The UK's worst train operator has been revealed - and it's not the first time the winner has taken this crown.

CrossCountry has been named the UK's worst train operator for cancellations in 2026 so far, according to new analysis.

The study from Locals Insider shows that 6.8 per cent of CrossCountry services have been either fully or partially cancelled – the highest proportion of any of the 23 operators analysed.

The research is based on recent Office of Rail and Road data covering the first three months of the year.

It comes after CrossCountry was revealed as the UK's worst major train operator for cancellations last year too.

Avanti West Coast was close behind for 2026, while East Midlands Railway rounds out the top three worst performers for disruption so far this year. 

Govia Thameslink Railway and West Midlands Trains also sit well above the national average, highlighting ongoing reliability challenges across major routes.

By contrast, several operators have delivered far more consistent services in early 2026. 

Hull Trains ranks as the most reliable operator with a cancellation score of just 1.3 per cent, followed by Chiltern Railways and both ScotRail and c2c. 

Greater Anglia and Southeastern also feature among the strongest performers.

Spokesperson for Locals Insider, Martin Danemaq, said: 'While there are signs of improvement across parts of the national rail network, our findings show that disruption remains a real issue for many train passengers in 2026.

'Operators like CrossCountry and Avanti West Coast continue to sit well above the national average, particularly on longer-distance routes, with roughly one in 15 services disrupted. 

'At the same time, it's clear that reliability is achievable. 

'Several operators are consistently keeping cancellations below 2 per cent, which shows that a more dependable service is possible when the network is running effectively.

'For passengers, the gap between the best and worst operators is still significant – and where you travel in the UK can have a major impact on how reliable your journey is likely to be.'

Nick Westcott, CrossCountry's service delivery director, said: 'CrossCountry services between January and March 2026 were impacted by a number of exceptional circumstances. 

'This included a higher‑than‑usual number of incidents leaving trains in need of repair, as well as several tragic fatalities on the railway. 

'These issues meant that more trains, and drivers, were unavailable than usual, restricting our ability to run our full timetable in the first part of the year.

'Since then, CrossCountry cancellations have reduced by 26 per cent, and we continue to work hard to improve reliability and deliver better journeys for customers - including introducing additional long‑distance services in our new timetable from Sunday 17 May and the continued refurbishment of our entire fleet to further improve journeys across the CrossCountry network.'

Since being dubbed the 'UK's worst train operator' last year, CrossCountry has been working hard to revamp its image.

Part of this was launching its first refurbished Voyager train last month, as part of its £75million investment project which set out to upgrade the 70-strong fleet. 

The newly revamped Voyager train promised to offer a lot more seating, improved lighting, extended legroom, and enhanced onboard technology, such as CCTV. 

But just three days later, the long-distance train came to experience multiple faults and issues.

Broken toilets, a faulty guards' control panel, problems with the PA system as well as an onboard computer that controls air conditioning are some of the train's troubles, according to sources at CrossCountry. 

'The best thing CrossCountry could have done with the Voyagers is to have scrapped them. You can't polish a turd,' one anonymous worker told the Daily Mail. 

Another called the refurbishment a 'disaster' while another claimed the trains might look new, but little has been done to improve them, adding: 'They're all fur coat and no knickers.'

As for the toilets, there have been reports of a sewage smell throughout the train being a common occurrence. 

Others raised concerns that the designers didn't work with employees who will be using the trains - which has been causing chaos for staff onboard.

According to staff, a trolley test was only carried out four days before the vehicle was launched to the public. 

Sources say this has led to issues for catering workers who report the new seat grabs, which are now in a lower position than before, could lead to them banging their hands as they wheel the snack trolley down the aisle. 

Other problems include the rubber trim on doors tearing, and staff say the only improvement to worker areas is a new plug socket added to the driving cab. 

Passenger feedback hasn't been shining either, with overcrowding still an issue, according to some. 

One source told the Mail: 'Spending millions on refurbishing old trains won't help ease overcrowding. We need the money spent on providing more trains.'

Meanwhile, the condition of the trains received backlash too.

'The carpets are already grubby,' said another. Someone else added: 'Staff are great, but the trains are terrible.'