Via the Govia joint venture, it bid for additional rail franchises in Britain, securing the Thameslink and later the Southeastern and London Midland operations.

During mid 2000, the French state-owned enterprise Caisse des Dépts-Développement (C3D) attempted a hostile takeover of Go-Ahead, which was successfully opposed by its management team.

During the early 2010s, Go-Ahead acquired numerous other British transport companies, including Thames Travel, Carousel Buses, Hedingham, Anglian Bus, and HC Chambers & Son.

During late 2015, it was contracted to operate bus and rail services in Germany and Singapore; in subsequent years, Go-Ahead also expanded into Ireland and Norway.

On 28 September 2021, Britain's Department for Transport terminated Go-Ahead's Southeastern franchise after the discovery of financial misconduct.

During August 2022, a consortium of Australia's Kinetic Group (51%) and Spain's Globalvia (49%) took over Go-Ahead, having valued the company at £669 million.

During January 2023, it was announced that Go-Ahead was expanding into the Australian market via the U-Go Mobility joint venture with the engineering company UGL.

[3] Early expansion of the company involved the acquisition of several smaller competing bus operators in North East England, such as Gypsy Queen in 1989 and Low Fell Coaches in June 1992.

[19] In September 2010, Meteor Parking was sold to Vinci SA, bringing Go-Ahead's involvement in the aviation support industry to a close.

[20] In October 1996, Go-Ahead entered the UK rail market when it commenced operating the Thames Trains franchise, which it ran until March 2004.

[21] Also in 1996, Go-Ahead entered into the Govia joint venture with French company VIA-GTI (which later became Keolis), in order to bid for more UK rail franchises.

[24][25] During July 2000, French government owned Caisse des Dépts-Développement (C3D) submitted a bid to purchase Go-Ahead; this offer, which was valued at £326 million, was promptly rejected by the company.

A hostile takeover bid was issued by C3D one month later; it was declared to be "unwelcome" by Go-Ahead chairman Sir Frederick Holliday.

[26] Go-Ahead pledged to fight for its independence and promoted its expansion plans to shareholders to persuade them to back the existing management team.

[37] In February 2008, Go-Ahead sold Go West Midlands to Rotala's Central Connect, two years after purchasing the company.

[41] In March 2012, the Department for Transport announced that Go-Ahead, along with Abellio, FirstGroup, MTR, and Stagecoach, had been shortlisted for the newly created Thameslink, Southern & Great Northern franchise.

[57][58][59][60] During October 2018, Go-Ahead won a tender to run the Oslo south package, consisting of three routes previously operated by NSB.

[61] In February 2019, Go-Ahead announced it would buy First Greater Manchester's Cheetham Hill depot with 163 buses and brand it Go North West.

[67] On 9 December 2021, the company announced that its auditors needed more time to consider the implications of the misconduct and potential fines from the Department for Transport (DfT).

[70] On 13 June 2022, a consortium of Australia's Kinetic Group (51%) and Spain's Globalvia (49%) launched a takeover bid of Go-Ahead, initially valuing the company at £647 million.

[79] The company has also invested £30 million on establishing a liquid hydrogen refuelling station, the first such facility serving buses in Europe.

[80] On 12 October 2023, the company entered into an agreement to sell Go-Ahead Germany to ÖBB; the sales process was completed on 1 February 2024, after approvals have been obtained from various international authorities under competition law.

The contract will be worth approximately SEK 40 billion over its 11 year period and will commence in May 2025, taking over from the present operator, MTR.