Avanti West Coast Reviews 

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.

Exceptional customer support. Ahmed was extremely helpful assisting with a request for amending a seat reservation.

Rubbish. Cafe always closed for some stupid reason. Particularly the staff at cafe is extremely rude. Hate this trains.

Got to your destination if your train not cancelled. Had a open return but my train was cancelled from Rhyl to Euston so I decided to purchase a single the peak train but then realised I didn’t need to but I can’t get refund for my other ticket due to ticket machine swolled it an expensive trip.

I travel to London each week from the north west, and over the last 4 months the trains for 2 of every 3 journeys have either been cancelled or arrived late by over 30mins. Yes you can set your account so you get an automated refund but it feels like a miracle when train leaves & arrives on time - standing ovation for the staff ! Friday I used the free annual first class ticket from being in Club Avanti - but no food or drink served on journey home (and train 30mins late). Last year's free ticket - no hot food on way back and limited cold menu - ie cheese & crackers or cheese & crackers. Prices are obscene and service is absolutely appalling. The one positive is the actual train staff who are usually great

On a train to London Euston now from Glasgow. The smell from the toilet in the carriage where we are sitting is revolting 🤢! Can’t believe this is acceptable in the UK. Expect this kind of experience with this train company…

Always late, coach is overcrowded, it is absolutely pointless to book seat in advance- you can have a seat only if you run fast … use another company..

Going to London
You may expect it's going to be pleasant. How wrong i was.
Dirty seats and windows.
You pre book your seats for nothing. When you come your seats are occupied. Message above
Seats available
No one seems to care.
Trying to resolve problem with someone from Avanti but no one was near by to talk to.
On top of that power socket not working
Trying 3 different ones, no power
I will not use this company ever again
And I will not recommend this to anyone.
Use alternative ways

Travelled back for London Euston on the 12.22 today. Unfortunately due to a fatality near Nuneaton all trains north were either cancelled or delayed. This train managed to depart on time albeit crowded with passengers from previous cancelled trains North. Thanks to an excellent manager (Jack we think) we were kept informed of the reason for overcrowding and possible ongoing delays. He informed us that ours was the first train to be allowed past the scene and hence avoid a diversion via Birmingham. He also apologised for the overcrowding, for which he had no control. Avanti West Coast gets lots of bad press, on this occasion we offer praise. Communication from our train manger was perfect! We arrived 20 minutes late into stafford which was way better than our train being cancelled or rerouted. We do of course offer condolences for the earlier fatality and all those affected by it.

Avanti West Coast closed my case after a serious privacy breach and aggressive behaviour from one of their staff. He rudely tapped a young guy beside me three times to wake him for his ticket, then turned to me and asked “how much do you have?” while looking directly at my bank balance on my phone. I had a valid return ticket to Euston, yet he claimed it was “LNR not Avanti” and pressured me into buying another one. Intrusive, intimidating, and completely unacceptable. Avanti ignored everything and shut my case. I won’t travel with them again.

By far the worst experience of my life, grossly overcharged for what they offer, I will be flying from Glasgow to London next time, quicker and cheaper, such patronizing customer service, avoid like the plaque and save yourself time and money.

Usually drive but was on a course this week, wish I'd have drove. Delayed every day Monday to Friday by a minimum of an hour... never again.

Shocking. Held off writing this as put in a claim for compensation and today been told getting £54 back from £240 tickets. Our scheduled train was cancelled. The next one was completely full, not enough room to get on, loads of people couldnt get on it. Next train, cancelled. There was another train a few minutes after that was the stopping service to London and took 3.5 hours instead of 2 so we got on that. obviously missed our connecting train at other end. eventually got to where we wanted to go 3 hours later then schedule. On way back, train from Euston. no air con on the non booked seats carraiges.. so hot they had to move vunerable people out as some were fainting . hats off to the guard, worked so hard... but a nightmare.. so to get just £54 back, approx 20% as they said we were only delayed an hour is ludicrous.. we could not physically get on the next train and the one after was cancelled.. just ludicrous and I hope they lose their franchise..

Years of them selling disabled seats to any customers ensuring theres no disabled seats, ensuring disabled people are regularly forced to siton the floor. Combining that with dire experiences with passenger assist where they havent even turned up previously and the one who replaced the absent passenger assist from another team( thanks for doing that) was very angry in a way suggested that wasnt the first time someone got stranded!!!