National Express Coaches Discussion

[Parebunks]

Is demand for overnight Anglo-Scottish travel diminishing or are the coach operators just reducing supply in the market? In which case, why?

Flixbus have entered the market and megabus seem to have slightly increased provision compared to at least some points before the pandemic, so I suspect this is actually just NX deciding to deprioritise the Anglo-Scottish stuff. Does make some sense given flixbus and megabus both have fairly developed networks/depots at the Scottish end whilst NX doesn't quite have the same advantage. Does anyone know where the 598 works from?

 

[route101]

Is demand for overnight Anglo-Scottish travel diminishing or are the coach operators just reducing supply in the market? In which case, why?

Or its winter. The overnight Scottish services tend to be busy.

 

[JonathanH]

NX doesn't quite have the same advantage

NX contract with Bruce Coaches of Salsburgh for the Anglo-Scottish routes.

 

[Simon75]

Do National Express, still own the old National Bus Company double N logo,?

 

[Smethwickian]

Do National Express, still own the old National Bus Company double N logo,?

UK00001279853 and UK00001281998 on Intellectual Property Office website https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmowner would suggest that they do, but I am no expert in interpreting such information.

 

[WibbleWobble]

I think the old 570 might have served Wigan as well, one of the routes went via Wigan & Leigh

Yes, one return trip via Wigan and Leigh and at least one other (maybe two) rounders via St Helens.

Go even further back and it was possible to get a coach from Atherton! That was in the days when an East Lancashire service went via Leigh and straight onto the M6, instead of going via Manchester.

 

[Mwanesh]

Flixbus have entered the market and megabus seem to have slightly increased provision compared to at least some points before the pandemic, so I suspect this is actually just NX deciding to deprioritise the Anglo-Scottish stuff. Does make some sense given flixbus and megabus both have fairly developed networks/depots at the Scottish end whilst NX doesn't quite have the same advantage. Does anyone know where the 598 works from?

National Express can look for loan drivers from the West Midlands .Apart from Glasgow and Edinburgh there is not much of a network in Scotland.

 

[Simon75]

National Express can look for loan drivers from the West Midlands .Apart from Glasgow and Edinburgh there is not much of a network in Scotland.

Which Megabus did, borrow Stagecoach drivers from around the country (was told by a driver)

 

[route101]

National Express can look for loan drivers from the West Midlands .Apart from Glasgow and Edinburgh there is not much of a network in Scotland.

National Express used to serve points north of the central belt but not really much demand for it now.

 

[markymark2000]

National Express has announced that services from Birmingham to Bristol (and some beyond) will start to call at Bristol Airport from 12th December. From the same date, they will start serving the new Arle Court Park and Ride interchange. I do wonder if NX will look at moving the 444/445 stop from the main road into the interchange as well, just for a bit of consistency and so that more passengers can benefit from the improved service.

National Express to enhance services to Bristol Airport

The coach firm is adding over 100 new journeys each week connecting the airport with Birmingham, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Penzance, Newquay, Plymouth…

www.thewestonmercury.co.uk

National Express is enhancing its services to Bristol Airport, with over 100 new journeys each week connecting the airport with Birmingham, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Penzance, Newquay, Plymouth and Exeter.


The enhanced services will be available from Thursday December 12 this year, with fares as low as £5.70.
In addition, customers travelling between Bristol and Birmingham will benefit from an increase in service frequency, providing nearly 200 journeys each week.
Bristol Airport is currently going through a £400m upgrade, including the construction of a £60m Public Transport Interchange and car park, which will be one of the region’s largest coach and bus interchanges when complete, in summer 2025.

From Thursday 12th December 2024 the following enhanced services and connections will be available:
100 between Weston-super-Mare, Bristol Airport / Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham Arle Court park and Ride, Birmingham
102 between Plymouth, Paignton, Exeter, Bristol, Cheltenham Arle Court park and ride, Birmingham
104 between Penzance, Newquay, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, Cheltenham Arle Court park and Ride, Birmingham
106 between Penzance, Newquay, Plymouth, Exeter, Taunton, Bristol Airport / Bristol, Cheltenham Arle Court, Birmingham
Ed Rickard, Network Director for National Express, said: “We continue to invest in our extensive coach network, including this newly enhanced service which is a welcome addition following the ongoing success of our existing routes to Bristol Airport, including journeys to and from South Wales, London, Plymouth and Birmingham.
“With soaring costs and disruption on the railways, more and more savvy customers are choosing National Express for reliable, great value travel and a guaranteed seat.
“We’re really pleased to be providing even more direct, affordable journeys, especially as people start to make travel plans for the festive season.”

