T

Trainline

Rail and coach travel booking platform

Head of Financial Control - Management Accounting

Full-Time
£100k - £110k/yr
Expert
London, UK
HybridAt least 60% of working time must be in the office over a 12-week period.
AccountingFinancial Accounting, Cost & Management Accounting

About the job

Requirements
  • Qualified accountant status (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with significant post-qualification experience running month-end, balance sheet, reconciliation and working capital processes in a complex business.
  • Experience managing and developing senior finance managers or teams, including setting direction and managing performance through others, with a track record of holding teams to high standards.
  • Strong technical knowledge of IFRS and listed-company governance, and confidence making accounting policy judgements.
  • A strong track record of business partnering with senior, non-finance stakeholders to shape commercial decisions.
  • The ability to build trust quickly, manage upwards, delegate effectively and run a project from beginning to end.
  • Experience of ERP platforms or finance automation tools.
Responsibilities
  • Lead the Financial Control team, principally through two direct reports, coaching and mentoring to build capability, delegating effectively, maintaining high delivery standards, and keeping development and succession front of mind.
  • Bring structure and clarity to complex or ambiguous problems and document conclusions so they can be applied consistently across the function.
  • Lead cross-functional projects from beginning to end with Legal, Commercial, Product and Technology, setting and holding a timeline and navigating senior stakeholder relationships to establish a single, well-documented position.
  • Ensure month-end runs smoothly and on time, including balance-sheet integrity, key reconciliations and working-capital analysis; provide judgement and sign-off while the team executes; critically review management-account outputs for risks, inconsistencies and control gaps; and ensure a high-quality, timely, audit-ready close.
  • Act as subject-matter expert for external reporting and controls, technically challenge Annual Report and Half-Year Report verification activity, own accounting-policy judgements and their documentation, and liaise with external auditors on balance-sheet and reporting matters as needed.
  • Maintain a strong internal-control environment and drive continuous improvement and automation to reduce manual effort and improve output quality.
  • Hold the team accountable for effective Order-to-Cash processes across the group, maintain strong control and discipline, and proactively identify emerging risks or complexity.
  • Own the cost-budgeting process in partnership with FP&A, ensure cost-centre owners follow a clear timetable, challenge assumptions and prepare to present to the CFO, and build a team that provides finance insight and challenge to shape commercial decisions, personally handling the most complex or senior conversations.
  • Maintain awareness of corporate governance as a listed business; provide senior oversight of working-capital performance, including Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable; and deputise for the Group Financial Controller as required, including representing Financial Control at key forums.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in a listed or multi-currency business is advantageous but not essential.

About the company

T

Trainline

View
Website

Trainline is a digital travel platform for rail and coach services in the UK and Europe. It lets individual travelers, businesses, and travel agencies search, book, and manage journeys from multiple operators in one place. The platform provides real-time schedules, ticketing options, and travel updates through web and mobile interfaces, and also offers ancillary services such as travel insurance and seat reservations. Revenue comes from commissions on ticket sales and from additional services. Compared with competitors, Trainline combines a wide network of operators with real-time information and end-to-end journey management in a single platform, plus services like insurance and seat reservations that broaden its offering. Its goal is to make rail travel easier and more accessible, encouraging sustainable transportation by promoting rail as a practical, eco-friendly alternative to other modes of travel.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

London, United Kingdom

Founded

1997

Get referred to Trainline

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • 11 September 2026 trading reaffirmed FY2027 guidance and a 2.9% EBITDA margin.
  • Trainline launched a new £100 million buyback after cancelling £350 million since 2023.
  • International Consumer is expected to breakeven this year, lifting group profitability.

What critics are saying

  • CMA opened a drip-pricing probe on 18 August 2026; fines reach 10% turnover.
  • Fee redesign reduces conversion and refund revenue, pressuring 2027 underlying revenue.
  • Direct rail operator distribution and regulator-mandated pricing transparency can erase Trainline’s economics.

