Avanti West Coast First Class Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ย. 2024
- Let's try out Avanti West Coast first class: the successor to Virgin Trains.
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Date of Travel: 6th March 2020
Class of Travel: First Class
Cost of ticket: £39.45 (£22.45 for a standard class ticket and £17 for an upgrade)
Origin: Glasgow Central, Scotland, United Kingdom
Destination: London Euston, England,
United Kingdom
Rolling Stock: Class 390 Pendolino built by Alstom
Other info:
Link to new livery: www.railadvent...
©️ Dylan's Travel Reports 2020
PLEASE READ:
I just want to take a moment to update you and clarify my position regarding travel in relation to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Being a UK citizen, I consult the UK Foreign Office for advice on where I am travelling and what I may need to be aware of. At the time of writing, the Foreign Office advises against all non-essential travel abroad. In addition, non-essential travel within the UK is currently not permitted. With this in mind I am currently unable to travel and film content. I am lucky to currently have a large (about 6 months worth) of content already filmed so you can still expect a new video every Friday. I do however want to stress that I travelled in line with the advice of the UK Foreign Office where travelling outwith the UK and in line with UK law when travelling domestically at the time of recording. This advice will likely have changed in the time between recording and publishing. With that, I am hopeful that travel will once again be possible in the near future and I hope to get out and about filming again over the summer.
Lastly, thank you for your continued support through these strange and difficult times. Stay safe!
Kind regards,
Dylan.
Dylan im looking forward to your videos
‘Outwith’ - you must be Scottish! Have recently learnt that is a word of Scottish origin, was getting very confused when Scottish colleagues used it at work.
Hi im going to blackpool in end of august how do you book cheap tickets and upgrades...thanks for your advice and love your videos...thanks
@@sabirdave use thetrainline.com it gives you the best route and cheapest way to get there quickly
I especially like videos with nearly empty cabins.. As when I use trains and its less full there is is an immense feeling of meditative calmness that radiates from the hum of engine and track. Often I wish the journey would never end and feel sad after reaching destination. I wonder if you or others watching your videos feel the same 🤔💆♂️
I know what you mean yes
Avanti West Coast have an awesome service. I love taking their trains from Stoke-on-Trent to London (and vice-versa).
I went from Wolverhampton to Preston
Great report Dylan. Covered everything I’d have wanted to see. Giving me some inspiration for when we can all travel again.
Thanks 😁
That was.. a very wide variety of drinks you had that night 😂
Great video and service from Avanti!
I always try to get my money's worth 😂 Thanks!
I've never heard of seat frog, I've just installed it thank you😊
Hi Dylan, nice video and good edit on your new machine. Seems like the live broadcast was another hit, well done. I can't stop planning trips in my head at the moment .... some day soon (ish) hopefully.
Thanks! Hopefully we'll all be out and about again soon.
Another great trip report Dylan and there are many good features I am surprised you got the tickets so cheap despite usual prices being expensive as its mostly owned by profit loving first group
man I would kill for this kind of setup on Amtrak! Amazing prices too! Another great video.
Thanks!
Goodi2shooz ... doesn’t Amtrak have something similar in the NE corridor (Washington D.C./Philadelphia/New York to Boston). I believe they do but that’s the only route I know of
@@robyoungquist5803 somewhat similar but the Northeast Corridor trains have always been fancier than the rest of the country LOL
As part of my job, I get to travel around quite a lot. In Janurey I had to travel from Essex to Lancaster via euston and if I'm honest. I was impressed with the Avanti service. Train Management were good. Punctional and more then happy to help!. Also my first time on a pendo :).
Hi Dylan I enjoyed the video. I like the reading lamp at your table. Very nice touch. Plus the crew bringing you food and drinks very nice. I can,t wait for your video!!! Take care!!
Thanks! Stay safe!
The mirror in the restroom says 'Hey there, good looking'. What if you're not good looking. Does the mirror crack. Asking for a friend.
