Avanti West Coast Reviews 

Very disappointing experience with Avanti West Coast

On 10 May 2026, I purchased a return ticket from Chester to Liverpool James Street through the Avanti West Coast app. My booking reference was 21142900.

I printed the ticket at the ticket machine at Chester station, but the machine only issued me one ticket. I used this ticket to travel to Liverpool without any problems. However, when I returned to Chester, the ticket could not be scanned at the barriers, so I was forced to purchase another ticket just to leave the station.

I contacted Avanti West Coast customer service, but unfortunately they did not provide any useful assistance or resolve the issue. I should not have had to pay for an additional ticket because of a problem with the ticket issued by their machine.

Very poor customer service and a very frustrating experience. I would expect Avanti West Coast to take responsibility and refund the extra ticket I was forced to purchase.

Cowboy company refusing refund of cancelled train. My train on 9th August at 9:46am from London Euston to Wigan was cancelled last minute by this total shambles of a company. My only other options were 4 hour trains that did not work for me as train travel makes me unwell and I am pregnant. After looking at all my options I then had to book the 8:12am train to Manchester Piccadilly as this was the shortest travel time available to me to ensure I got home in time for an appointment I had in the afternoon. So this is two seperate bookings, on different lines. I applied for my refund on my 9:46 train as this was NOT an open return. I also applied for a delay repay partial refund on the Manchester booking as this was delayed by 20 minutes and the lady who works for avanti told everyone on the train to do this. I have now receive an email back from “Monika” advising that for some weird reason I am not entitled to a refund for my 9:46 cancelled train to Wigan, the reason being because I had to spend even more money on a new booking to get to Manchester which is NOT where I wanted to go. So make that make sense?? So looks like I am taking this legal and going to the ombudsman. Total joke of a company and I hope to god you get nationalised to people do not have to deal with your total nonsense anymore.

Travelled to London with Avanti train delayed and was informed to claim for delay. What a joke waited over 1 month have not heard anything from Avanti. Trying to get in touch with them is hard. All you get is have a chat with a computer .

Although the train was on time, and arrived on time at Euston, the seat reservation service was non-existent, and it was a free for all when we boarded, with people left standing - on a 2+ hour journey. In addition, we booked a quiet carriage and it was the absolute opposite, with music constantly heard. Total joke of a company. I miss the days of Virgin.

We booked seats but it was free for all on the coach as they didn't honour the reservations. We also booked a quiet carriage but music was constantly blearing out from phones. Just awful.

Yet another pile of 💩💩💩💩from Avanti. Booked weeks In advance to try and get a better price, as previously commented; when you book so far In advance what are the chances of It running let alone get you there on time. On boarding the train at Carlisle, greeted with the usual smell of strong urine despite the train only travelling from Glasgow. Arrived on time and departed on time; however train reasonably busy with the reservation Indicators not working so for some reason people feel as though they can still sit where they want despite others having a valid reservation for that seat they are In. Journey was progressing, however arrivals/departures were getting delayed each time. This resulted Into yet another late arrival Into London Euston of nearly 30 minutes. I cannot get my head round why the trains are consistenty late. Only positive thing I can say is that for some reason the Automatic Delay Repay that I have been registered with for years actually kicked In on this occasion for some unknown reason having not worked for the last few years. Was a relief to actually get off at Euston albeit nearly 30 minutes late. Sooner this shower are disposed of the better, only to be taken back Into Government control, who are experts are making everything ten times worse

Absolutely disgusting service.

We booked far in advance to ensure reserved seats as we were travelling with a small child. When we boarded, our reservations weren’t showing and other passengers were in our seats.

There was no guard walking through the service to assist passengers, so we ended up sitting on the floor by the doors as a family while others enjoyed the seats we had booked.

The movement made my daughter so unwell that she vomited all over herself and me, leaving me having to strip to my bra in public just to clean us both up.

When I eventually found the guard, he was sitting on his phone. He barely acknowledged me and audibly huffed when I told him my daughter had vomited.

Completely unacceptable and an awful experience with a young child. Disgusting behaviour from 2 staff members. Why are they on their phones at work?

