Chiltern Railways will move into public ownership on Sunday 20 September, becoming the sixth train operator transferred into public ownership under the Government's rail programme.
The Department for Transport confirmed the transfer on 17 September, saying Chiltern will join publicly owned operators as the Government continues the phased transition away from privately operated passenger rail contracts.
Ministers have paired the change with a package of planned improvements, including 25 additional daily services from December, which the Government says will provide around 10,000 extra seats each weekday.
Public ownership from Sunday
Chiltern operates services between London Marylebone and destinations across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the West Midlands, including Oxford and Birmingham.
From Sunday, the operator will be brought under public ownership through DfT Operator Limited, the Department for Transport's public-sector owning group.
The Government says passengers should not need to take any action because of the transfer. Tickets already purchased will remain valid and existing timetables will continue.
The move forms part of the Government's wider programme to bring passenger services into public ownership as existing private contracts expire or reach agreed break points.
25 additional daily services promised
From December, Chiltern is expected to introduce 25 additional services each day, providing what the Government estimates will be 10,000 additional seats every weekday.
The changes are intended to increase capacity on some of the operator's busiest routes.
Further improvements announced by the Government include new trains, station upgrades and improved onboard Wi-Fi.
The Department for Transport says the investment is intended to address overcrowding and modernise services across the Chiltern network.
Sixth operator brought into public ownership
Chiltern will become the sixth operator transferred into public ownership under the Government's programme.
The transfers are taking place ahead of the planned creation of Great British Railways, which is intended to bring responsibility for track and train operations together within a new publicly owned organisation.
The Government argues that ending the existing franchising model will simplify the railway, reduce fragmentation and allow services to be planned more closely around passenger needs.
The transfer itself does not mean every aspect of the railway becomes state-operated. Private companies will continue to have roles across areas including rolling-stock leasing, construction, maintenance and the wider rail supply chain.
Government says passengers will see improvements
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said bringing Chiltern into public ownership was part of the Government's plan to create a railway that works better for passengers.
The Government says the additional December services will be followed by further improvements as newer trains are introduced and stations are upgraded.
Chiltern's routes include commuter services into London as well as longer-distance connections between the capital, Oxford and Birmingham.
Part of wider rail restructuring
The Government's rail reforms are designed ultimately to consolidate publicly owned passenger operators and railway infrastructure under Great British Railways.
Individual train companies are being transferred into public ownership in stages rather than through a single nationwide takeover.
Chiltern's transfer on 20 September therefore represents another step in that process rather than the completion of the Government's rail nationalisation programme.
For passengers using Chiltern services, the immediate transition is intended to be largely seamless, with the more visible changes expected to come through additional services, increased capacity and fleet and station improvements.