Ed Condon, Transport Development Manager for Bristol Airport, said: “We’re really pleased to announce that we’ll be adding a new National Express route, improving sustainable connections for our customers to Gloucestershire and the West Midlands via Gloucester and Cheltenham, this Christmas and New Year and beyond.
“The new service will be welcomed by customers who live North of the Airport and will benefit from the timetable that has been crafted to match peak aircraft departures and arrivals.
“By next summer, when our new Public Transport Interchange is open, we’ll have more than doubled the number of coach bays, and as one of our longstanding transport partners, National Express will have a dedicated stop that customers can return to time and again.”

 

[JonathanH]

From the same date, they will start serving the new Arle Court Park and Ride interchange.

Instead of Royal Well by the looks of things. Is that a positive for people wanting Cheltenham itself?

I note that through booking to the centre of Cheltenham isn't available on their booking engine except on the two daily coaches that still go there.

 

[Statto]

National Express used to serve points north of the central belt but not really much demand for it now.

i remember |National Express had the 588 London - Inverness, & 592 London - Aberdeen, nowadays National Express only go as far as Edinburgh or Glasgow.

 

[markymark2000]

Instead of Royal Well by the looks of things. Is that a positive for people wanting Cheltenham itself?

Depends how you look at it.
100 currently 2 to Royal Wells, 1 to Gloucester. Will become 2 trips serving Royal Wells, Arle Court and Gloucester, 1 trip just serving Gloucester, and 4 trips which will only serve Arle Court.
102 - currently 1 to Royal Wells, new timetable 1 to Arle Court
104 - currently none stop Birmingham to Bristol, will call at Arle Court southbound.
106 - currently 1 to Royal Wells, new timetable 1 to Arle Court

Some people will be inconvenienced by it but others may gain (parking or easier for drop off/cheaper taxis for those in say Gloucester area). In general, this means increases in services calling in the area. Given Arle Courts connections, people can get easily into Gloucester or Cheltenham.

I note that through booking to the centre of Cheltenham isn't available on their booking engine except on the two daily coaches that still go there.

Not sure if there is meant to be through ticketing or people are just expected to pay for the 99 or P&R.

 

[route101]

i remember |National Express had the 588 London - Inverness, & 592 London - Aberdeen, nowadays National Express only go as far as Edinburgh or Glasgow.

National Express are my choice for the overnight to London. Seats are comfier and they make less stops overnight. Though that has changed with the 598.

 

[signed]

National Express are my choice for the overnight to London.

In seat 2A, shhh

 

[route101]

In seat 2A, shhh

I have never sat there. Always feel you would have someone next to you as its close to the front.

 

[signed]

Always feel you would have someone next to you as its close to the front.

Does it really matters if you have nearly unlimited legroom?

 

[Statto]

Speaking of daft departure/arrivals on the Megabus thread leads me to this one, National Express have a 421 Liverpool - London via Manchester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, one journey each way daily, but the northbound service leaves London, 0030, southbound service leaves Liverpool 02.00, i mean what the, i'd love to know the loadings for this service

 

[JonathanH]

Speaking of daft departure/arrivals on the Megabus thread leads me to this one, National Express have a 421 Liverpool - London via Manchester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, one journey each way daily, but the northbound service leaves London, 0030, southbound service leaves Liverpool 02.00, i mean what the, i'd love to know the loadings for this service

0030 from London isn't a particularly daft departure time. 0200 from Liverpool on the other hand probably is, but it offers an early arrival in London, and there is already the 423 from Liverpool (which follows the previous 421 route) that leaves a little earlier.

