent picture of what matters most to them. The first results show that overall customer satisfaction is high, highlighting we're on the right track. They also point to areas where customers want to see improvement, helping us focus on the changes that will make the biggest difference.

“As we move towards the creation of Great British Railways, this survey makes sure that customer priorities are embedded across the network, so improvements are shared widely, shaping a rail network which meets the needs of passengers today and in the future.”

Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said:

“It’s heartening to see most passengers surveyed were satisfied with the railway, but we know there’s room for improvement. That’s why we’re creating Great British Railways, so we can build a railway passengers can rely on and be proud of.

“But we’re not waiting until GBR to make positive changes. We're freezing rail fares for the first time in three decades, to put money back in the pockets of hard-working people and ease the cost of living.

"Publicly owned operators are also making strides to make rail travel smoother by modernising ticketing, increasing capacity onboard busy services and reducing cancellations. This is all part of our mission to reform the rail network to drive growth, jobs and homes."

Natasha Grice, Director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said:

“Through listening to more than ten thousand passengers every month, we have a real opportunity to make sure their views are at the heart of decision making when it comes to running the railway. This remains critical both now and, in the future, as we transition to Great British Railways.

“It’s important that the whole industry works together to use these results to drive improvements on the things that matter most to passengers including, being accessible, reliable, and responsive when things go wrong."

The new survey replaces the former National Rail Passenger Survey and more than doubles its sample size with an estimated annual sample size exceeding 130,000 passengers. Its methodology also incorporates new technology that identifies the specific train a respondent is using, giving operators and industry bodies a far more precise understanding of journey-level experience.

Launched in July 2025, the RCXS is continuously in field, capturing customer views across all operators and routes. Going forward, these views will be used to help train operators improve the day-to-day service for passengers and inform industry decision-making for the improvement of rail services. This way, they can be at the forefront of driving systemic change for Britain’s railways and make sure operators are delivering what customers want and need.