What the Great British Railways rebrand means for UK business travel

The UK government has unveiled the new Great British Railways (GBR) branding and launched landmark legislation intended to bring the railways back into public ownership - a major reform designed to deliver a simpler, more reliable network for passengers.

This development will matter to business travellers supported by Global Travel Management because it promises a more integrated, dependable rail system - reducing complexity and improving journey certainty for corporate rail users throughout the UK.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

“The future of Britain’s railways begins today. I’m immensely proud to unveil the new look for Great British Railways as we deliver landmark legislation to nationalise our trains and reform the railway so it better serves passengers.

This isn’t just a paint job – it represents a new railway, casting off the frustrations of the past and focused entirely on delivering a proper public service for passengers.

With fares frozen, a bold new look and fundamental reforms becoming law, we are building a railway Britain can rely on and be proud of.”

Under the plans released by the Department for Transport, GBR will replace the current fragmented structure, bringing together track, infrastructure and train operations under a single publicly owned body. The new branding - featuring a striking red, white and blue livery and the iconic double-arrow logo - will roll out from next spring across trains, stations, websites and a new ticketing app.

Crucially for business travel, the accompanying legislation (the Railways Bill) aims to modernise fares and ticketing, simplify booking, and eliminate booking fees - and a new app will allow travellers to buy tickets, check schedules and book assistance easily.

The press release also highlights that several publicly owned operators have already begun investing in improved capacity and reliability — for example, increased rolling stock, new timetables adding thousands of extra services per year, and infrastructure upgrades to reduce faults and delays.

Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management, said:

“For UK-based business travellers, the emergence of Great British Railways promises a more reliable, consistent rail offering - fewer delays, simpler ticketing and greater confidence that journeys will run to time across the network.”

To book rail journey in the UK or overseas, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.