I recently travelled with Avanti West Coast from Preston to London Euston, a journey I had booked well in advance to fit around a fixed commitment in London. With very little notice before departure, the service was cancelled. There was no realistic alternative on the original ticket that would get me to Euston in time, so I had no choice but to book another train at short notice, at a considerably higher fare and at a far less convenient time than the one I had originally planned around.

What frustrated me most was not simply that the train was cancelled- disruption can happen to any operator- but the lack of any meaningful support in dealing with the consequences. There was no proactive offer of alternative travel, no clear guidance on how to avoid being out of pocket, and the practical result was that I ended up paying twice for a single journey through no fault of my own. The refund process for the cancelled leg felt like a separate battle in itself, adding further inconvenience on top of a day that had already been disrupted.

I want to be fair to the staff I dealt with, both at the station and on the replacement train, who were courteous and did what they could within the limits of their role. The issue here is not with individual employees but with a wider operational culture that seems to leave passengers to absorb the cost and inconvenience of last-minute cancellations, rather than the company taking responsibility for getting people to their destination as originally booked.

For anyone considering Avanti West Coast for a journey with a fixed appointment at the other end, my advice would be to build in a very generous margin of time, and to be prepared for the possibility that you may need to fund a replacement ticket yourself if things go wrong. It would be far better, and considerably more respectful of passengers' time and money, if Avanti offered automatic rebooking onto the next available service at no extra cost whenever they cancel a train, rather than leaving customers to sort out the financial fallout on their own.

Until that changes, I would think carefully before relying on this route when time and cost genuinely matter.

I travel by train quite often, and whenever there is a delay, most other rail operators process Delay Repay claims fairly quickly—usually within a week at most.

However, my experience with Avanti West Coast has been completely different. Despite paying for what is already an expensive and, in my opinion, overrated service, my journey was delayed by nearly two hours. I submitted a Delay Repay claim, but there has been virtually no follow-up or progress. It has now been almost a month.

The service seems to come with a premium price tag, but the management and customer service certainly don’t reflect that. Extremely disappointing.

Avanti Euston to L'Pool Lime St. Email day before to say train canxd. Booked seats lost. Had a direct service 20 min before so took that. Luckily it was midweek mid morning. Free for all find a seat. Seats like boards ( Easyjet on rails). Return trip train canxd Friday afternoon ( but due to staff shortages?, not the massive power failure🤣). Got to station early for any direct to Euston. Guy said yes just get on so we did. Nobody checks tickets. Seat free for all again. Not a great experience. And looking at all the Neg. Revs. Prob best avoided. Glad I fly to GLA.🛫

Another awful journey……
Was booked on 1830 Euston to Glasgow on Thurs 6/8. Departure board at station showed train running and we left only a few minutes late. Train Mgr informed us there would be an additional stop at Crewe and approx 30 mins later it was announced train would be terminating at Preston. Mgr was good at giving people platform numbers for connections and later said those of us travelling north of Preston should connect with another Avanti train there which would call additionally at Lockerbie and Motherwell, as our train should have done. We arrived about 30 mins late into Preston, the platform number we were given was subsequently changed (an almost inaudible station announcement) and that train arrived behind schedule and turned out to be the 1930 from Euston to Glasgow. We spent an hour at Preston and fortunately “the jumper” at Lancaster didn’t appear to delay us further despite being told otherwise. Train Mgr on second train made no announcements about the promised stops at Lockerbie and Motherwell so I went to speak to her. She waved a piece of paper at me (her authority to stop the train at Motherwell) but said she had none to stop the train at Lockerbie and I should get off at Carlisle. Very annoying after previously being told it would stop at Lockerbie but I have long since learned that Avanti make no arrangements for passengers travelling to/from this station!! It would have been helpful to make announcement to this effect for the benefit of others but none was forthcoming and I am left wondering how many got up in the expectation of the train stopping at Lockerbie. To be fair taxis were arranged from Carlisle on this occasion to take us to Lockerbie and I arrived home at 1245am so only in excess of 2 hrs late. I have yet to hear from Avanti about the full refund due under the supposed automatic Delay Repay I’m signed up for. I received an email timed 20 mins into departure from Euston telling me the train would terminate at Preston and I could catch the service before or after. How very helpful when I’m already on the terminating train!! I know there were problems outwith Avanti’s control last Thurs but they continually run late running services, cancel numerous trains - often due to staff shortage, have toilets out of action, no catering on board, and non working power points and wifi. On my last journey from London the aircon was badly leaking water from the roof which poured onto the aisle, the table and the seat next to me, fortunately unoccupied, was soaked! Why the Govt has still not terminated Avanti’s contract long ago beggars belief and it’s no wonder people choose to drive/fly in preference to using this abysmal and overpriced company. If you want to guarantee getting somewhere for an appointment I’ve learned to travel a day early to ensure I make it!

