Birmingham to Edinburgh

[TOSandy]

Hi, I'm from Canada and this will be my first time travelling by train in the UK. I am travelling from Birmingham to Edinburgh in June and would like your input on using Cross Country or Avanti West Coast.
Cost wise they are approx the same and time wise Avanti is about 1 hour faster.
All tips and recommendations are welcome!
Thanks

 

[jfollows]

Avanti Standard Premium, bigger seats, bring your own food and drink.

 

[TOSandy]

Thank you. I was just reading that people get nausea on Avanti? Something about the tilt?

 

[HST43257]

Thank you. I was just reading that people get nausea on Avanti? Something about the tilt?

Avanti trains have a tilting mechanism to go faster on curves. In my experience you’re fine as long as you don’t think about it and don’t book seats near the carriage ends (where the wheels/bogies are).

 

[TOSandy]

Thanks

 

[jfollows]

Thank you. I was just reading that people get nausea on Avanti? Something about the tilt?

Everyone's different, but it affects a small number of people and the majority (myself included) don't notice any sort of problem.

I used Avanti Crewe-Edinburgh (the same services which served Birmingham) earlier in the year in Standard Premium and they were comfortable and roomy. My experience taught me to avoid Sundays if possible - I went to Edinburgh Friday and came back Monday this time. Sundays are just busy.

First Class you'll get food and drink but in my experience it's not worth paying more for.

 

[DelW]

Avanti trains are longer, meaning they're less likely to be overcrowded. On those routes, Avanti trains will be 9 or 11 coaches, Cross Country may be as short as four coaches. Cross Country's trains are also noisier, having a diesel engine under each coach floor, while Avanti's trains are (mostly) electric.

 

[mangyiscute]

Hi, I'm from Canada and this will be my first time travelling by train in the UK. I am travelling from Birmingham to Edinburgh in June and would like your input on using Cross Country or Avanti West Coast.
Cost wise they are approx the same and time wise Avanti is about 1 hour faster.
All tips and recommendations are welcome!
Thanks

Personally I would choose avanti since they're faster but both offer a decent enough service imo that feel free to book whichever is most suitable to your plans.

 

[TOSandy]

Avanti trains are longer, meaning they're less likely to be overcrowded. On those routes, Avanti trains will be 9 or 11 coaches, Cross Country may be as short as four coaches. Cross Country's trains are also noisier, having a diesel engine under each coach floor, while Avanti's trains are (mostly) electric.

Yes I noticed that Cross Country was much shorter. Thank you.

Thank you all for your responses. I'll go with Avanti.

 

[Willie Bee]

I'm travelling to Birmingham later in the year, from Newcastle which is on the east of the country.

Rather than taking the direct route on Cross Country, I'll be travelling to Carlisle, then down the west coast mainline on Avanti. I've heard so many stories about XCountry, I would rather just not bother using them.

 

[TOSandy]

 

[Brissle Girl]

Avanti every time. The Cross Country experience has the potential to be deeply unpleasant due to overcrowding. Catering is rubbish too.

 

[TOSandy]

Avanti every time. The Cross Country experience has the potential to be deeply unpleasant due to overcrowding. Catering is rubbish too.

Thank you.