This train is solely used on daytime departures. It was a hospital visit day, and the comfortable, pleasant train journeys really eased what might have been a very difficult day. Still a bit rubbish up there, hot drinks machine wasn't working, but they had hot water flasks out. Using a railcard may also help to get further discounts when . You must have booked direct with us via our website or app. We make it as easy as possible to find your train seat on your Avanti West Coast journey, so you can quickly find your seat, before sitting back to enjoy the journey in comfort and style. There is also an on-board caf from which you can order hot food and a more extensive range of food/drink items. the guard walking through. Your bike will have to travel with you on the specific departure that you're booked on to, but you won't be able to exchange your travel tickets to a different departure if you subsequently discover that no bike spaces are available on that train. One poor mum was sat in the toilet with her daughter on her knee. The power sockets on this train are compatible with the standard 3-point plugs as typically used in the UK. Personally I've always found them more trouble than they are worth. 100% of travelers recommend this experience. Avanti West Coast has followed the long-established airline practice of allowing customers to select their choice of seat when booking their journeys. The Weekend menu is similar to whats available from the Standard Class catering trolley, but with the key difference being that what you are offered in First Class will be complimentary. On arrival at one of the stations the train will call at, often Chester or Wolverhampton, the train at the front can leave the other behind, in order to travel on to more distant and therefore less popular destinations. According to the time of day of travel, passengers will be able to choose from a menu of catering options, which will then be served at their seats. Where is the quiet coach? There is no First Class quieter coach, though generally, they are quieter than Standard. The 'Rest Of The Day menu is then available for lunch and for evening meals, but between these offerings an 'afternoon tea' will also be available. Were striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements. During November 2016, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced the InterCity West Coast franchise would be replaced by the West Coast Partnership (WCP). A catering trolley with hot and cold drinks and snacks should be taken through the train at some point during its journey. [16][17] During December 2019, it was announced that the CMA had approved the franchise's award; concerns that limited competition on some routes could lead to higher fares and less availability of cheaper tickets were offset by the agreement of price caps to be present in some regions. Rail pass users can either opt to board without reservations, or arrange reservations prior to boarding, either at an Advance Travel desk in a station at least an before departure, or by contacting Avanti's social media channels. You dont have to occupy the seat(s) you will assigned when booking online, so if for any reason you want to travel in a different seat, you can do so. London Euston <> Shrewsbury via Birmingham and Telford. That means you dont need to book a ticket for them - but it also means that they wont have a seat reservation. Except with written permission from an Operator no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person: (i) sing; or (ii) use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound, it should be absolute that playing any sound from an electronic device such that it is audible by others for the purposes of entertainment is an offence. Rail pass users can either opt to board without reservations, or arrange reservations prior to boarding, either at an Advance Travel desk in a station at last an hour before departure, or by contacting Avanti's social media channels. If you wont be making a short-distance journey* complimentary food and drink is served to first class passengers at their seats. In August 2019, the DfT awarded the WCP franchise to the First Trenitalia consortium. Service stinks. Or if you want to subsequently book a bike reservation after you have booked your travel ticket, you can do so by calling 0345 528 0253. Avanti West Coast provide the principal long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland. An email in the early hours of our day of return travel informed me that our booked train was now cancelled with no further advice than to check online for the next available train. On trains heading south it is usually located to the rear, so will be the closest coach to the ticket gates when boarding in Glasgow, Liverpool or Manchester. Tips and insights for how to travel by train in beautiful Scotland which will tell you all you need All you need to know about making European rail journeys, The current major long term works on the lines, Changes To Trains Between France and Spain, the access to the the First Class lounges at stations, London Euston <> Manchester via Stoke or Crewe, London Euston <> Glasgow via Preston and Carlisle, London Euston <> Birmingham via Coventry (Avanti Super Voyager trains are used on some services which travel beyond Birmingham. Coach A is the 'Quiet Coach' on an Avanti Pendolino train, passengers travelling within it are requested not to make or receive calls during the journey - and to use headphones when accessing audio or video. The departure time and not the length of journey will dictate what you will be provided with, because the menu is usually served between 30 mins and an hour after departure. Dedicated spaces for wheelchairs are available on this train. