Avanti West Coast reminds customers to check before travelling this Christmas
Avanti West Coast advises customers making journeys this Christmas to check before they travel.
- Customers advised to plan journeys and check before they travel this Christmas and New Year
- Services to finish earlier on Christmas Eve and start later on 27 December
- Amended timetable in place while major upgrade work by Network Rail carried out
Avanti West Coast is reminding customers to check before they travel this Christmas and New Year when services will be affected by planned upgrade work.
Between Christmas Day and 14 January inclusive, Network Rail will be carrying out major upgrade work on sections of the West Coast Main Line*. As a result, Avanti West Coast will be operating an amended timetable between 27 December and 14 January.
There will be major changes to journeys to and from London Euston from 27 December to 4 January, as well as between Scotland the North West from 1 to 14 January. This could involve changes or a rail replacement bus service.
Customers making journeys during this time are strongly advised to plan ahead and check before they travel.
In addition, Avanti West Coast services will finish earlier on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and start later on 27 December and New Year’s Day.**
Chris Liptrot, Operations Director at Avanti West Coast, said: “Over the festive period, we’ll be operating an amended timetable, and some journeys will involve a change or rail replacement service due to planned engineering work by Network Rail. If you’re making a journey over Christmas and into the New Year, we strongly advise you plan ahead, as well as check before you travel for the latest updates.”
To give customers access to even better value fares and greater flexibility with their journeys over the festive period, the train operator has removed peak restrictions from Friday 19 December up to and including Sunday 4 January.
With Christmas being one of the busiest times for the rail network, Avanti West Coast has also partnered with charity, Railway Children to raise awareness of vulnerable young people at stations and onboard trains. It has created a short film, Your Presence Is Presents Enough, with BAFTA breakthrough writer and director, Daisy-May Hudson, to highlight the importance of looking up to spot a runaway child who may need help. Watch here: https://youtu.be/qBFYL-A1IFQ
For more information about travelling with Avanti West Coast over the festive period, visit: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/christmas
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Notes to editors
For more information about Avanti West Coast’s short film, Your Presence Is Presents Enough, visit: https://gloo.to/FWO0
*Due to major upgrade work on the West Coast Main Line:
- Between Saturday 27 December and Sunday 4 January inclusive, and on Sunday 11 January, the West Coast Main Line will be closed between Rugby and Milton Keynes, and as a result Avanti West Coast will operate a reduced timetable.
- From Thursday 1 January until Sunday 14 January inclusive, a bridge will be replaced near Penrith, and as a result journeys between Scotland/Carlisle and the North West will involve changes onto a shuttle service between Wigan North Western/Preston and Carlisle. Journeys from Thursday 1 January until Tuesday 6 January inclusive will also involve an additional change onto a rail replacement bus between Lockerbie and Carlisle.
- From Thursday 1 January until Tuesday 6 January inclusive, engineering work will take place between Carlisle and Lockerbie, and as a result trains will only run to/from Glasgow/Edinburgh and Lockerbie. Rail replacement buses will operate between Lockerbie and Carlisle.
For more information about Network Rail's work near Milton Keynes, visit: Our work at Hanslope Junction explained | Network Rail
For more information about Network Rail's work to replace a bridge near Penrith, visit: Clifton Bridge replacement - Network Rail
**Last trains on Christmas Eve
|
Direction |
From |
To |
Last Train |
|
Northbound |
London Euston |
Birmingham New Street |
20:10 |
|
Glasgow Central |
16:30 |
||
|
Liverpool Lime Street |
18:11 |
||
|
Manchester Piccadilly |
19:31 |
||
|
Southbound |
Birmingham New Street |
London Euston |
19:21 |
|
Glasgow Central |
15:38 |
||
|
Liverpool Lime Street |
18:43 |
||
|
Manchester Piccadilly |
18:14 |
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. Avanti West Coast serves key UK cities, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow as well as North Wales.
We’re on a mission to be the transport of choice – connecting customers and communities along the West Coast. Our award-winning Pendolino refurbishment programme transformed the UK’s hardest working fleet with all 56 of the iconic trains providing best-in-class comfort.
Our Evero fleet, which offers more seats, improved comfort, and a substantial cut to carbon emissions, was introduced in June 2024 and is the result of a £350m investment in sustainable travel. Built by Hitachi, the 23-strong fleet, consisting of 10 seven-carriage electric trains and 13 five-carriage bi-modes, serves routes from London to the Midlands, Chester, North Wales and the North West.
We want to make a positive difference to the people and places we serve – helping to drive economic growth, green travel, and break down barriers. Our efforts to contribute to society and enable people to benefit from the opportunities rail offers through purpose-led initiatives including Feel Good Field Trips and award-winning female driver recruitment campaign has seen us create over £1billion in social value impact.
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