Does the Class 397 (TPE Nova 2) make you motion sick?
The Class 397 is the natural A/B test against the Pendolino. It runs the same winding northern West Coast Main Line, through the same Lake District fringe curves, but with no tilt at all. If you suspect the tilt itself is what sets you off on Avanti's trains, riding TransPennine over the same ground is the cleanest way to find out.
Northern West Coast Main Line, UK · No tilt, same curves as the Pendolino
Key facts
- TransPennine Express Class 397 and 802 units run at up to 125 mph north of Preston with no tilting capability.
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Why the Class 397 (TPE Nova 2) feels the way it does
Tilt: None
A CAF Civity UK EMU with no tilting equipment, running the northern West Coast Main Line at up to 125 mph without tilt.
Tilt exists to let a train take curves faster than the lean your body would otherwise tolerate. Skip the tilt and you get the same curves with more sideways push but no roll-without-a-view mismatch: the carriage stays level with the world, your eyes and inner ear keep telling the same story, and the train simply corners more slowly. For riders sensitive to active tilt specifically, that trade often feels better. For riders sensitive to any lateral force, the winding line is still winding.
Where it runs
- TransPennine ExpressManchester and Liverpool to Scotland over the northern West Coast Main Line
Riding the Class 397 (TPE Nova 2)? Set it up first
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What helps on board
- You will feel more sideways push through the curves than on a Pendolino, and push is honest motion: keep the horizon in your peripheral vision and it reads as ordinary cornering.
- Screens are fine on the straights; through the northern hills, look up.
- A cool carriage and a light meal before boarding raise your threshold for the winding sections.
- Queue up relief before departure: sound therapy through any headphones, drug-free, 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
Is the Class 397 better than the Pendolino for motion sickness?
It depends what triggers you. The 397 does not tilt, so the roll-versus-view mismatch of active tilt is absent, and riders who specifically dislike the Pendolino's lean often prefer it. The route's curves are unchanged, so you feel them as ordinary sideways push instead.
Why can this train skip the tilt on a tilting line?
Speed. The West Coast Main Line's curve limits are higher for tilting stock; the 397 takes the same curves within conventional limits at up to 125 mph. The timetable gives up some pace, and the ride gives up the tilt.
Where do the two trains share track?
North of Preston toward Carlisle and the Scottish border, the winding stretch where the Pendolino's tilt works hardest. That is exactly the section where the comparison between tilt and no tilt is worth making.
Other trains and lines
Sources & further reading
Your next question, probably
Feeling it right now, on board?
The 60-second protocol
Not your question? Why do trains set some people off?What actually has evidence?How prone are you, really?
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.