 

[johncrossley]

Speaking of daft departure/arrivals on the Megabus thread leads me to this one, National Express have a 421 Liverpool - London via Manchester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, one journey each way daily, but the northbound service leaves London, 0030, southbound service leaves Liverpool 02.00, i mean what the, i'd love to know the loadings for this service

I just checked the fare for this on various days and it isn't cheap compared to other departures, which suggests that loadings are high.

 

[Smethwickian]

The Megabus website has started selling tickets for NX services on certain key routes to/from London and Heathrow Airport where it is pulling out from 4 December. Pax appear to be redirected to a new portal powered by Distribusion. Wonder if this could this be a step towards the Megabus name disappearing as an operator (remaining coaches running as Citylink) and the Megabus brand becoming a ticket retailer like BusBud etc???

 

[route101]

Speaking of daft departure/arrivals on the Megabus thread leads me to this one, National Express have a 421 Liverpool - London via Manchester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, one journey each way daily, but the northbound service leaves London, 0030, southbound service leaves Liverpool 02.00, i mean what the, i'd love to know the loadings for this service

You would be surprised how many people use services in the wee small hours if its cheap.

Speaking of daft departure/arrivals on the Megabus thread leads me to this one, National Express have a 421 Liverpool - London via Manchester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, one journey each way daily, but the northbound service leaves London, 0030, southbound service leaves Liverpool 02.00, i mean what the, i'd love to know the loadings for this service

The Southbound service does not call at Manchester Airport whereas the Northbound does.

 

[JonathanH]

You would be surprised how many people use services in the wee small hours if its cheap.

Whilst that is undoubtedly the case, the overnight National Express services on the London to North West corridor are often not that cheap, yet still busy.

 

[MCR247]

Whilst that is undoubtedly the case, the overnight National Express services on the London to North West corridor are often not that cheap, yet still busy.

The thing I’d add NX services like these is that the departure time isn’t that important, it’s the arrival time at the destination (London) that’s key. And whilst these services seem relatively expensive compared to some daytime runs, you have to remember the early morning arrivals are competing with anytime train tickets, so are still probably a bargain compared to those.

I used to be surprised that NX had a 450 from Nottingham to London at 0345 that would regularly be busy until I had reason to be in Westminster by 9am!

 

[Statto]

Whilst that is undoubtedly the case, the overnight National Express services on the London to North West corridor are often not that cheap, yet still busy.

Yeah, i used to get the old 421 Liverpool - London overnight regully, (the old 421 was Blackpool - London via Preston, Liverpool, Birkenhead, Ellesmere Port, Chester, Hanley, Birmingham, Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford & Heathrow, think it went via Stafford, also originally went via Banbury but that was changed to Stratford) even in midweek the Liverpool - London section was always busy that double deck coaches were allocated to this service.

Overnight arrivals at Heathrow do well as they arrive at a time when passengers can check in & catch some of the early flights

 

[Deerfold]

The thing I’d add NX services like these is that the departure time isn’t that important, it’s the arrival time at the destination (London) that’s key. And whilst these services seem relatively expensive compared to some daytime runs, you have to remember the early morning arrivals are competing with anytime train tickets, so are still probably a bargain compared to those.

I used to be surprised that NX had a 450 from Nottingham to London at 0345 that would regularly be busy until I had reason to be in Westminster by 9am!

I used to have a rail season ticket from West Yorkshire to London, but couldn't get to Kings Cross before 0900 without spending the night in Leeds, so a couple of times a year when it was inconvenient to travel the evening before and stay over, I'd catch one of the several busy National Express or Megabus services between midnight and 0230 from Leeds

 

[route101]

The Scottish overnight services are usually busy. They get you in to London early and without spending the whole day on a coach.

 

[Flying Snail]

The railway, with a few exceptions, has basically abandoned the overnight market but people still need to get to places at these times so it is no surprise that these are busy connections for the the coach operators.

 

[TravelDream]

Overnight arrivals at Heathrow do well as they arrive at a time when passengers can check in & catch some of the early flights

This is very important. Arrivals to Heathrow at 4/5/6am are very busy as people catch early morning flights.

NX charges a premium airport routes but also has no competition other than car/ taxi.

 

[frodshamfella]

I'd use National Express to get to London, as the trains can be overly expensive or just poor service. However it seems now you have to go to Liverpool, no Runcorn or Warrington stop these days.