Avanti West Coast issues travel advice for customers making journeys over Christmas
Avanti West Coast advises customers to only travel if absolutely necessary and check their journeys over festive period.
- Customers advised only travel if absolutely necessary on 24 and 27 December
- Reduced operating hours mean services finish earlier on Christmas Eve and start later on 27 December
- Amended timetable in place due to planned upgrade work by Network Rail
Avanti West Coast is strongly urging customers to only travel if absolutely necessary and check their journey during the festive period, as services will be affected by strike action and planned upgrade work.
Due to strike action by members of the RMT union at Network Rail, trains will depart significantly earlier than normal on Christmas Eve and start much later on 27 December.
On Saturday 24 December the last Avanti West Coast service from Glasgow to London will depart at 10:40, and the last departure from London Euston is 13:24 (to Stockport). On Tuesday 27 December, the first departure from London Euston is 12:42 to Milton Keynes.
With reduced operating hours, customers are strongly advised to only travel if absolutely necessary on 24 and 27 December. Those who do travel should check train times.
Customers with tickets dated 24 or 27 December can use them for travel on 23 December or up to and including 29 December.
Planned upgrade work on sections of the West Coast Main Line means Avanti West Coast will operate an amended timetable between 27 December and 2 January – with some journeys involving a change or rail replacement service. Customers making journeys on those dates are strongly advised to plan ahead and check train times, as well as the Avanti West Coast website for the latest travel updates.
On Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28 December and Sunday 1 January, trains to and from the North will start and terminate at Rugby, and trains to and from the South will start and terminate at Milton Keynes. Buses will replace trains between Rugby and Milton Keynes on these days.
Barry Milsom, Executive Director of Operations and Safety at Avanti West Coast, said: “Over the festive period there’ll be changes to our services due to planned improvement work, as well as strike action by RMT members at Network Rail. As a result, our last trains will depart earlier on Christmas Eve and services will start later on 27 December, so the advice to customers is only travel if absolutely necessary on those days.
“In addition, we’ll be operating an amended timetable and some journeys will involve a change or rail replacement service. We’re urging our customers to plan ahead and check before they travel if making a journey on our West Coast route between 24 December and 2 January.”
To enable its customers to travel more flexibly over Christmas the intercity operator has removed all peak restrictions from 23 December until 7 January.
ENDS
Contact Information
Notes to editors
First and last trains on Christmas Eve
|
Direction |
From |
To |
First Train |
Last Train |
|
Northbound |
London Euston |
Birmingham New Street |
06:16 |
13:08 |
|
Glasgow Central |
06:03 |
12:22 |
||
|
Liverpool Lime Street |
06:32 |
12:34* |
||
|
Manchester Piccadilly |
06:26 |
12:48** |
||
|
Southbound |
Birmingham New Street |
London Euston |
07:21 |
12:23 |
|
Glasgow Central |
04:26 |
10:40 |
||
|
Liverpool Lime Street |
05:25 |
11:43 |
||
|
Manchester Piccadilly |
05:05 |
12:15 |
*An additional service to Runcorn will depart at 13:19
**An additional service to Stockport will depart at 13:24
Please note, with no West Midlands Railway (WMR) services running on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 December due to industrial action, Avanti West Coast trains are expected to be very busy on these days.
For more information about strike action affecting Avanti West Coast, visit: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/strike
For more information about planned upgrade work, visit: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/planned-engineering-works/christmas-engineering-works-2022
Avanti West Coast Christmas travel information: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/christmas-travel-2022
About Avanti West Coast
Avanti West Coast, operator of intercity rail services on the West Coast Main Line, is a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia, delivering a cleaner, greener railway that drives the West Coast forward.
We’re on a mission to revolutionise train travel. Our refurbed Pendolinos are returning to the rails, with a £117m investment that’s delivering best in class comfort. Rebuilt using sustainable materials wherever possible, including tables made from recycled plastic bottles, our upgraded fleet offers 25,000 brand new seats, free Wi-Fi, onboard recycling and much more.
New Hitachi trains are set to replace our Voyager trains from 2023, leading to a 61% cut in carbon emissions. Quieter and roomier, with more reliable Wi-Fi, wireless charging for electrical devices and a real-time customer information system, the new 23-strong fleet is the result of a £350m investment in sustainable travel.
We’re tackling climate change wherever we can, from reducing energy and water use to training drivers in eco-driving techniques and sourcing food and drink from local suppliers. Our goal is to be net zero carbon by 2031. We’re on track.
For the latest news, visit the Avanti West Coast Media Centre: https://newsdesk.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Press Office: 0845 000 3333