Great video! Looks like the train is in pretty good shape for its age.
The service in first class looked pretty good too...
I miss virgin 🥲
Great video. Well done dylan. I really enjoyed the variety of your drinks.. i mean the view. 😄
Thanks! Lol
Great video thanks Dylan 😊
Avanti West Coast First Class looks lovely and very comfortable! Great video!
The entrance that he used when entering central station I’ve never used even since I’ve went to Glasgow by train many times before
Great review haven’t had a ride with Avanti west coast yet will have to give them a try once lockdown is officially over
Thanks!
On some shorter distance journeys you can upgrade to First Class for less than £2. Just letting everyone know about this, as it's absolutely worth it for £2. Get a complimentary hot drink and you've reclaimed the cost already.
iv travelled three times by rail in the last three years i traveled by hull trains to london train terminated at doncaster the train set on fire.the next train ride was grimsby to manchester cross country the train terminated at sheffield, driver illness the third train ride was by avanti it never even left kings cross due to engine trouble on all three occasions i had to make alternative travel with no help from either of the rail companies involved
Sounds soul destroying but are you sure the Avanti train was kings cross. Their services don’t run from kings cross only Euston
It might of been LNER they go kings cross :) xxxx
I really hope they don't ruin these beautiful trains with cheap furntiure when they're refurbished
I just went on this, had a BBQ chicken wrap and I'm eating it rn! Man their food is bussin!
Great review Dylan. The first class upgrade looks well worth it.
Thanks!
There r power sockets on tables only 1 on each side though in standard class
The interior is a little dated now (understandable since they've been in service for a while!) but the First Class is still one of the best on the network. Can't wait for the refurb.
I think the Pendolinos are better than the new Azuma trains
A couple of years ago I took East Coast from York to London, and before, Cross Country from Durham. On my ticket though it said 'Durham to Watford' and because I was a child, I got a 200% refund
Wow!
I went to London a couple of weeks ago and the train was not that empty it was very busy because all the seats where booked
Great video Dylan. I am not a great fan of the Pendolinos, I have traveled 1st class mostly between Euston & New St and the service as you shown is very good and forever trying to fill you up with tea or coffee! But I much prefer the old BR Mark III 1st class, the seats were better, the windows bigger and often full meal service too. The time difference between the BR west coast service and the Pendolino service isn't really much difference. I find 1st class in a Pendolino cramped, the seating is small, plasticky and the windows tiny, more like gun slits! what I would call the "Democratization" of first class similar to the Amtrak Acela service, that's why I much prefer and miss the old BR Mark III first class coaches, there was a real difference, and appropriate full meal service--this is what you paid for. :-)
Yes, I agree that while the service is good, Mk3 coaches are much better than the Pendolinos.
Great video Dylan. WOW very late at London Euston I wasn't expected that to arrive late
Thanks! I didn't expect it to arrive that late neither 😅
Can you journey on Grand Central to Sunderland
I hope to review GC one day.
@@DylansTravelReports Always hated having to take GC trains.
Great video, Dylan. That was a very good price at approx. $ 70.00 CDN for the 5 hour run. I wonder how they make any money if they fully refund every time they're late. We call crisps potatoe chips in Canada too. And although the food looked pretty good, the portions seemed small, what did you think ? Hope you still have a few video trips left, I don't think we will be travelling soon. Stay safe !
Gottal love the Pendolinos
I don't. The seating is cramped and the windows are too small. That's just for starters!
@@KempSimon no.... windows are that small for structural rigidity (safety over aesthetics) and i'm a big guy (over 6ft) there's plenty of space....
the class 390 is a lovely emu
They are capable of 140mph but sadly the UK network is only engineering for 125mph max. On the downside is the notorious smell from the toilets - a well publicised design flaw with them.
