Avanti West Coast Reviews 

Another awful journey……
Was booked on 1830 Euston to Glasgow on Thurs 6/8. Departure board at station showed train running and we left only a few minutes late. Train Mgr informed us there would be an additional stop at Crewe and approx 30 mins later it was announced train would be terminating at Preston. Mgr was good at giving people platform numbers for connections and later said those of us travelling north of Preston should connect with another Avanti train there which would call additionally at Lockerbie and Motherwell, as our train should have done. We arrived about 30 mins late into Preston, the platform number we were given was subsequently changed (an almost inaudible station announcement) and that train arrived behind schedule and turned out to be the 1930 from Euston to Glasgow. We spent an hour at Preston and fortunately “the jumper” at Lancaster didn’t appear to delay us further despite being told otherwise. Train Mgr on second train made no announcements about the promised stops at Lockerbie and Motherwell so I went to speak to her. She waved a piece of paper at me (her authority to stop the train at Motherwell) but said she had none to stop the train at Lockerbie and I should get off at Carlisle. Very annoying after previously being told it would stop at Lockerbie but I have long since learned that Avanti make no arrangements for passengers travelling to/from this station!! It would have been helpful to make announcement to this effect for the benefit of others but none was forthcoming and I am left wondering how many got up in the expectation of the train stopping at Lockerbie. To be fair taxis were arranged from Carlisle on this occasion to take us to Lockerbie and I arrived home at 1245am so only in excess of 2 hrs late. I have yet to hear from Avanti about the full refund due under the supposed automatic Delay Repay I’m signed up for. I received an email timed 20 mins into departure from Euston telling me the train would terminate at Preston and I could catch the service before or after. How very helpful when I’m already on the terminating train!! I know there were problems outwith Avanti’s control last Thurs but they continually run late running services, cancel numerous trains - often due to staff shortage, have toilets out of action, no catering on board, and non working power points and wifi. On my last journey from London the aircon was badly leaking water from the roof which poured onto the aisle, the table and the seat next to me, fortunately unoccupied, was soaked! Why the Govt has still not terminated Avanti’s contract long ago beggars belief and it’s no wonder people choose to drive/fly in preference to using this abysmal and overpriced company. If you want to guarantee getting somewhere for an appointment I’ve learned to travel a day early to ensure I make it!

Trying for the third day to alter my train ticket on the App and once again due to technical difficulties, the website is down, it’s ridiculous. Why on earth were this company given the west coast franchise from Virgin. Avanti have so many problems, high ticket prices, problems with onboard shop as in closed due to staff shortages, card machine not working, cash only.

Coventry train station -
The black bald man in the avanti uniform spoke to me with a lot of rudeness and aggression. He told me to just get on the train even though I had an avanti ticket for the next train which was delayed. I simply asked him which avanti train was cancelled because I had heard there was a cancelled train for avanti but wasn’t sure which one and wanted to clarify. I commute for work so I book early trains so I’m not late.

I work alongside people all day so i understand having to answer a lot of questions but i asked him politely as i know how avanti are if you get on a different train with an avanti ticket.
After seeing the 1 star reviews from everyone it makes sense why. Poor service, horrible people.

As ever on the trip between Runcorn and Euston on the 7 coach train the seat reservations are not working. So the train fills at Liverpool Lime Street and after talking to the guard he advises me to go to the unreserved carriage. This is on the 8th August on the 10.02 joining from Runcorn. They need to get this sorted out. I am a senior citizen and need the seat I have chosen for a reason. Total lack of customer service. The sooner they are replaced the better!

Their garbage company is only beaten by their absolute Woke advert - which is ludicrously pitiful!

Took the money from my credit card but no e tickets and had to book again with another operator.
Awful.
Don't use them.

Train outside Warrington, over an hour delayed. Something wrong with train in front, and one in front of that. They have no idea when we’ll be moving.

I reckon out of the last 22 journeys over a few years, only 3 have been within 5 mins of expected arrival time. Usually at least 20 mins late, and includes 3 outright cancellations. These are long distance, Penrith to London.

Dreadful service. Recently in Japan. Similar population density. Lots of train journeys, 1 train 1 minute late.

We should sack all our execs and hire 50 Japanese execs.

I dread train travel with this company. Just so random.

On 26th July 12.00 Plymouth to Birmingham
1st class a joke after paying £152 for 1st class no food just 1 tea 1 coffee over 3.5 hrs
When asked I was told shortage of staff and the same on return journey but worse people standing I 1st class.. DON'T BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY trying to get a refund is a joke....

Absolutely shocking. Late leaving Euston and it took 45 minutes to get from Coventry to New Street! I travelled 1000k on European trains yesterday and this was the most painful part of the journey. Sit back guys and watch the European's flawless ability to use rail. Avanti is hideously expensive for the 'privilege ' to travel with them. Utter embarrassment to our infrastructure.