Trying for the third day to alter my train ticket on the App and once again due to technical difficulties, the website is down, it’s ridiculous. Why on earth were this company given the west coast franchise from Virgin. Avanti have so many problems, high ticket prices, problems with onboard shop as in closed due to staff shortages, card machine not working, cash only.

Coventry train station -
The black bald man in the avanti uniform spoke to me with a lot of rudeness and aggression. He told me to just get on the train even though I had an avanti ticket for the next train which was delayed. I simply asked him which avanti train was cancelled because I had heard there was a cancelled train for avanti but wasn’t sure which one and wanted to clarify. I commute for work so I book early trains so I’m not late.

I work alongside people all day so i understand having to answer a lot of questions but i asked him politely as i know how avanti are if you get on a different train with an avanti ticket.
After seeing the 1 star reviews from everyone it makes sense why. Poor service, horrible people.

As ever on the trip between Runcorn and Euston on the 7 coach train the seat reservations are not working. So the train fills at Liverpool Lime Street and after talking to the guard he advises me to go to the unreserved carriage. This is on the 8th August on the 10.02 joining from Runcorn. They need to get this sorted out. I am a senior citizen and need the seat I have chosen for a reason. Total lack of customer service. The sooner they are replaced the better!

Their garbage company is only beaten by their absolute Woke advert - which is ludicrously pitiful!

Took the money from my credit card but no e tickets and had to book again with another operator.
Awful.
Don't use them.

Train outside Warrington, over an hour delayed. Something wrong with train in front, and one in front of that. They have no idea when we’ll be moving.

I reckon out of the last 22 journeys over a few years, only 3 have been within 5 mins of expected arrival time. Usually at least 20 mins late, and includes 3 outright cancellations. These are long distance, Penrith to London.

Dreadful service. Recently in Japan. Similar population density. Lots of train journeys, 1 train 1 minute late.

We should sack all our execs and hire 50 Japanese execs.

I dread train travel with this company. Just so random.

On 26th July 12.00 Plymouth to Birmingham
1st class a joke after paying £152 for 1st class no food just 1 tea 1 coffee over 3.5 hrs
When asked I was told shortage of staff and the same on return journey but worse people standing I 1st class.. DON'T BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY trying to get a refund is a joke....

Absolutely shocking. Late leaving Euston and it took 45 minutes to get from Coventry to New Street! I travelled 1000k on European trains yesterday and this was the most painful part of the journey. Sit back guys and watch the European's flawless ability to use rail. Avanti is hideously expensive for the 'privilege ' to travel with them. Utter embarrassment to our infrastructure.

You cannot rely on and is minimal chance to get you to your destination even near the time you planned to get there. I had the unfortunate situation to try to be a regular traveller on the Chester - London Euston Route. Over several months, only two trains roughly on time, about a third more than an hour late, and a third just cancelled. With shared blame between the rail network and Avanti - cabling, signalling, fires by the line, too many trains in maintenance, not enough staff to run the train... On the plus side, when it actually runs, the trains are not bad, the staff are polite and pleasant, and the drivers are amusingly diligent on keeping you posted on how late they are running and reminding you to apply for the delay refunds. I've now given up taking the train and drive - takes a bit longer than if the train would run on time, but less stress and you know you will get there, and surprisingly the cost for a single person in a car works out cheaper than the train ticket price most of the time.