London Euston is set for a £50 million facelift over the next three years, announced alongside confirmation that Avanti West Coast will be brought into public ownership from March 2027.
Euston station to get £50 million upgrade as Avanti West Coast faces nationalisation
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says the hated last‑minute platform announcements that trigger a “scrum” of passengers at departure time will be phased out within a year, as part of a wider push to improve reliability and the passenger experience on the West Coast Main Line.
What’s happening at Euston station
The government’s package focuses on quick‑win improvements before longer‑term works ramp up:
- £11 million initial spend on more seating, better waiting areas and refurbished toilets.
- Further station upgrades along the West Coast Main Line, with an extra £10 million earmarked for other stations by the end of 2027.
- Digital connectivity: more stable Wi‑Fi and 5G onboard via low‑earth‑orbit satellite technology to improve coverage along the route.
The announcement also reiterates existing plans to end last‑minute platform calls at Euston, which have long frustrated commuters and intercity travellers alike.
Avanti West Coast to be nationalised in 2027
Avanti’s current contract could have run until 2032, but the government is exercising a termination clause to bring services under public control when the deal expires on 7 March 2027. The move makes Avanti the eighth operator transferred under Labour’s public‑ownership programme, following recent takeovers of Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railway.