Always find something to complain about.... Come up with a better train whilst maintaining safety... Go on ya clever fuck
Great journey I bet. Great value when trains delayed aha
Great review. 👍 So will there be a premium economy type option in Avant’s new configuration? 🤔
Thanks! Yes the new class of travel will slot in between standard and first class.
Great review love watching your videos
Power at the seat is no longer much of an issue for me. Battery life on my iPad and iPhone are now long enough that I do not carry a cord any more.
I personally get through quite a bit of phone battery so I find them useful but I can see how the average person could get by on just one charge with a modern smatphone.
Dylan's Travel Reports For a decade, I chose my seat on a train based upon access to power. Though I no longer do, I am certain that it is information that many still care about, so keep reporting it.
I love the pendolino!!!
Check out the refurbished pendolino
Good useful info as always, thanks. Considering that was pre refurbishment it looked really good. Still surprised they refund entire ticket for delay. After traveling around Europe last few years, I still love some services in EU, not least of which is extra speed, but I have come to appreciate UK trains as in a lot of ways I think the service is better (albeit often too expensive) and trains feel nicer inside - of course I can't wait until we combine above with an extra 100kph north/south service. Only neg of that trip was having to use Euston, easily my least favourite station in UK
Under delay repay you get compensated for anything over 15 minutes late. Up to an hour I think you get a proportion back, over an hour you get 100%. I once travelled from Glasgow and it was a nightmare (not Virgin's fault - a freight train had taken out 2 overhead gantries, and we then got stuck behind another freight train with a stuck brake). Not only did I get the full fare back but on arrival at Euston platform 2 was a sea of taxis waiting to take passengers to their London destinations for free.
Nowt like a free journey. I would take an hour delay and money back any day.
Reminds of someone I knew at uni who had to go from manchester to oxford and only found out a few days before for a job interview so had to pay full price for a peak return ticket. Something daft like £200. They arrived at oxford an hour late and only just made the interview with about 30 seconds to spare! On the way home they were delayed to and got into just over an hour late too, so they got the £200 quid back. He was thrilled he got delayed because 2 hours of his time being lost was worth £200. Unfortunately he didn’t get the job due to ‘lack of experience’. They had his cv so why offer an interview?! Anyway, free ride to oxford and back.
Nice
Virgin weren’t great (understatement) but recently Avanti have been awful, my partner and I frequently travel between Preston and London and I don’t think we’ve had a train leave on time this year. We’ve taken to changing to London Northwestern in Crewe cos it’s cheaper and more reliable.
I hope Avanti is going to redo the inside of the pandilenos as they are needing it.
Another great video Dylan. When are the Avanti trains due to get refurbished.
Stay safe in this time
Thanks! The first refurbished train is due in service by the end of November but bear in mind this timescale was set pre-covid19. Stay safe!
Question is whether service has improved or otherwise since Avanti took over from Virgin?
Col Dal pretty much identical I found.
Wow 25 people liked the video before it even started lol.
This cool
I hope Avanti don't change things from Virgin too much as I've used this line quite a lot and it was generally pretty good service. Is the second meal a new thing as I don't recall that happening when I've travelled Virgin 1st class. Also the standard class seats are no fun if you're 6 feet 2 like me so the 1st class upgrade is nearly always worth it in my experience!
Moito lindo tren mesmo gostei Dylans
That price is Surely advanced with a Railcard. Misleading abit.
5:11 you´re transition 😂😂😂, but it’s a really nice vidéo
also i muss euch brieten mal big lob geben weil ihr seit top machet weiter so
It’s like £108 standard class on trainline
Where you get these cheap prices ?
Amazing make more pendolino vids
Thanks!
I spoke to on board staff a couple of weeks after Avanti took over they said it's no different except the uniforms have changed a bit.
Ik. The service on Virgin was good and Avanti seem to have continued that trend.
Do unmarried people are only allowed to travel via virgin trains??
Standard rail excuses compiled by Reginald I. Perrin [Part 1]
"Eleven minutes late, staff difficulties, Hampton Wick."
