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About Us

Rail Delivery Group (RDG) partners with Britain’s train operators to put customers at the heart of everything we do, delivering essential services and dedicated experts who keep the nation’s railway running efficiently.

We are mainly funded through our members, who are the train operating companies that make up the rail industry across Britain, but we also receive income from other stakeholders for some of the services we provide.

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Rail Delivery Group
Rail Delivery Group
Rail Delivery Group

What we do

Rail Delivery Group puts customers at the heart of everything we do.

Our railway connects people and places, creates jobs, boosts the economy, and provides a greener way to travel. Anyone who has travelled by train or booked a journey for friends or family, will have used our services. We are integral to the running of the railway and play a crucial part at every stage of the customer journey.

From journey information, reservations and Railcards to improving performance, safety and accessibility, we drive the services and people that keep the railway moving – making sure we are delivering a better railway for all our customers, now and in the future.

As we embark on a new era for rail, we are enabling important changes to the structure of the industry and how we run the railway to meet customers’ needs. It is now more important than ever that we make sure our services can be relied upon by our customers to get them where they want to be, when they want, and to drive the economic growth the country needs.  

Passenger experience
RDG understands that everyone can, and should, benefit from the railway. Anyone who has travelled by train or booked a journey for friends or family, will have used our services – from real-time information on train services to reserving seats, offering discounted fares through Railcards and helping arrange assistance for customers who need additional support. Our work means passengers get clear information, value for money and a more joined-up experience, whatever journey they’re making.
Working together
Much of what we do is achieved through joining up with other parts of the railway. As we move towards the creation of Great British Railways (GBR), we are working with colleagues across the industry to put customers at the heart of everything we do. We’re working together to make travel simpler and more flexible – from upgrading digital ticketing and rolling out Pay As You Go, to improving how disruption is communicated and how customers receive updates. We’re also ensuring that people who need additional support when travelling can access it reliably and with confidence.
Enhancing performance and skills
We’re joining forces with partners across the rail industry to enhance the performance of train services. National initiatives like the Performance Restoration Framework are enabling frontline teams to use data more intelligently, respond faster and plan more effectively, meaning more trains on time, and fewer cancellations. We also equip people across the industry to run the railway – through national training schemes for drivers and engineers, and efforts to strengthen diversity and inclusion across our workforces.
Safety and security
All of this is underpinned by our commitment to making rail safe, comfortable and secure for everyone. We’re achieving this through joint industry campaigns to tackle harassment, violence against women and girls, and by providing services like Rail to Refuge.
Shaping the future of rail
As rail evolves, we are enabling important changes to the structure of the industry and how we run the railway to meet customers’ needs. We challenge ourselves and others to work together to do what’s right for customers - from simplifying ticketing to preparing for new governance structures, we’re focused on making sure the network stays responsive, resilient and ready to adapt, whilst looking to the future to deliver a modern, innovative railway.
National and local partnerships

We’re proud of the role we play in keeping the railway running, whether that is nationally or on a local level through our partnerships with organisations like Community Rail. RDG is at the heart of

Britain’s railway, and we’re committed to making it the best it can be for everyone who uses it, works on it, and depends on it, ensuring we are delivering a better railway, now and in the future.

Rail Delivery Group
Rail Delivery Group

Our Values

Our values, known as ASPIRE, are Accountability, Support, Partnership, Inclusion, Respect and Excellence. Our values form an integral part of our recruitment, performance and recognition processes.

Our activities fall into four broad categories of expertise.

Retail and commercial functions
Retail fulfilment, fares, commercial management of retailer relationships, running fares and retailing services and systems, engaging with transport authorities, operators and suppliers.
Customer services
Understanding and defining customer needs from both service and marketing perspectives using insight led modelling, marketing research and close engagement with operators and commercial teams, running information and support services and systems, working closely with cross industry stakeholders.
Technology and data
Designing and running central industry systems to support the operations of the railway, integrating systems from Network Rail, Retailers and Operators, improving the security of industry systems, integrating and analysing data and delivering large scale programmes from testing to ongoing service management.
Industry operations
Defining policy and understanding of industry stakeholders needs, co-ordinating industry planning, operational decision making and crisis management through engagement with operators, suppliers, network rail and other partners on rail strategy, policy, engineering, policing, people, stations and network performance.
Retail and commercial functions
Retail fulfilment, fares, commercial management of retailer relationships, running fares and retailing services and systems, engaging with transport authorities, operators and suppliers.
Customer services
Understanding and defining customer needs from both service and marketing perspectives using insight led modelling, marketing research and close engagement with operators and commercial teams, running information and support services and systems, working closely with cross industry stakeholders.

About working here

Our values are an integral part of both our recruitment and performance review processes. We celebrate colleagues who demonstrate the values through:

e-Cards

a nomination scheme for colleagues who have demonstrated one or more of our values

ASPIRE Gold

a monthly recognition scheme for our star performers

Annual ASPIRE awards

celebrating outstanding demonstration of our values
ASPIRE banner

Our vision

Our vision determines our strategic direction and also reminds us all of why we do what we do and the value we add to the rail industry.

Our mission

Our mission is to add value by bringing together all passenger and freight operators with Network Rail, HS2; and their supply chains to provide further services and support to groups of members.
Rail Delivery Group
Rail Delivery Group
Rail Delivery Group

Our history

  • 1993

    The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) was set up after privatisation in 1993, to bring together all train companies to preserve and enhance the benefits for passengers of Britain’s national rail network.
  • 2011

    In 2011, one of the recommendations made by the McNulty rail value for money report was that a leadership body be established to take responsibility for coordinating and leading on cross-industry initiatives. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) was established in June 2011 by the major passenger and freight train operator groups and Network Rail to fulfil this role
  • 2013

    In 2013, the structure of RDG was formalised to ensure that it continued to receive the full commitment of key people and organisations from across the railway industry. This was achieved through the incorporation of a new membership condition into the licences of Network Rail and those passenger and freight operators that operate over the mainline network.
  • 2016

    In October 2016, the single name of Rail Delivery Group was adopted to describe ATOC and RDG.
  • 2021

    In 2021, one recommendation of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail was that elements of RDG’s activity should sit within the remit of an arm’s length body.
  • 2022

    In May 2022, Rail Partners was formed to continue advocacy and policy activities previously undertaken by RDG on behalf of members, in advance of RDG’s transfer to Great British Railways.

Rail Delivery Group