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Alternatively, enjoy a little more luxury with Standard Premium, offering roomier seats and a guaranteed table. Once you have chosen your new seat please be aware you will receive a new Eticket and the previous ticket will no longer be valid. The Weekend menu is similar to whats available from the Standard Class catering trolley, but with the key difference being that what you are offered in First Class will be complimentary. During November 2016, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced the InterCity West Coast franchise would be replaced by the West Coast Partnership (WCP). Standard Premium will give customers greater choice and is available on all the West Coast Main Line operator's Pendolino services. If you wont be making a short-distance journey* complimentary food and drink is served to first class passengers at their seats *this service is always available when traveling to/from London. As of December 2022, Avanti West Coast intercity routes are shown below: Avanti West Coast commenced operations having inherited the existing Super Voyager and Pendolino fleets from Virgin Trains. This train has a bar car with a counter at which hot food can be ordered along with snacks, sandwiches, salads and hot/cold drinks. [34] During September 2022, the CEO of Avanti West Coast resigned amid the timetable controversy. [23] During 2022, Avanti West Coast begun ramping up service levels again, and issued public promises to restore full service to areas such as North Wales and Chester. I'm all for keeping a quiet coach, last thing I want is to end up in a coach filled with screaming kids for example. Avanti West Coast has taken over from Virgin as the operator of these trains and as a result all of these trains will be refurbished internally in a program of works, which will last until 2024. We originally booked our trip from London to Carlisle for February, but because of the storms the train was cancelled, so we transferred our booking to April. [14][15] The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a merger inquiry into the award of the franchise following a referral from the European Commission. [43][44] These trains are to be divided into thirteen Class 805 bi-mode multiple units and ten Class 807 electric multiple units. We all have our favourite seats on the train, whether thats a table with a plug socket to allow you to get on with work, or a seat in the quiet coach so you can sit back and relax. I returned first class, the train was cancelled but the messaging was the train was not stopping at Blackpool which was strange as the service starts there. Can't grumble really. A bike reservation facility is built into the booking path on the Avanti West Coast website - and it shows how many bike spaces are still available on each departure. Travels with Avanti Tuesday 5th July 2022 I'm still trying to get the hang of Avanti West Coast's Standard Premium class. Power sockets are available at all Window seats in First and Standard Premium Class, but only at a limited number of seats in Standard Class. When you enter the coach/carriage check to see what other seats are free - the seat availability info can be checked on the electronic strip above the windows. Theres no need to wait in queues to buy or print tickets - simply show your app and hop on the train! Got a bike with you? We then tried to change the seat bookings, which should be possible online, but wasnt, and having held on the phone for two hours we eventually discovered that rather than being seated side by side we were sat one behind the other on the outward journey. Up to two dogs can travel for free with an individual, or group of travellers. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Picking a seat means you get to sit exactly where you want on the train - perfect if youre going on a long journey. These items can then be consumed in the bar car or taken back to your seats. Free WiFi and onboard entertainment. This weekend menu is also available when Mondays and Fridays are national holidays, with the exception that a limited version of the Brunch Menu will also be available. Weve also included features that can be found at each seat, so you can choose a seat thats close to the toilet or one with a plug socket to suit your needs. Coach C in Standard Class is usually set aside for travellers who havent made reservations. The service can be excellent value for money, although what youll receive depends on the day of the week - and on Mon-Friday, it also matters at which time youll be travelling. *= Advance tickets can only be used on the departure selected when booking, but the departure info is on the reservation, so it shows the conductor that you are in fact traveling by the departure you selected. You can then select alternative available places on the seating plan. Change your journey Bring back Virgin whose service was much better. They also run services on train lines from Birmingham to Edinburgh and Glasgow. Contactless travelling - Travel safely with our contactless travel options. Dont just check the coach/carriage numbers by the doors, also check the seat number info thats on the outside of the train. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Select the train you wish to amend seats on. Though before doing so it's worth looking up the departure you will be travelling by, to check whether bike spaces are available What is a problem are people playing music or videos without (or with ineffective) headphones - but that should be banned on the whole train, not just part of it. You can use these plans to check which seats have a limited view, because not all seats in First or Standard class line up with the windows - or to check which seats do have power sockets. Plan your train journey and book train tickets for any train line in Britain. . We got to the train station early to speak to an Avanti team member who just confirmed the same as I'd seen online but that my tickets would be made valid due to their cancellation. on ShowMeTheJourney, which will [20][21] To help tackle the threat, new hygiene practices were introduced onboard Avanti services. When trains I had booked ran,they ran on time to the absolute minute. A FirstGroup and Trenitalia company. [9] During April 2019, it was announced that the incumbent Stagecoach-led bid had been disqualified after it had proposed significant changes to the commercial terms, specially in regards to staff pensions. Which they might not be. Read our FAQs. Help keep us advertising and paywall free! I then complained to Avanti waited a month for a response which was one where they had no interest whatsoever. Power sockets and USB sockets at seats. Its quick and easy to make a seat reservation when you book your ticket on the app or website, and you can even choose your seating preferences to ensure you secure your favourite spot on the train. The trains are dirty and smelly and Avanti has no shame to charge more than Virgin for train tickets. 