Mystery Train Passenger

A mystery train passenger is a trained evaluator who travels anonymously across your rail network, observing how your services perform in real conditions. These reviews are designed to reflect what genuine commuters experience — not staged assessments, and not feedback from staff.

• A typical mystery train commuter assessment looks at:
• Station presentation, including cleanliness, safety and visibility of staff.
• How well services run to schedule and handle delays.
• Staff interaction — professionalism, clarity, tone and overall helpfulness.
• On-board conditions like seating, temperature, and the quality of announcements.
• Ticketing access and ease of boarding.
• Whether the full journey meets the expectations of a commuter, from station arrival to destination.

Because all feedback is gathered discreetly, you get a clear and honest view of service performance that’s grounded in real, everyday travel.

Every mystery train commuter programme is customised to reflect your specific goals, whether that’s measuring on-time performance, evaluating contractor delivery, or gaining a better understanding of what your passengers experience during peak hours.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Scenario development: We work with you to define target routes, times, and service types for review. This could include morning peak services, late-night runs, or regional branch lines.
• Onboard evaluation: Our trained mystery passengers travel as typical commuters, noting what they observe without drawing attention.
• Reporting and feedback: Reports are delivered within 24 business hours and include key findings on customer experience, service delivery and team interactions.

These reports are designed to be clear, structured and ready to support both operational discussions and executive decision-making.

Our mystery train passenger services provide real-world data you can rely on. They’re a practical tool to track what’s happening across your network, with the consistency and context you need to act on what matters.

Here’s how rail operators benefit:

• Improve commuter satisfaction by identifying and fixing service issues quickly.
• Track schedule performance across different lines and time periods.
• Review cleanliness and safety across trains and stations with independent data.
• Get real examples of staff behaviour to support training and accountability.
• Monitor performance across operators, shifts or external contractors.
• Support internal KPIs or funding requirements with clear third-party evaluations.
• Benchmark service levels through our Transport Mystery Shoppers network.