Does the Class 221 Super Voyager make you motion sick?
The Super Voyager is the tilting train that stopped tilting. It was built with hydraulic tilt of up to 6 degrees, but CrossCountry locked the system out of use in 2008 and later removed its working parts entirely. So if a Voyager makes you feel rough today, tilt is not the reason. What riders actually report is the diesel engine under every carriage floor and the ordinary sway of a fast train on curving cross-country lines.
Cross-country routes, UK · Tilt locked out since 2008
Status, September 2026
Fleet in motion, September 2026: Avanti West Coast withdrew its final Class 221s on 14 December 2024. CrossCountry continues to run the class with tilt isolated, and East Midlands Railway plans to lease six units from August 2026.
Key facts
- The Class 221 was built with up to 6 degrees of hydraulic tilt; CrossCountry locked the tilt out of use in 2008 and later isolated it, replacing the rams with fixed tie-bars.
- Avanti West Coast withdrew its final pair of Class 221s on 14 December 2024; East Midlands Railway plans to lease six units from August 2026.
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Why the Class 221 Super Voyager feels the way it does
Tilt: Active, locked out
Built with hydraulic tilt of up to 6 degrees. CrossCountry locked the tilt out of use in 2008 and later isolated it altogether, replacing the hydraulic rams with fixed tie-bars.
Enthusiast forums nicknamed these trains Vomiters in their tilting years, and the name outlived the mechanism. Since 2008 the tilt rams have been replaced with fixed tie-bars, so the carriages ride like any non-tilting stock. What remains is a diesel-hydraulic power pack under each coach, which adds vibration and noise you feel through the floor, and routes that wind: CrossCountry diagrams run long distances over curving classic lines rather than straight high-speed track. Long exposure to moderate motion is its own trigger, and many Voyager journeys run three hours or more.
Where it runs
- CrossCountrylong cross-country routes; tilt isolated since 2008
- Grand Centraltwo units, tilt not used
- East Midlands Railwaysix units planned to join from August 2026
What the research says about tilting trains
Tilting-train motion sickness has a real, peer-reviewed literature: studies report more sickness on tilting than on comparable non-tilting trains, and point at carriage roll, the level of tilt compensation and the timing of each tilt against the curve as the variables that matter.
Riding the Class 221 Super Voyager? 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.
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What helps on board
- Cool air is the easy win here: the diesel under the floor warms the carriage, and heat lowers motion tolerance.
- Keep your eyes on the passing countryside through the winding cross-country sections; the sway is ordinary train motion now, and a horizon fixes most of it.
- Save screens for the straighter running and look up regularly; cross-country routes wind more than main lines do.
- If a wave builds mid-ride, you do not have to white-knuckle it: sound therapy through any headphones is a drug-free option 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 Voyager trains still tilt?
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No. The tilt was locked out of use by CrossCountry in 2008 and later isolated altogether, with the hydraulic rams replaced by fixed tie-bars. The trains have run as ordinary non-tilting stock ever since, whatever the old Vomiter nickname suggests.
Why do I still feel queasy on a Voyager then?
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Three ordinary reasons: a diesel engine under each carriage floor that adds vibration you feel through your feet, winding cross-country routes that were never straightened for speed, and journey lengths that often pass three hours. None of that needs tilt to add up in a sensitive rider.
Which operators run Class 221s now?
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CrossCountry is the main operator, with Grand Central holding two units. Avanti West Coast withdrew its last Class 221s in December 2024, and East Midlands Railway plans to bring six units into service from August 2026.
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.