What makes Trainline unique

  • Trainline aggregates UK and European rail and coach inventory in one app.
  • Ian Brown, ex-Flutter and Booking.com, assumes CEO on 28 September 2026.
  • Trainline’s railcard and consumer base create repeat bookings and proprietary travel data.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Remote Work Options
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • Hybrid Work Options
  • Paid Holidays
  • Professional Development Budget

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
London South East
Sep 11th, 2026
LONDON BRIEFING: UK GDP beats forecast; trade deficit narrows.

LONDON BRIEFING: UK GDP beats forecast; trade deficit narrows. Fri, 11th Sep 2026 07:57 (Alliance News) - UK economic growth exceeds expectations in July and the country's trade deficit narrows, while Trainline reiterates its full-year guidance and announces a new GBP100 million share buyback programme. FTSE 100: called up 0.2% at 10,633.92 GBP: lower at USD1.3525 (USD1.3532 at previous London equities close) The UK economy grows by 0.4% in July, accelerating from 0.3% in June and comfortably beating market expectations for no growth, according to the Office for National Statistics. Growth is broad-based, with services output rising 0.4%, production rebounding 0.2% after two monthly declines, and construction edging 0.1% higher. Manufacturing output increases 0.9%, led by gains in electronics, pharmaceuticals and basic metals, although mining and quarrying contracts 4.4%. Compared with a year earlier, GDP is up 1.6%, while the economy expands 0.4% over the three months to July from the previous three-month period, matching the pace seen through June and marking the eighth consecutive rolling three-month period of growth. Despite the stronger monthly reading, production output falls 0.5% over the three months to July, and construction declines 0.5%, reflecting weakness in new work and the energy sector. UK goods imports rise by GBP1.3 billion, or 2.4%, in July, driven by a GBP1.7 billion increase in imports from non-EU countries, partly offset by a GBP400 million fall in imports from the EU, according to the Office for National Statistics. Goods exports increase by GBP900 million, or 2.8%, with exports to the EU rising GBP800 million and those to non-EU countries up GBP100 million. Over the three months to July, the UK's total trade deficit in goods and services narrows by GBP1.1 billion to GBP9.0 billion from the three months to April. The goods trade deficit shrinks by GBP400 million to GBP61.6 billion, while the services trade surplus widens by GBP700 million to GBP52.6 billion. South Korea Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi discuss the situation in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz in a phone call requested by Tehran, days after Seoul confirms it is considering a possible contribution to securing the vital shipping route. The talks follow an Iranian warning that any South Korean military involvement would have "serious consequences". Seoul says it has dispatched a fact-finding team to assess the situation but has yet to decide whether to deploy forces. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily disrupted amid the US-Iran conflict, while negotiations between Washington and Tehran over the strategic waterway remain stalled. BROKER RATINGS Jefferies raises Halma to 'hold' (underperform) - price target 3,660 (3,050) pence Jefferies raises XP Power to 'buy' (hold) - price target 2,330 (1,870) pence Trainline reports a resilient first-half trading performance and reiterates its full-year guidance, as it announces a new GBP100 million share buyback programme. Group net ticket sales are broadly flat year-on-year at GBP3.26 billion, while underlying revenue slips 1% to GBP233 million. The company says UK rail demand remains resilient despite disruption from hot weather, strikes and a regulated fare freeze, and expects first-half adjusted Ebitda margin to be slightly ahead of its full-year target. Trainline reconfirms guidance for financial 2027 net ticket sales of GBP6.20 billion to GBP6.45 billion, underlying revenue of GBP440 million to GBP455 million, and an adjusted Ebitda margin of around 2.9%. It also announces a new GBP100 million share repurchase programme, due to begin after completion of its existing GBP150 million buyback, with the new programme to run over the next 12 months in two tranches. Since launching buybacks in 2023, the company has repurchased and cancelled GBP350 million of shares, representing