All Things Avanti

making a real difference to business travel on the West Coast Mainline

We recently caught up with Avanti West Coast to hear about their sustainability objectives and how their Pendolino refurbishment programme is making a real difference to business travel by rail on the West Coast Mainline.

Avanti logo

Going Green

 

With more and more companies setting net zero targets, sustainability is fast-changing from a nice-to-have to a definite must have for businesses looking to retain and sharpen their competitive edge.

When it comes to business travel, there is an easy green win – choosing to go by rail with Avanti West Coast.  As you can see from the table below, they’ve made a plan that looks after all our tomorrows.

As part of this plan, Avanti have recently announced the arrival of their first refurbished to as-new standard Pendolino trains, which include a whole host of exciting innovations. Watch out because these iconic trains are set to transform the future of business travel by rail.

Choosing to travel by train has always been the greenest option. For example, a 401-mile journey from Glasgow to London emits just 24kg of CO2 per passenger. Make the same journey by car and that number jumps to 109kg. Flying will rack up a whopping 158kg of CO2 emissions per passenger. Or, to put it another way, one flight between London and Glasgow is almost the equivalent of seven train journeys.

This data was created using DEFRA Carbon Conversion factors to establish CO2e totals for both train and plane journeys from London to Glasgow. Defra conversion factors are regularly updated and are used across the industry as a reputable conversion source. CO2e is the abbreviation of Carbon Dioxide equivalent. A term often used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based on their global warming potential.

Pendolinos Perks

 

Avanti West Coast’s upgraded Pendolinos are taking sustainability and rail travel up a notch… Step onboard and you will find everything from recycling bins to tables made from recycled plastic bottles. There are water refill points now onboard too, helping to cut single use plastic and further waste.

Supporting communities is a key part of Avanti’s Responsible Plan. The £117 million upgrade programme is being carried out by Alstom’s Widnes depot, helping to create 100 local skilled jobs. The new carpets installed throughout are made from British wool, while onboard food and drink are sourced locally from locations up and down the Avanti Network. Some of our customer favourites are the puddings from North Wales, jam from London and gin from the Lake District! Not only are these more sustainable, helping reduce CO2 emission impact and minimising food waste, but they are also made with love and help support these local small to mid-size businesses.

The newly upgraded Pendolinos are set to change everything you thought you knew about train travel on Avanti. The bar for onboard comfort has been risen higher than ever before, with enhancements that include:

 

  • New, ergonomic, extra-comfy seats in First, Standard Premium and Standard
  • More than 2,000 extra Standard Class seats, to help budgets go further
  • Power points at every seat, a must have for business travellers
  • Laptop-friendly seat backs in Standard Class
  • State of the art technology including new onboard passenger information screens
  • Enhanced, upgraded lighting and new carpets
  • More luggage space
  • New onboard shop
  • Refurbished toilets

 

Click on any of the below images to enlarge:

AVANTI Seat Occupancy Information - Refurbished Pendolino
AVANTI Table Power Options - Refurbished Pendolino
AVANTI Standard Class Seats - Refurbished Pendolino

So, as we get into the swing of meeting people in person once more, it’s good to know you can make a big impression without having to make a big impact on the planet.  As well as being the greener way to go, Avanti’s new Pendolino’s also offer unbeatable speed and convenience, whisking you to your destination at 125 mph and delivering you right into the heart of the city. With no need for airport transfers or the hassle of finding somewhere to park.

It’s all you need to arrive in the best shape to do business.

To help you navigate the changes of business travel, we’ve created the brand-new Traveller Toolkit. This invaluable online resource is packed full of easy-to-use guides and checklists for every stage of every journey. We detail exactly what you need to know and do before, during and after your trip in a post-pandemic, post Brexit world.

You can even check the travel restrictions and health status of your destination with our comprehensive COVID-19 Country Tracker, updated five times daily to ensure you have the very latest information to help keep you and your travellers safe.

Travel is changing. With common sense and a good TMC behind you, travellers can have the confidence to once again take to the skies. It’ll soon be back business as (un)usual.