British train operators have spent more than £13 million on hiring taxis for their staff since January 2025, a period marked by significant rail disruptions. The figures, compiled from freedom of information requests, show over 395,000 taxi bookings funded by ticket fares and the Department for Transport.
While commercial agreements typically cover planned journeys, taxis are frequently utilized during emergencies, with no stated limits on cost or distance. South Western Railway (SWR) reported the highest expenditure, exceeding £4.9 million since last year. This sum includes £147,439 in delay charges, accumulated over more than 5,700 hours of waiting time for taxi drivers.
One documented instance for SWR in June 2025 involved a taxi waiting over four hours and 48 minutes, adding £135.36 in late fees to a four-mile journey that would normally cost £30.54. Greater Anglia recorded the most expensive single taxi journey in January 2025 at £1,424.28, followed by another trip in April 2026 costing £1,343.76.
The longest distance covered by a single taxi journey was booked by TransPennine Express in February 2025. This 368-mile trip shuttled staff from Glasgow to Lockerbie after a landslip disrupted railway services. Another notable journey, booked by c2c Railway Limited, took 10 hours to complete due to roadworks near East Ham, with the taxi booked at 3:45 a.m. not finishing until 2 p.m. the following day.
Approximately 39% of these taxi journeys were made during unsociable hours, between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., when public transport is limited. However, some bookings were for less critical reasons. On March 5, 2026, a staff member on the Caledonian Sleeper service was provided with a taxi after an alternative ScotRail service was deemed "very cold." The ScotRail service between Oban and Glasgow has previously faced complaints about sub-zero temperatures during winter.
SWR described taxis as an "important operational necessity" for the swift transfer of workers. The Department for Transport stated that while taxi usage represents a small fraction of the railway's total operational costs, they are committed to ensuring the service provides good value for money. The department indicated that under the Great British Railways initiative, they will continue to seek ways to manage a reliable service while ensuring staff safety and controlling costs.
This spending comes as the cost of a single anytime rail ticket has increased by 137% since 2004. Train drivers in Britain typically work between 35 and 40 hours per week, with an average annual salary of £73,000. A spokesperson for the train drivers' union Aslef declined to comment on the use of taxis for staff, stating that operational efficiency decisions rest with the train operators.