around 28% of its issued share capital. Trainline will publish half-year results on November 4. Berkeley Group Holdings says trading remains in line with the cautious outlook outlined in June, as prolonged conflict in the Middle East and continued UK political uncertainty weigh on housing market activity. The housebuilder says enquiries remain stable, but buyers without an immediate need to move are delaying purchases, and some transactions may be deferred until after the UK budget in late October. Berkeley maintains its four-year GBP1.40 billion pretax profit target, with profits expected to be slightly weighted to the first half of the current financial year, subject to completions. The company returns GBP60 million to shareholders through share buybacks during the first four months of the year, taking total buybacks since October 2025 to GBP171 million, ahead of schedule. It expects half-year net cash of around GBP250 million and reiterates calls for stamp duty reform to support new-build housing demand and help meet the UK government's target of 300,000 homes a year. Harbour Energy agrees to buy 53 million of its own shares from BASF at 266 pence each for around USD190 million, alongside BASF's sale of a further 80 million shares to institutional investors at the same price. The purchased shares will be cancelled, with around USD40 million of the consideration counting towards Harbour's ongoing USD250 million share buyback programme. In total, BASF sells around 133 million Harbour shares at 266 pence each, reducing its stake in the oil and gas producer to around 16.4% from 24.3%. The placing to institutional investors is expected to settle on September 15, while BASF's remaining holding will be subject to a 60-day lock-up, subject to certain exceptions. OTHER COMPANIES C&C Group agrees to acquire Asahi UK's wholesale interests for a nominal consideration, including Nectar Imports Ltd and Asahi UK's direct distribution operations, which will be integrated into its Matthew Clark Bibendum business. The deal also includes a long-term partnership to distribute Asahi brands in the UK and is expected to complete in early October, with management expecting a small positive contribution to earnings in the current financial year. Separately, C&C says trading in the six months to August 31 is in line with expectations. Net revenue falls 3% on a constant currency basis, as 2% growth in branded sales is offset by a 4% decline in distribution revenue. The group expects first-half underlying operating profit of EUR43 million to EUR44 million and remains on track to deliver full-year operating profit in line with market expectations. C&C will host a capital markets day on September 24 and report interim results on October 28. Circle8 Group confirms it has submitted a proposal for a possible all-cash takeover of SThree, saying a combination would create a global IT and technology recruitment platform with combined gross revenue approaching USD3 billion. The Nasdaq-listed company says it would finance the proposed transaction entirely in cash, meaning existing Circle8 shareholders would not be diluted. Circle8 says the deal would expand its international scale, strengthen its technology capabilities and accelerate its growth strategy across AI, cybersecurity, cloud and software engineering. It notes there is no certainty an offer will be made or on what terms. Under UK takeover rules, Circle8 must announce a firm intention to bid or walk away by October 7, unless the Takeover Panel extends the deadline. Heathrow airport has revealed a fall in passengers during the peak getaway month of August as it flagged "big challenges" across the sector. The west London airport said 7.87 million passengers passed through its four terminals last month, down 2.1% year-on-year, despite cheering a record busy day on August 2, with nearly 272,000 passengers. It comes after the firm revealed recently it was overtaken by Istanbul as Europe's busiest airport in July. But Heathrow said it remained the most "punctual" airport in Europe. "Despite some big challenges across aviation this season, passengers consistently had smooth journeys, with 98% waiting less than five minutes at security, and 98% seeing bags depart as planned, helping retain the title of Europe's most punctual hub," the airport said. By Eva Castanedo, Alliance News senior economics reporter Shares in this article. 3,618.00 0.84% 1,964.00 9.11% Berkeley Group 3,292.00 -0.06% 194.00 2.11% Harbour Energy 270.40 -2.66% 96.00 7.62% 294.50 0.00%