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This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Were striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements. Then quiet could be normal. Originally, the franchise was initially scheduled to run until March 2030, and had also been set to operate the initial High Speed 2 services from 2026. A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train. . In the lounges complimentary drinks and snacks will be available. Complimentary Wi-Fi access is available throughout the train. always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney. We run your West Coast Main Line. Improve this listing All photos (63) Top ways to experience nearby attractions 2022 The Manchester City Stadium Tour 1,517 Sometimes we may not be able to reserve a seat for you, for example, for short journeys or for train journeys that are booked more than 12 weeks in advance. Its easy to make a train seat reservation with Avanti West Coast. These Super Voyager trains are used on these four routes: They can also be used on other Avanti West Coast routes at weekends, when the services are having to be diverted from the usual route, due to works on the railway line. All the Class 221 Super Voyager units will be replaced by 23 new trains from the Hitachi A-train family with maintenance taking place at Alstom's Oxley TRSMD depot in Wolverhampton. For Anytime and Off-Peak tickets, youll be given the option to reserve a ticket. Interested in becoming a train driver? This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Please see below for opening hours. Type in your search or select an option to browse. So if for any reason you want to travel in a different seat, you can do so. London Euston <> Holyhead via Chester, Llandudno Junction and Bangor. Luckily, we found two seats together in the quiet coach, but this was an unpleasant start . Like by-laws banning all annoying or excessive noise to be made on trains, including party-making, or broadcasting large volume from devices on trains? At a Glance Travel Pass Supplement Rail Pass Reservation Fees Reservations Available Time of Day Day Catering Food services available Bistro (bar food and take away meals) If you dont have heavy luggage, after departure it can be worth having a walk through the train, to see what seats are available in other coaches. Avanti West Coast's First Class service offers power sockets at every window seat as well as free wifi. Take advantage of these features and many more when you download the apptoday. The principal change of the WCP was the inclusion of the High Speed 2 (HS2) services, then envisioned to start around 2026. The Weekend is similar to whats available from the Standard Class catering trolley, but with the key difference being that what you are offered in First Class will be complimentary. On early morning Mon-Friday departures breakfast is available, but later in the mornings the 'Rest Of The Day' menu becomes available along with a selection of sandwiches and snacks. Its services connect six of the largest cities in the UK: London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, which have a combined metropolitan population of over 18 million. You can simply board the train and find an available seat, but these may be in short supply during peak times. You must have selected for your ticket to be delivered as an Eticket (not printed at the station). Despite requesting forward facing seats our revised booking gave us rear facing seats which for the length of journey would be a problem for my partner. This weekend menu is also available when Mondays and Fridays are national holidays, with the exception that a limited version of the Brunch Menu will also be available. La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Costa Mesa / Newport Beach. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. When using the Avanti West Coast ticket booking system you can choose a type of seat preference, window or aisle etc, but two screens later, after you have chosen a delivery option, you will see a screen which shows the allocated seat numbers and also has a 'seat picker' button. The "annoyance" bit is a higher bar and effectively requires a passenger to complain and state their annoyance, which could result in them receiving abuse once the member of staff went away and thus being reluctant to complain even though they are annoyed. UK Railway Discussion Avanti planning to scrap the quiet carriage? 96% of travelers recommend this experience. You can also make changes to your tickets, keep track of whether your trains on time, and travel contactless using your app to show your tickets. After 2 hours stuck at Preston we were advised to get on a special service that would go as far as Carlisle but not up to Glasgow, amazingly got back on the same train that had sat there for 2 hours, must have realised that the train could get to Carlisle and Incident was in Scotland. Delay Repay Your ticket reservation will outline your carriage and seat number. Advance tickets offer discounts of up to 80% for bookings made well in advance. Avanti West Coast tickets are open for bookings 90 days in advance. JavaScript is disabled. ). Want to know how to book train seats online? Download our train seat booking app to choose your seat - with the added bonus of simply showing your ticket on the app to board the train with ease, rather than printing off physical tickets. You dont need to pre-book an Avanti seat for your journey, but pre-booking your seat on the train takes away any stress, leaving you to sit back, relax and enjoy the journey. Avanti West Coast is a train operating company in the United Kingdom owned by FirstGroup (70%) and Trenitalia (30%) that operates the