Trains from Birmingham to London

I took the 16:50 train from Birmingham New Street to London Euston on Saturday 19 October 2019. The service called at Birmingham International, Coventry, Rugby and London Euston.

Departing from Birmingham New Street

Since the completion of its redevelopment in 2015, Birmingham New Street has become one of the most modern and impressive train stations in the country. As you approach the entrance, the station’s undulating metal roof is striking. There is a huge range of food outlets inside the station – I grabbed some food from LEON before departing. The upper concourse of the station is a buzzing hive of over 60 outlets and restaurants, and even connects to the Bullring shopping centre connects via the LinkStreet tunnel. The Bullring is a must-visit attraction in Birmingham, if not for the dizzying number of shops, then just to get a glimpse of the striking building design (it’s another excellent piece of modern architecture) and its famous bronze bull sculpture.

Boarding the Pendolino train

The train I took was the “Blackpool Belle” Pendolino train. The city’s crest was emblazoned on the side of the train. The Blackpool Belle Pendolinos were commissioned as part of Avanti West Coast's introduction of direct services to Blackpool. Its name is a homage to the service that took Lancashire workers to Blackpool for Saturday night dances from the 1930s to 1960s - immortalised in the 1993 song “Blackpool Belle” by the Houghton Weavers.

I had a seat right at the back of the train in Carriage A, the quiet carriage. This made for a pleasant and relaxing journey.

The on-board service

As I was in Standard Class, I didn’t benefit from the services afforded to First Class passengers. However, I did have access to the free on-board WiFi connection and Avanti West Coast’s own entertainment platform, Avanti Media. The WiFi connection was a bit slow but otherwise serviceable.

The onboard food carriage was located in Carriage C. There were loads of food options on offer, including hot eats, cold eats, snacks, chocolates, hot drinks and alcohol. Prices are higher than what you’d find in a high-street store, but not astronomical. A meal deal is £5.50 (sandwich, drink and a snack). Hot eats prices range from £2.60 for porridge to £4.20 for a chicken ciabatta; cold eats from £3.30 to £4.00; and hot drinks from £2.00 to £2.60. There are also some interesting alcohol choices, including craft beers, Pimm’s and prosecco.

The train journey itself

In terms of scenery, the journey isn’t particularly inspiring. There are a few interesting bits, though. As you leave New Street you get a good view of the Birmingham city skyline. There is also some pleasant countryside between Rugby and London, and as you approach Euston – about five minutes from the station – you'll see Wembley Football Stadium in the distance. I arrived at Euston slightly late due to some delays from bad weather.

Freddie’s top tip

Reserve a seat in advance. I reserved a forward-facing window seat in the quiet carriage which made for a very pleasant journey. All the information on my seat reservation was on my mobile ticket, which told me my carriage and seat number.