City A.M.
Sep 11th, 2026
Trainline hits out at tube strikes and fare freeze as growth stalls.

Trainline hits out at tube strikes and fare freeze as growth stalls. Retail Reporter Trainline has hit out at tube strikes and the government's freeze on rail fares, as the train ticketing platform saw sales growth grind to a halt. The FTSE 250 firm posted flat ticket sales in the six months to August, at £2.1bn, blaming "the impact of the regulated fare freeze, additional disruptions from hot weather and TfL strikes, as well as ongoing headwinds". The government has frozen all standard rail fares across England until March, in a move it said would save passengers £600m. Trainline also hit out at the government's move to tighten refund rules, which the group said slowed the number of refund transactions and dragged its underlying UK revenue down by five per cent to £102m. The train ticketing platform missed out on the refund fees it would have made if refunds had not been made harder for passengers to claim, it said. News updates. Stay ahead with our three daily briefings delivering all the key market moves, top business and political stories, and incisive analysis straight to your inbox. The group said its four per cent dip in international ticket sales to £579m was due to one-off factors like January's "tragic" rail disaster in Spain, which caused consumers to stay away from train travel. Record heat, train strikes across Europe and the Iran war all combined to create a "softness in foreign travel demand," Trainline said. Trainline boss disembarks. Chief executive Jody Ford, who will quit the business later this month, said the platform delivered a "robust" performance as it capitalised on a "backdrop of resilient underlying demand for UK rail travel". "The industry is moving through an important period of change and Trainline is well positioned, with real scale in the UK and across Europe, deep customer loyalty, and over three million customers now holding a digital railcard in our app. "I hand over to Ian Brown a company strongly positioned for its next chapter, with significant multi-year growth opportunities ahead." The group launched a £100m share buyback on Friday, following the end of Trainline's previous £150m scheme. Duncan Ferris, an analyst at Freetrade, said: "Trainline's newest numbers might not scream full steam ahead, but they may steady the journey after a bumpy few weeks for shareholders. "What might offer investors some cheer is a newly announced 12-month share buyback programme, covering as much as £100m. Coupled with steady, if unspectacular, performance and unaltered guidance, this may offer shareholders reassurance that the business is still chugging along despite regulatory issues." Last month, the UK's consumer watchdog announced an investigation into Trainline and Virgin Atlantic over so-called 'drip pricing' practices. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is cracking down on ticketing platforms which add hidden fees to transactions which do not appear in the original ticket price. Trainline said it "is proactively engaged with the CMA in relation to its ongoing investigation on fees presentation."

Travelling for Business
Aug 27th, 2026
Travelling for Business Awards 2026 finalists revealed.

Travelling for Business Awards 2026 finalists revealed. The Travelling for Business Awards 2026 finalists are confirmed, more than 230 places across 23 categories, with winners named at a City of London gala on 22 October. The Travelling for Business Awards 2026 finalists have been announced, with more than 230 places confirmed across 23 categories covering airlines, airports, lounges, hotels, loyalty schemes, car hire, meetings destinations and travel technology. Winners will be named at a black tie gala dinner at Together, 88 Wood Street, in the City of London on Thursday 22 October 2026. The shortlists read as a map of the suppliers UK business travellers actually use, from the carriers competing for corporate accounts on long-haul routes to the budget hotel brands that put delegates up for a conference. The full line-up is published on the awards website, where every category can be browsed on the 2026 finalists page. The programme is editorially led and independently judged, with categories designed as benchmarks rather than popularity contests. That matters for travel managers and SME owners who use shortlists like these to sense-check their preferred suppliers. The 5-minute daily briefing for UK business travellers. Free. Unsubscribe any time. Inside the Travelling for Business Awards 2026 finalists list. In the air, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways all feature among the Best Long-Haul Airline finalists, joined by newcomer Riyadh Air, which also appears in the business class and standard class fields. The short-haul list pits Jet2.com, easyJet, Ryanair and Aer Lingus against flag carriers including KLM and SAS, with Scottish regional operator Loganair also making the cut. In business class, the Qatar Airways Qsuite and Cathay Pacific Aria Suite go up against the British Airways Club Suite and Virgin Atlantic Upper Class. Singapore Changi, Tokyo Haneda and Hong Kong lead the Best Airport in the World field, with London Heathrow and London City carrying UK hopes. Heathrow dominates the lounge shortlist, hosting seven of the ten Best Airline Lounge finalists, including the British Airways Concorde Room at Terminal 5 and the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Terminal 3, while the Emirates Lounge in Manchester flies the flag outside the capital. Among hotels, a twelve-strong Best UK Hotel field ranges from Gleneagles and Grantley Hall to Raffles London at The OWO, The Peninsula London and The Savoy. Premier Inn, Travelodge and easyHotel contest the budget crown, and in the loyalty categories Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt face IHG One Rewards, while The British Airways Club takes on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Flying Blue among the frequent flyer schemes. Delivery counts in accessibility and sustainability. Two awards were open to any supplier serving UK business travellers. The Accessibility Award recognises work that makes business travel genuinely accessible for disabled travellers, and its finalists range from Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and easyJet to the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme, Teesside International and Belfast City airports and the Titanic Hotel Belfast. The Sustainability Award was judged on measured delivery rather than pledges, with Air France-KLM, Eurostar, Amsterdam Schiphol, The Pig Hotels and TravelPerk among those shortlisted. A category for Best Attraction Buyout for Corporate Groups reflects the rise of full private hire for company events, shortlisting Universal Destinations and Experiences, Business Solutions by Disneyland Paris, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, the Natural History Museum and Sphere in Las Vegas. Closer to home, ExCeL London, Manchester Central, the Scottish Event Campus and ICC Wales contest Best MICE Venue UK, and the Best Travel App field puts corporate platforms Navan and SAP Concur against consumer favourites Flighty, TripIt and Trainline. How to book a table for 22 October. The winners will be revealed in front of an audience of airline executives, hotel owners and general managers, corporate travel buyers and MICE decision makers. Tables are on sale now through the book a table page on the awards site, and a limited number of sponsorship and partnership opportunities remain for brands wanting a presence on the night, each with exclusivity in its category. For SME travel bookers, the value of the list arrives well before any trophies are handed out. With more than 230 finalists spread across every stage of a trip, from the kerb at the airport to the checkout screen of a booking app, the shortlists offer a ready-made benchmark for anyone reviewing travel suppliers ahead of 2027 budgets. Richard Alvin Richard Alvin, Group MD of the Capital Business Media group and Editor in Chief of Travelling For Business, regarded as one of the UK's leading business travel magazines.