West Coast Partnership franchise. more, Birmingham City Centre Daily Walking Tour, Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Birmingham with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems, National Motorcycle Museum Admission Ticket, Birmingham Slogging Gangs Walking Tour with Edward Shelby, Oxford Harry Potter Insights - PUBLIC tour entry to Divinity School (90 minutes), Traditional Afternoon Tea Experience and Baking Class in Stratford-upon-Avon, Tour of the Cotswolds from Stratford-upon-Avon, MANCHESTER: Lake District Adventure - Sightseeing Day Trip Tour, Oxford University Walking Tour With University Alumni Guide, Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Oxford with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems, Riva Blu Italian Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, Birmingham. All coaches will have two doors, one at each end, and the other door may be nearer to your seat. Your bike will have to travel with you on the specific departure that you're booked on to, but you won't be able to exchange your travel tickets to a different departure if you subsequently discover that no bike spaces are available on that train. Refund your ticket Customer service is very poor as well. Apparently Issue was known about from early morning but nobody was Informed of disruptions when leaving London so all appeared to be on time. Book direct with the FREE Avanti West Coast App for no booking fees and unbeatable prices. Seat reservations are available, but not mandatory when travelling on Avanti Pendolino services: When booking tickets, including any journey using Advance tickets, reservations will also be issued which show specific coach and seat numbers. Avanti Pendolino trains have both wheelchair spaces and seats with additional leg-room, the Assisted Travel page on the Avanti West Coast website includes the booking information. Your tickets are still valid without a reservation and you can sit in any free seat in First or Standard class, depending on your ticket type. I booked a return trip from Warrington to Euston. After asking someone in the queue, we found out this was to enter platform 1 and 2. Use our handy guides to find the right seat and the right platform zone numbers to help you catch your Avanti West Coast train as easily and quickly as possible. The switch over between these two menus seems to occur between 08:30 and 09:00. Customer service - nil points.Can't wait to get back down south. Take a look at the Avanti seating plan to understand what seats work best for your needs before you book. Whats more, you can download mobile tickets directly onto your phone, so you dont need to print or carry paper tickets. You are using an out of date browser. Contacted Avanti very late at night to make sure my tickets were still valid and got a pleasant reply straight away at 1am!! Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Our Seat Picker allows you to ensure you get your train seat preference for your journey. Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around Birmingham. I wonder if disturbance on trains is a bit. Want to have a different view, need to be nearer a plug socket, want to be closer to the shop? 1515 South Coast Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626-1529 US. Youre in the right place. WestCoastMain 23 Nov 2021 Not open for further replies. Opening hours of the Customer Resolutions Centre. Here at Avanti West Coast, we offer free train travel for little ones under the age of five. Please keep in mind this is a guide and sometimes our trains may have to stop in different locations which will affect where to board. All rights reserved. On the departure screens at Birmingham New Street and Euston at the foot of the information for each train (below its list of calling points), you should be able to see something which resembles a table/chart. First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Limited 2021. These items can then be consumed in the bar car or taken back to your seats. The actual journey was very comfortable and the staff in first class were very friendly and the food options and quality very good especially the breakfast on our return journey. on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. [32] However, this allegation was disputed by Aslef,[33] which accused the company of lying and blamed their lack of recruitment, especially of train drivers, for the problems. A maneira mais rpida de carro, que leva 3 horas. According to the time of day of travel, passengers will be able to choose from a menu of catering options, which will then be served at their seats. However we found when boarding trains there was multiple unreserved seats to choose from in carriages much quieter then what we had booked. You can check whether you already have a reservation by taking a look at your ticket, confirmation email, or by giving us a call. The issue with these trains is there is just not much space at all for suitcases so people start storing them by the chairs which makes it hard to walk through. I once asked East Coast as it was then about why the guard did nothing when there was disturbance in the quiet coach, and the customer service respond was that there was nothing in the conditions of carriage that would allow the guard to intervene in such circumstances - it was merely a company advisory scheme. I took a return journey from Euston to Blackpool in January and I could not believe how poor the service was. You can take advantage of the Grand Central First Class Lounge on Avanti West Coast trains if you have First Class tickets. This queue had absolutely 0 signage, and so we had no clue what it was there for. Worth knowing is that for your travel ticket to be valid, you dont have to occupy the seat(s) you will be assigned* when booking online. The switch over between these two menus seems to occur between 08:30 and 09:00. 24 May 2021. Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as theres a lot of ideas which we want to make happen. This is one of more than Avanti West Coast has become the first UK train operating company to offer an additional class of travel as part of its services.