CASE STUDY

FIRST RAIL - GENERATION RAIL

Field’s Insight team delivered 'Generation Rail', an insights report that combined qualitative and quantitative methods to help First Rail understand and articulate what under 30s want from the railway now and in the future.

OVERVIEW

Through focus groups with 16–25-year-olds across Glasgow, Manchester, Exeter and London, we examined how younger travellers perceive rail, what drives their choices between rail, road and air travel, and what changes would meaningfully shift behaviour. In parallel, we carried out detailed quantitative analysis of transport data, drawing on open-source statistics, such as usage data from the Young Persons’ and 26–30 Railcards and broader datasets from FirstGroup, Rail Partners, and Transport Focus.

The findings demonstrated a strong appetite among young people to travel by train – provided the service is consistent, reliable, and offers clear value for money. Our research highlighted the importance of baseline amenities, predictable last-train services, better digital connectivity and flexible ticketing that mirrors best practice from budget aviation. These insights informed FirstGroup’s flagship Generation Rail report, helping shape industry debate on long-term reform, private-sector innovation and the policy decisions needed to unlock modal shift and future passenger growth. The report was launched with a keynote speech from Field’s Head of Insight at a high-profile event at the London Transport Museum attended by over 80 stakeholders from politics, media, and the rail industry, including Nicholas Hellen, Transport Editor at The Sunday Times and Helen Whately, then Shadow Transport Secretary.

OUTCOME

Our work enhanced First Rail’s reputation as a thought leader and innovator across the rail industry, while simultaneously strengthening the business’ relationships with key political decision-makers and media contacts.