Coastliner 840 between York & Pickering

Has anyone had any recent experiences using the Yorkshire Coastliner route 840 bus to connect between York and the NYMR at Pickering?

Especially regarding:
1) Overcrowding on the buses?
2) Uncomfortably tight connections between bus & train at Pickering?

Background is, Mrs S.B and I will be spending a week in York in September. We won't have a car, but at some point during our stay we'd like to do a day out (mid-week) on the NYMR, Pickering to Goathland or Whitby & return.

In theory the Coastliner 840 should make this quite easy. But I've read accounts on the web that, whenever it's anything like a nice day, this bus gets rammed with pensioners from Leeds or York going for a grand day out in Whitby on their free bus passes. To the extent that regular punters might have to stand for 2hr+, or can't get onto the bus at all.

Also the connection times between buses and trains at Pickering look quite "snug" - 15 to 20 mins in round figures. The bus stops are in the town, not at the NYMR station, so you'd imagine any delay (roadworks or biddy arguing about her free pass, or late train on the way home) could mean not enough time to walk through town, buy tickets and get a seat aboard the kettle.

Does anyone have any experiences - positive or otherwise - on either point?

I can't comment on the hordes of bus pass holders but boarding before 0930 in York would solve the problem, and opting for one of the short workings to Thornton Dale would also ease it!

I would also be inclined to allow more than 15-20 minutes for a connection, particularly if you want the Whitby train, because both Pickering town and station are quite busy places.

In short, go an hour earlier and stroll through the town rather than rushing!

Check the timetables on their website. As 30907 says try boarding in York. There are quite a number of short workings york/Malton to Pickering/Thornton-le-dale which might solve the problem. They operate double deckers (only 6 months old) on the 840 route. I caught the 840 from Malton a couple of weeks ago to Goathland and no problem but it was a poor showery day. The timetable books give maps to show you where to board the buses in Whitby, Pickering, Malton, York etc. There are toilets at the bus station in Malton BUT it is pay and enter - around 20p if I remember correctly.

Double decker to Goathland? Thought there was a low bridge?
That said, riding a decker up out of Sleights is amazing!

Yes it misses the first turn off and uses the second one.
Then runs to the Mallyan roundabout and turns round and retraces its steps back to the A169.

Ploughman said:

Yes it misses the first turn off and uses the second one.
Then runs to the Mallyan roundabout and turns round and retraces its steps back to the A169.

Click to expand...

Ah, thanks. Only time I used a decker on 840 it wasn't booked via Goathland at all.

Used to be single deck. Too many ENCTS users, so went double deck and revised route as described. The occasional service that missed Goathland (and still does) is presently numbered X40.

I caught the 1045ish bus from York to Pickering back in April. From what I can remember it was a few minutes late getting into York and picked up quite a few on the way out of the city. Not too many intermediate stops, but plenty getting on and off in the villages.

We encountered a delay of about 10 minutes at the depot in Malton, due to an emergency hammer falling off the window upstairs! There's plenty of opportunity to get stuck behind tractors and the like, so I'd give myself plenty of time if I were you and get some lunch from the excellent bakers on the High Street.

The journey itself is lovely and the buses are comfortable - enjoy!

If it is a double decker it goes in another route and does a three point turn near Mallyan Spout hotel (It did when I last took the bus).

If you're going to Pickering then sadly the coastliner is the only way ... if on the other hand you are going to Whitby .. Go to Scarborough and get the 93/93A/X93 from there .. takes an hour and is a lost cheaper.

My Mum always goes this way now as the coastliner is always full, late uncomfortable and prone to having to change at Malton due to a bus failure.

Some further help please: The current 840 timetable has the East-bound service (from York/Malton) stoping at Pickering NYMR. Where is that stop please as I can't find it on Google Maps. I'd rather not end up in Thornton-le-Dale!

I've travelled West-bound from Pickering Eastgate Square (to Malton) but never the other way (Last time I used a Taxi from Malton as the bus was running late and I would have missed the 12:00 departure).

Many thanks. [Travelling 26/9/2019]

I believe all coastliners call at the Eastgate stop just right of the roundabout - and that's a ~10 minute walk from the station.
Put it this way - if the bus you are on turns right at the roundabout in Pickering - get off right there.

Thank you very much! Agree with that scenario. Yup done the walk to Eastgate in the opposite direction.