RTÉ
Aug 26th, 2026
CarTrawler profits surge by 68% ahead of Expedia purchase.

CarTrawler profits surge by 68% ahead of Expedia purchase. Updated / Wednesday, 26 Aug 2026 10:47 Pre-tax profits at Irish headquartered travel technology company CarTrawler increased by 68% to €11.79m last year. In May, the business was acquired by US digital travel giant Expedia and in the company's last full year ahead of the Expedia purchase, the directors for Etrawler UC state that "the business continued to perform strongly in 2025". New consolidated accounts just filed for Etrawler UC show that revenues increased by 5% from €172.29m to €181.69m in the 12 months to the end of September last. The pre-tax profits of €11.79m follow pre-tax profits of €7m in 2024. Expedia is one of the world's largest digital travel companies and its sites include Expedia, hotels.com and ebookers and the financial terms of the CarTrawler deal were not disclosed. Prior to the Expedia purchase, CarTrawler had been majority owned by British private-equity group TowerBrook Capital since May 2020 after it invested €100m in the Irish business. The tech company was established by brothers Greg and Niall Turley in 2004 in Dublin, having grown it out of their family business, Argus Car Hire. Headquartered in Dublin, with offices in Paris, London, New York and Sydney, CarTrawler has evolved to become a leading global B2B travel-tech company and the directors state that EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortisation) last year increased by 18% "delivered by continued organic growth and a number of new commercial partnerships". CarTrawler partners with many of the world's leading travel brands enabling them to provide car rental, airport transfer and ride hailing services to customers. In 2025, CarTrawler launched partnerships with Ryanair, Qantas and this year continued to expand with launches with Etihad, Trainline, the AA and Southwest Airlines. Last year, CarTrawler purchased Paris based travel insurtech provider, Koala and the directors state that the purchase further expands the group's "multi-product ancillary platform". The directors state that in 2025, the group continued to demonstrate strong organic growth and to add partners to its platform and as a result forecasts growth in the year ended September 2026. Numbers employed last year reduced by 20% or 79 from 401 to 322 as staff costs declined from €39.47m to €36.9m. Numbers employed were made up of 292 in operations and customer support while numbers at the company's customer centre of excellence reduced from 72 to 30. The profit for 2025 takes account of exceptional costs of €3.88m that include €3.17m in professional fees and other costs along with restructuring costs of €765,000 incurred on a re-organisation of a number of functions which included severance payments. The profit last year also takes account of combined non-cash depreciation and amortisation costs of €11.9m. CarTrawler has its product development function based in Dublin and last year its Research and Development spend totalled €7.78m - the firm received a R&D tax credit of €1.6m. In accounts filed in recent days but signed off by directors in January, they show that the firm paid out a dividend last year of €605,000 and this followed a dividend payout of €9.06m in 2024. The dividends were paid to its immediate parent ET Holdco, which is based on the Isle of Man. The group recorded a post tax profit of €11.18m last year after incurring a corporation tax charge of €609,000. At the end of September last, the group had accumulated profits of €30.12m. Reporting by Gordon Deegan