"Eleven minutes late, signal failure at Vauxhall."
"Eleven minutes late, staff shortages, Nine Elms."
"Eleven minutes late, derailment of container truck, Raynes Park."
"Eleven minutes late, seasonal manpower shortages, Clapham Junction."
"Eleven minutes late, defective junction box, New Malden."
"Eleven minutes late, overheated axle at Berrylands."
"Eleven minutes late, defective axle at Wandsworth."
"Eleven minutes late, somebody had stolen the lines at Surbiton."
😂
Luckyy you basically got a free journey if they refunded you tho you were late. That's cool
Ik right 😁
With Virgin the delay/repay was always refunded automatically to your account. For other operators (e.g. GWR) you have to actually put in a claim with details of the ticket. But it's a pretty good system.
Same system on Transport for Wales as well
You say the meals where good, I wouldn’t give them house room. How about some good old fashioned English food?
Why are the hot hand air dryers still used? Everybody knows that these dryers are a hatchery for bacteries.
I use my trousers to dry my hand.
Me too lol.
Cos your trousers AREN'T a hatchery for bacteria?
is the meal and drinks included in the ticket
Yes
Done first a few times , mostly breakfast service. Yes, not a fan of most of the seats facing each other
Hopefully the new seats will be much better.
The inside of a pendo seems so be the same as a voyage?...
A bit different imo although similar seats.
@@DylansTravelReports oh I have never on a pendo only a voyager
What’s the avanti train like from Holyhead to London like-kind of the same I assume
Yes but on a Voyager as opposed to a Pendolino.
@@DylansTravelReports I believe that the voyagers are to be replaced in over a year’s time by two different sets of new trains
I been on the Holyhead-London train and looks much different then what I can remember then in this video except the fact it's a voyager
were you travelling before covid 19
Yes.
Glad you were impressed with Avanti, I'm not!How far in advance to you have to book to get that fare? I am Interrailing to Graz and Wien and 9 weeks before the trip, I managed to get reservations for London to Brussels, Brussels to Innsbruck, Innsbruck to Graz, Graz to Wien, Wien to Lindau. Lindau to Muenchen, Muenchen to Brussels and Brussels to London. I asked Avanti for reservations from Wigan to London and return (with Virgin you could do this on their website but Avanti have adopted the policy of Firstgroup so you go to the station or phone them) only to be told I would have to wait until the week before I travel! However, I can book my ticket in advance (not that I need one with Interrail) and make my reservation there and then! The cost of a first class return ticket 9 weeks in advance? £467! No wonder Britis Railways are inferior to our continental friends!
Can't say I'd pay £467! Avanti are know for being quite expensive in 1st class (especially when compared to LNER)
@@DylansTravelReports Neither have I. Has only cost €228 for a Deluxe sleeper for 2 on the Nightjet to Innsbruck (13 hour ride as against 2 hours in the UK). Have you looked at that trip yet?
No but I have filmed a Nightjet review between Venice and Vienna that I'll be publishing in the future.
@@DylansTravelReports Other highlight of trip will be taking the Tauern route from Innsbruck to Graz on the 'Transalpin' in a panorama car. Will put Boris on a 'hit list' if he imposes another lock-down
dont rush/walk so fast,the train wont leave without you
Tbh, it might well have as it left just a few minutes after I boarded.
You sure do get around! Where are you based?
Inverness.
Even though the train had new ownership, but the old vibe of previous owner still same. 3 class configuration? What the third claas will be added on this train?
The extra class will likely be between first and standard class. If it's anything like the ones in Europe, it may well be first class seats with standard class service but we'll have to wait and see.
Nothing really changes on ownership
Goodness. 01:00 in London and you live in Leeds (?) I assume. :D
I don't live in Leeds 😅
Why does the blind only go down 3/4 of the way down?
Poor design I guess.
With all that's going on, How will you celebrate National Train Day on May 9th?
