Rome, 12 December 2019
On 9 December, the first train of the Avanti West Coast rail service left London's Euston station, inaugurating the franchise between Trenitalia (30%) and FirstGroup (70%).
This project is fully committed to innovation and sustainability, as was highlighted at the opening ceremony attended by the CEO and General Manager of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, Gianfranco Battisti, the CEO of Trenitalia Orazio Iacono, and First Rail, Steve Montgomery, in the presence, among others, of the Italian Ambassador to London, Raffaele Trombetta.
The new trains will have a modern design, improved acceleration to quickly reach the line's top speed of 125 miles per hour (200 km/h), enhanced Wi-Fi, a new catering offering and an advanced real-time passenger information system.
To reduce the environmental impact, solar panels and energy efficient air conditioning systems will be installed in stations and depots. The stations will have renovated waiting rooms, more parking spaces and will be made more accessible for passengers with reduced mobility.
The name Avanti symbolizes progress and movement and the triangular logo represents the three geographical points of the West Coast Main Line connecting London with the cities of England, North Wales and Scotland.