Blackpool Gazette
Aug 24th, 2026
Blackpool train users can get free Domino's pizza between London Euston and Stirling this bank holiday (aff).

Blackpool train users can get free Domino's pizza between London Euston and Stirling this bank holiday (aff). Published 24th Aug 2026, 10:26 BST Blackpool South's Labour MP Chris Webb say the Government officially handing back the resort's Metropole Hotel will be huge boost for Blackpool Blackpool South's Labour MP Chris Webb say the Government officially handing back the resort's Metropole Hotel will be huge boost for Blackpool This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Blackpool commuters planning to travel between London Euston and Stirling this Bank Holiday weekend could have a free fresh, hot Domino's pizza delivered directly to their seats. Trainline has today announced the UK's first-ever Train Thru delivery service on Lumo's newest route. The first-of-its-kind offering comes as new research reveals 57% of train travellers are hungry for more food options while travelling, with almost two-thirds (63%) saying they would like to have a hot, fresh takeaway delivered directly to their seat during their journey - with pizza topping the list of train takeaway wishes. You May Like To enjoy a free pizza train users from Blackpool and the Fylde coast would have to catch the Lumo train services at Preston Railway Station. The exclusive service will launch on Lumo's newest route, connecting passengers travelling on selected direct Lumo train services between London Euston and Stirling in both directions across the Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday, August 29 to Monday, August 31. The initiative targets the exact window when travel "hanger" hits hardest, with 40% of passengers experiencing hunger within the first hour of boarding and reaching its peak between 2 and 3 hours into a long journey. Lumo train bosses said to combat this mid-trip slump, Trainline ambassadors will be delivering fresh, piping-hot Domino's pizzas to passengers in their seats when the trains make their scheduled stops at Preston station, roughly mid-journey between Stirling and London. Passengers can order a pizza in advance of their trip, as long as they are on the train when it travels through Preston. Natalie Marques, Head of Creative Innovation at Trainline said: "At Trainline, we want every journey to feel on the passenger's terms, including looking forward to what they're going to eat onboard. "Food shapes how people enjoy travel, so we're making this busy bank holiday and festival weekend even better by ensuring passengers can satisfy their pizza cravings en route. When travelling with friends and family, no transport makes sharing a pizza easier than a train." Bookings for the Trainline Train Thru are open from today on a first-come, first-served basis. Train travellers can choose between Domino's Original Cheese and Tomato, Peperoni Passion, Vegi Supreme and Plant-Based Margheri-tastic, with booking open until midnight the day before each journey. Ryan Kenton, PR Manager & Special Deliveries Expert at Domino's said: "Over the years we've heard the stories of train travellers trying to time a cheeky pizza delivery with a station platform visit. Domino's is known for super speedy delivery, so we're delighted to partner with Trainline to make those Train Thru dreams come true. Now, passengers can get a piping hot pizza pick-me-up delivered right to their seats, just as those mid-journey hunger pangs start to bite." Pizzas will be delivered when the train stops at Preston. Customers do not need to travel the full route but must pass through Preston on their journey to receive their pizza. To view which trains this service is available on, or book your pizza, visit here.