Tbh, I didn't even know there was a national train day (at least not in the UK.)
@@DylansTravelReports I didn't realize it was an Amtrak Celebration. Maybe next year, you should plan one of your favorite routes in USA to help celebrate.
I wanna know why the author wanders around the world. Holiday or work would normally be the obvious explanations but he looks too young to afford what he's done or get first class on expenses.
I save hard to be able to afford these trips abd plan very carefully.
How do you get a 5 hour ticket that cheap!!!
I book far in advance and use split ticketing apps.
@@DylansTravelReports Ok Thx...btw great vid
£39?! How so cheap?!
I booked in advance and I have a railcard.
@@DylansTravelReports I try that through Trainline and they’re still charging the same, even with a railcard
4:15 Lol subliminal message
It's nice to see the Pendolinos being put to good use especially after Virgin went bust
PercyFan7508 they never went bust. They lost the franchise. Whoever won the franchise would inherit the service including rolling stock.
@@Ceat-wj6be Yeah that's what I meant by 'went bust'
The pendo s weren't going anywhere ha
@@PercyFan7508 Going bust is not the same thing as losing the franchise!
Next time, your face pls.
Charging money for people to watch your travel videos? Cmon kidoo 🙄
No one's forcing you to pay to watch my videos.
I would definitely do 1st class just for the food, it looked very tasty and it got a thumbs up! We call crisps chips in the states. I love Beck's beer.
Another great video keep em coming. Thanks Dylan, take care man.
Thanks! Stay safe.
I love Beck's beer.
Becks is like the Pabst Blue Ribbon of Europe.
@@TheOwenMajor That sounds like an insult. (And as European beers go Beck's is pretty meh.)
@@malthuswasright It is an insult, Beck's is sewer water considering pretty much everywhere you go you have much better options.
@@TheOwenMajor Thought so (never heard anyone praising Pabst). But thought I'd check!
4:13 DO NOT READ THE LETTERS THAT ARENT COVERED FROM THE BAG OF CHIPS!
Looks a lovely train
Avanti West Coast Class 390
Thanks, Dylan. This was a wonderful reminder of my few days in Glasgow a few years ago. I travelled up from Preston in 1st (solo airline seat), and back in a tabled seat in standard. As such, I can confirm that power outlets are located at tabled seats in standard. Though having specifically selected forward facing seats on both journeys and then being given rear facing ones(sarcastic thanks to Trainline) I spent the majority of both sat bolt upright to avoid being unwell (both trains were packed and I couldn't relocate). Sigh
I have had issues like that with the Trainline before. They often allocate me an aisle seat when I request a window seat.
Lucky to get single airline seat, I think there should be more of them
Never used trainline always book direct
Watching this from Abu Dhabi, but I’m from Glasgow. Looked like a cold night at Central station! :)
Reminds me of taking those trains when it was Virgin, down to Warrington for a music festival every summer.
Oh yeah, it was freezing!
Thank you for the video.
The pendolinos just give off a whole new vibe when it's dark, the sound, the mood onboard, it all pieces together
Dang it i missed the premiere coz i was busy editing a vid lol
5:23 nice pepsi
5:26 its making me thirsty
2001-2004 in Birmingham was the 9-car 390s and 9 of the vehicles of the 11-car 390s, 2009-2012 in Italy was the 10th and 11th vehicles of the 11-car 390s (except for 390154-390157 which are "new" units formed entirely of "new" 2009-2012 Italian-built vehicles).
Units built from 2001-2003 were originally 8-car, the 9th was added in 2004. So the "oldest" 11-car units could contain vehicles built in Birmingham in 2001 (1-8), Birmingham in 2004 (9), and Italy in 2009-2012 (10 & 11).
Avanti seat are awful if you have a long back, the seats attempt to mimic the curve of your back, to give support; unfortunately peoples backs don't have standard size so for someone like me the curve is totally in the wrong place. Four and half hours of torture.
