Does the Azuma (Class 800/801) make you motion sick?
Riders who feel rough on the West Coast Main Line often ask whether the east coast is different. It is, and the reason is geometry rather than the train. The East Coast Main Line runs straighter, so its Azuma trains were built with no tilt at all, and the ride between London and Edinburgh involves far less curving than the Pendolino route to Glasgow.
East Coast Main Line, UK · No tilt, gentler geometry
Key facts
- The Class 800 family was built for the Intercity Express Programme with no tilting equipment.
Try Dizzout free. Free, drug-free, works once symptoms start, on any headphones.Free · works with any headphones · no account to try
Free to try, no card needed. Or go straight to the App Store or Google Play.
Why the Azuma (Class 800/801) feels the way it does
Tilt: None
Hitachi Class 800 series with no tilting equipment. The East Coast Main Line's gentler curves never required tilt.
The two London to Scotland main lines solved the same problem differently because they inherited different railways. The west coast route winds through the hills, so its trains tilt. The east coast route follows flatter country up the eastern side of the country, so its Class 800 series trains never needed tilting equipment, a question Hitachi and the Intercity Express Programme settled at design time. For a motion-sensitive rider choosing between the two corridors to Scotland, the east coast is the lower-stimulus ride most of the way.
Where it runs
- LNERLondon Kings Cross to Leeds, York, Edinburgh and Inverness; GWR runs Class 800s in the west
Riding the Azuma (Class 800/801)? Set it up first
Stop Motion Sickness Now
A winding line is a bad place to go looking for an app. Put it on your phone before you board: Dizzout is a drug-free app that plays precisely calibrated audio through any headphones you already own, wired or Bluetooth, with relief in about 90 seconds. Free to try.
Free to try, no card needed. Or go straight to the App Store or Google Play.
Scan to open on your phoneOn a computer? Dizzout installs on your phone. Scan the code, or open dizzout.com/get on your phone and it'll take you straight to the right store.
Know someone who gets motion sick?
Send them the app that helps stop it, drug-free, in about 90 seconds, works with any headphones. Free to try.
What helps on board
- The east coast route is the gentler of the two London to Scotland lines, so most susceptible riders manage fine: eyes up through the few winding stretches is usually enough.
- If you read the whole way, glance out at the horizon every few minutes; long screen locks are what let mild sway accumulate.
- Cool air from the vent and a plain meal beforehand cover the rest.
- Pack the drug-free rescue: a sound therapy session through any headphones, with relief in about 90 seconds.
Where to sit is its own question, answered properly in where to sit on a train for motion sickness. And for why trains set people off at all, from sway to reading to tilting stock, see the train motion sickness guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do Azuma trains tilt?
+
No. The East Coast Main Line's curves are gentle enough that the Class 800 series was specified without tilt. The question came up during their design and the answer was that the route did not justify it.
Is London to Edinburgh gentler than London to Glasgow?
+
By rail, generally yes for a motion-sensitive rider: the east coast route is straighter and its trains do not tilt, while the west coast route winds and its Pendolinos lean into the curves. Both are fast; they just move you differently.
Can I still feel queasy on an Azuma?
+
Any train can do it to a susceptible rider, especially with reading or screen work. But the specific tilting-train mismatch is absent, and the route geometry gives your inner ear less to object to than the winding west coast alternative.
Other trains and lines
Sources & further reading
Your next question, probably
Details on this page reflect published operator, heritage and engineering information as of September 2026; services, fleets and tilt settings change, so check with the operator before you travel. Train, route and operator names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Motion sickness sensitivity varies from person to person; this page is informational and not medical advice.