Avanti West Coast introduces new enhanced timetable

• Avanti West Coast adds more seats and services with May timetable change
• Over one million seats available each week across the West Coast Main Line
• New timetable sees greater use of new fleet of Evero trains

Avanti West Coast has added more services across its routes this month as part of its latest timetable change.

Launched yesterday (18 May), the new timetable means the long-distance operator is scheduled to operate an additional 62 services each week – taking it to a new weekly total of 1,957 – an increase of 3.3 percent.

Customers in the West Midlands will benefit from extra services between London and Birmingham, as well as more direct trains to and from Scotland. Liverpool will see a further step up in the timetable, while those living in North Wales will now have the option of an early service that provides a morning arrival into London before 9am.

The extra services, coupled with the greater use of Avanti West Coast’s new £350m fleet of Evero trains, will deliver an additional 28,030 seats each week – bringing the weekly total of available seats to over one million.

Highlights of the train operator’s May timetable include:
• Liverpool – an additional 20 services each week on the route to London, as well as additional calls at Lichfield Trent Valley and Tamworth providing improved connectivity.

• West Midlands – three additional weekday services between Birmingham and London, as well as two extra trains on both Saturday and Sunday.

• Scotland – two existing services from London to Blackpool North* redirected to Glasgow and providing two additional services southbound services from Scotland to the West Midlands.

• Chester and North Wales – two additional midweek services between Holyhead and London. On Saturday two extra trains will operate – one from Holyhead to London, and one from London to Chester. On Sunday an existing service from Holyhead will be extended to London, plus an additional northbound train from London to Chester will operate.

*Blackpool North will be served by a faster, direct service on weekdays departing London Euston (Monday – Friday).

Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re excited to have introduced our new timetable – one that delivers on our commitment to improve connectivity to the regions we serve, with the aim of encouraging more people to travel by train.

“The investment in our fleet has really made an impact. This combined with running more trains and offering over one million seats each week, is key to restoring the confidence of our customers. It comes as we look forward to more enhancements in the second half of 2025 – a year that marks the 200th anniversary of the railway in the UK.”

The new timetable will see greater use of the Evero fleet, with the new trains due to operate around a quarter of all Avanti West Coast services. Built by Hitachi at its factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, the Evero fleet is quieter and roomier than the Voyagers it replaced.

Customer benefits include wireless charging for electrical devices, improved Wi-Fi, more seats than the trains they replaced and greater legroom, larger luggage racks and more real-time customer information screens which are easier to read.

The Evero trains also feature improved wheelchair spaces with contrasting carpet and a large accessibility symbol, improved accessible toilets, as well as Braille and large print labels on seats.

ENDS