The following will be presented at the National Rail Awards 2023

Safety, customer service and value for money are all key to the success of the railway. The industry also has a key role in making our transport system more sustainable, taking a lead in both the way it operates and the service it provides. The National Rail Awards recognise outstanding achievements in Great Britain over the past year, but particularly look to reward initiatives which demonstrate innovation and measurable improvements in performance which can be rolled out across the railway. By doing so, the Awards seek to promote the industry’s longer term success and sustainability, which depends on a highly skilled, diverse, motivated and engaged workforce and exceptional leaders, and which compares well with international benchmarks. The period covered by each award is the year ending on March 31.

After entries close, if you have not heard back by the end of May please assume you have been unsuccessful. Any enquires please email [email protected] 

So don’t miss the railway night of the year! Join your friends and colleagues from across the railway family to celebrate the very best in our amazing industry with awards in the following categories:

Station of the Year - Small, Medium, Large, Major

NEW CRITERIA - Stations were divided into four sections for judging – small, medium, large and major termini.

See criteria

Enter here 



Freight & Logistics Achievement of the Year

This award will recognise a major new contribution to rail freight or logistics involving use of rail.

Shortlisted presentations - 7 June - Virtual

See criteria

Enter here



Infrastructure Achievement of the Year 

This award covers all aspects of infrastructure asset management, including for example signalling and telecommunications, power supply and digital technologies as well as civil engineering.

Shortlisted presentations - 12 June - Virtual

See criteria

Enter here 



Passenger Operator of the Year

This award covers all passenger operators - main line, urban, metro or light rail. It is designed to reward operators who, over the past year, set and achieved high standards of operation.

Shortlisted presentations - 21 June, Virtual

See criteria

Enter here 



Outstanding Personal Contribution

People are at the heart of the railway. This award recognises railway men and women in any front-line role who have performed above and beyond the call of duty, to significant effect.

Shortlisted presentations - 13 and 14 June, Porterbrook, London

Please be aware that being an Outstanding Personal Contribution finalists does not entitle you to a complimentary award ticket. These can be purchased via the booking system or through your company.

See criteria

Enter here 



Innovation of the Year

Innovation means finding new ways of doing the job or new technologies that will change the railway. It can involve radical changes in engineering or technology or to business process or to customer service. All criteria MUST be met in order to be considered for shortlisting.

Shortlisted presentations - 2 June, Norton Rose Fulbright, London

See criteria

Enter here 




Safety Achievement of the Year

Safety has always been high on public and political agendas - and rightly so. This award encompasses all aspects of safety, including the safety of staff, passengers and the public.

Shortlisted presentations - 6 June, British Transport Police, London

See criteria

Enter here



Customer Service Excellence

This award recognizes top class service for customers of all suppliers of railway services, where an organisation shows flexibility, responsibility, and a clear focus on quality of delivery that sets a new standard to deliver customer satisfaction, and which sets ambitions for the future that the industry will follow.

Shortlisted presentations - 30 June, Virtual

See criteria

Enter here 




Major Project of the Year

Open to any major project, costing around £100m or more.  (Smaller projects should normally be submitted to other categories which are relevant to their nature and focus.) It may involve trains, infrastructure, signalling, stations, improved customer facilities, new technology.

Shortlisted presentations - 6 June, West Coast, London

See criteria

Enter here



Fleet Achievement of the Year

The purpose of this award is to highlight and reward excellence in train engineering and management covering the whole fleet in both the passenger and freight sectors.

Shortlisted presentations - 22 June, Burges Salmon, London

See criteria

Enter here 



Outstanding Teamwork Award

The modern railway depends on excellent teamwork within and across companies and organisations. All criteria MUST be met in order to be considered for shortlisting.

Shortlisted presentations - 15th June, Norton Rose Fulbright, London

See criteria

Enter here 



Outstanding Contribution to Society 

Britain's Railway have a key role in contributing to the life of the nation - our passengers, freight customers, communities and our people. 

Shortlisted presentations - 26 May, Virtual

See criteria

Enter here 



Great Place to Work

We already celebrate outstanding contributions at the personal level with individual awards; here we are looking to find a great employer.

Shortlisted presentations - 16 June, Norton Rose Fulbright, London

See criteria

Enter here 


Environmental Excellence 

Rail has a vital role to play in decarbonising our economy and minimising our environmental impacts. With strong green credentials we are currently a low carbon choice, however with the race to net zero and an increase in extreme weather events we are losing our advantage. A commitment to long-term environmental sustainability should be considered as essential for all involved in the future of the railway. 

Shortlisted presentations - 23 June, West Coast, London 

See criteria

Enter here