Avanti West Coast: Data & Information
Avanti West Coast is owned by First Group (70%) and Trenitalia (30%). In August 2019 the DfT awarded the West Coast Partnership franchise to the consortium and Avanti West Coast began operation on 8 December 2019, replacing Virgin Trains which had operated the franchise since 1997.
The franchise was initially scheduled to run until March 2030, operating the same services as Virgin Trains had done previously on the West Coast Main Line. From 2026 Avanti West Coast was to have additionally operated High Speed 2 (HS2) services. However, in December 2020, it was announced that the franchise will be terminated on 31 March 2026 as part of the abolition of the franchise system.
Read MoreThe franchise was initially scheduled to run until March 2030, operating the same services as Virgin Trains had done previously on the West Coast Main Line. From 2026 Avanti West Coast was to have additionally operated High Speed 2 (HS2) services. However, in December 2020, it was announced that the franchise will be terminated on 31 March 2026 as part of the abolition of the franchise system.