Dylan pls give me live chat i cry if i dont have live chat
Avati took over Virgin and since then , the fares have gone up and the service has gone down . Virgin used to have AUTOMATIC delay repay after 30 mins , Avanti has banded delay payments starting at I think 25% after 30 mins ,, also it’s not auto , you have to claim it .
On the booking system they flag trains as full but when you get on them there are plenty of spare seats . Why ? Because they refuse to lower prices and would rather the trains ran with lots of empty seats .
The trains are far from world class . Check out Italy’s Freccia ROSSA ,, faster, better, cleaner , quieter and cheaper ..
Bring back virgin
I forgot to add that Avanti currently state a 4 week turnaround to respond to emails which is poor . Needless to say, like so many businesses , they’ll be blaming COVID
Thanks for a great review. I imagine I speak for many social distancing subscribers when I say I look forward to Fridays and your new uploads. And the (so far) two dislikes must be because your camera malfunctioned during boarding! Shall forever referf to them as "The Dysfunctional Boarding Twins." ;`]
Thanks!
How do you manage to get such cheap tickets? The price really puts me off and keeps me in a car
I have a railcard which means I get ⅓ off. Other than that, I just book way in advance.
@@DylansTravelReports I looked at the railcard (family one) and it didnt seem to drop the price. France is so cheap compared :-)
Yes for the family & friends railcard, you need to be traveling with someone under 16 to get any discount.
Hi Dylan! Thanks for sharing another great video of your travels! Too bad for the extended delay but I'm sure the food and drink service kept you full! On top of that, you got a refund! (Too bad those little fridges weren't stocked with beer 😝🍺) As always, I'm looking forward to your next video! Thanks Dylan! "See" you next Friday!
If only those fridges had been full of booze! Would have been the first video where I fall off the train at the end of my journey 😂
Thank you so much for showing us all the details regarding each trip.
Your channel has become my favourite channel. (Of course 2nd to my own channel 😁)
Thanks! Glad you're enjoying my video 😁
@@DylansTravelReports
You're most welcome. Just keep doing great work and keep giving us awesome content. 😊
Totally random question, not one for taking travel sickness medication, do you have any recommendations for overcoming pendolino motion sickness? After 10 minutes on it I’m ill 😂🙈
Anything with ginger in it often works (so ginger flavoured sweets for instance). Apparently - I don't suffer so can't confirm.
Great video I can't wait to see the full refurbished pendolino it really needs it however I don't agree with the 3 class configuration the 390 pendolino it's already narrow as it is so adding a 3 class configuration would be difficult but that's just me Avanti has it all sorted out I guess
Thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing how they go about a 3-class configuration. It could be a great hit if they get it right.
I've always found the First Class seats on the Pendolinos to be less comfortable - especially the hard arm "rests" - than those in the Mark 3 carriages which they replaced nearly twenty years ago! And, given that the Class 87 electric locomotives could cruise effortlessly at 110 mph, the Pendolinos haven't reduced journey times on the London to Manchester or Liverpool routes by that much!
Hopefully this will be improved upon once these trains have been refurbished.
I prefer the first class seats on the class 221 and find them much more comfortable
Remember the old mk3 coaches , deffo had a proper train feel
Did the same journey in February. The 13:40 departure was the first train of the day to depart thanks to Storm Ciara causing flooding near Carlisle. As it was we were stationary just at the Scotland/England border for over an hour whilst the line was safety checked. The First Class service was pretty much the same as it had been with Virgin. Overall delay was two hours so I got the full £93 back which made it a bargain! Enjoyed the video, just a shame the journey was in the dark. It is very scenic pretty much all the way down to Preston.
Thanks! Ik, it's a shame it was dark but I had work earlier that day so it was the earliest I could get down. First world problems I guess 😁
@@DylansTravelReports It's a problem travelling in the winter when there is less daylight to catch. Fingers crossed we will be allowed back on the trains and planes soon.