You cannot rely on and is minimal chance to get you to your destination even near the time you planned to get there. I had the unfortunate situation to try to be a regular traveller on the Chester - London Euston Route. Over several months, only two trains roughly on time, about a third more than an hour late, and a third just cancelled. With shared blame between the rail network and Avanti - cabling, signalling, fires by the line, too many trains in maintenance, not enough staff to run the train... On the plus side, when it actually runs, the trains are not bad, the staff are polite and pleasant, and the drivers are amusingly diligent on keeping you posted on how late they are running and reminding you to apply for the delay refunds. I've now given up taking the train and drive - takes a bit longer than if the train would run on time, but less stress and you know you will get there, and surprisingly the cost for a single person in a car works out cheaper than the train ticket price most of the time.

Completely useless website - an hour building journeys for two people - try to pay and the website cannot process a credit card passcode - the solution apparently use trainline! I though the government was going to revoke their license - they are not fit to do business in the UK - get on with it and revoke their license please. How can they get business when there is no way to pay?

My train from London Euston to Liverpool Lime St was delayed, so we were offered to go to another platform and catch another train departing earlier. I had left my phone on the original train (only realising when I got to the second train). Gemma who works for Avanti contacted the train and my phone was kindly handed in and I was able to collect it of Jimmy in Liverpool when the train arrived, thank you everyone involved

Travel up to Milton Keynes from Ldn Euston for a festival and the train returning stopped running. The avanti west coast team was so kind enough to stopped on his way into London and picked up a few of us and bring back to london. I really appreciated this as the next train was at 4am. Well don to the team and train driver for that very kind gesture.

I travelled with Avanti West Coast from Glasgow to Liverpool on 23 July 2026 on the 20:06 service. Unfortunately, my train was cancelled.
Passengers were transferred onto a replacement bus to Carlisle, which took around two hours. From Carlisle, we had to change to another replacement bus to Preston. We then waited about 30 minutes before the second bus departed, and that journey took another two hours.
Before leaving Carlisle, a member of staff told us that passengers travelling to Liverpool or Manchester should get off at Preston, where staff would be available to help us continue our journey. However, when we arrived at Preston in the middle of the night, the station was closed and there were no staff available to assist us.
There were four of us left stranded with no information, no support, and no onward transport. In the end, I had no choice but to pay for a private taxi to Liverpool.
I finally arrived home at 2:30 a.m. What should have been a straightforward train journey turned into a 6½-hour nightmare involving two replacement buses and an expensive taxi ride.
Avanti West Coast's customer service was simply not good enough. Passengers should never be left stranded late at night without assistance or clear information.
I am extremely disappointed with how this situation was handled and expected a much higher standard of care.

I was with my husband yesterday at the Manchester Picadilly Station where we needed to buy several rail tickets. We worked with Vickie at the ticket desk and she was exceptional in every way! We come from the States and want to bring her back to work in our small business! BRAVO VICKI AND AVANTI

Seats too hard and too high. Seat backs too high. Tables too high to work at. Windows also high. ‘Ergonomic seats’? For whom? For a shorter person they have the vibe of a vertical coffin.

I have a number of continual issue with this company and these are that they don’t issue a receipt when you book online. They come out with some garbage that you can use a screenshot of the itinerary and this will suffice. In a fully digital age how completely lame is that??? It’s pure complacency in my opinion.
I also find that the aircon on their trains constantly fails in hot weather, which is kind of when you really need it. This surly must be down to chronic maintenance???
I constantly have to use the delay repay portal, which takes some time to get your head around. On the whole I guess the majority of delays are caused by issues on the network so there’s not a lot that can be done there. Having a receipt would be helpful though when making a claim.
No doubt no one from Google will bother to respond to this review. Be assured I won’t be buying a Google product again.

Was sat on the floor with my pup by one of the train doors and a lovely staff member came up to me and let me know there was seats available.. I let him know I get anxious walking past people on the train and he helped me and said puppy get to a seat while also putting my suitcase away for me to give me a hand! Helped me by taking my suitcase off the train while I carried my nervous pup off the train!
Also gave my pup fusses each time he walked past me and he loved the guy!
I didn’t get his name but he was on the Crewe to Milton Keynes train leaving 15:23 on Thursday 30th July 2026!
Absolutely lovely bloke and so pleased with the experience he gave me!

I am currently on a train from Wilmslow to Euston. The WiFi is intermittent, the phone chargers in the seats don’t work, there is no coffee as the machine is broken, the bag of crisps was in pieces when opened, the sandwich selection is poor and don’t buy the biscuits- there disgusting. The food was very expensive for such awful quality. One positive it may be on time. All last 3 journeys have been delayed!

Eye-watering ticket prices for a dirty, smelly overcrowded train. I suppose I got lucky that the train I was booked on wasn’t cancelled. (The ones before and after were.) I booked an off peak return that said I could come back on any off peak train on the same return date. I checked this on Avanti’s own website and took a screenshot as I’ve never used them before. Just as well I did because after I boarded the train a threatening message from the ticket inspector came on telling us to get off the train if we didn’t have the right ticket. Given how opaque your ticket terms and conditions are, I’m not surprised this happens. Horrible company. Hope I never have to use them again.