Megabus Gold day services

[Mojo]

Has anyone here used the Megabus Gold daytime services? All the reviews I search for on Google seem to relate to the nighttime service.

If so, can anyone advise what the type of complimentary refreshments they supply are, and also what the process is for boarding the coaches?

 

[kelv]

Don't know about the Gold Service but I travelled on Megabus to Lille from Manchester to watch Everton play. Was a touch cramped (and I'm by no means tall) but as it only cost me 50p return I was hardly gonna complain.

 

[freetoview33]

Has anyone here used the Megabus Gold daytime services? All the reviews I search for on Google seem to relate to the nighttime service.

If so, can anyone advise what the type of complimentary refreshments they supply are, and also what the process is for boarding the coaches?

I have once not long after launch. Boarding depends what time of day you are travelling and where to.

When I was on it there was a cheap pop drink and a muffin for complimentary refreshments I think you should get a choice of Tea and Coffee too and a sandwich! But I didn't personally experience this.

Also electric sockets but again on the trip I took these weren't working!

The only reason I booked Gold was at the time it was cheaper than the regular service. A few things I didn't like were, Armrests didn't really exist (Due to arrangements for beds) and you are sat at a table and have little choice but to chat to people around you (Privacy issues), But the seats are spacious.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

Not Megabus Gold as such, but on Scottish Daytime routes we have Citylink Gold which do use some of the Megabus Gold Van Hool's on routes G9 and G10.

On board facilities are -

Tea
Coffee
Bottled Water

And complimentary snacks are also served on-board.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Don't know about the Gold Service but I travelled on Megabus to Lille from Manchester to watch Everton play. Was a touch cramped (and I'm by no means tall) but as it only cost me 50p return I was hardly gonna complain.

Megabus Gold is a curious arrangement of 2+1 around half-width tables (which is because of how the beds fit in). Very spacious but half the passengers going backwards.

Neil

 

[extendedpaul]

I travel between London and Cardiff regularly on Megabus and use the Gold daytime service occasionally. I find it a very pleasant and civillised way to travel.

When first launched the complimentary refreshments included sandwiches but I haven't been offered these for at least a year. There is usually a serving of a muffin and a cold drink (cola, iron bru or water) and sometimes a second serving of a piece of shortbread or fudge with a small carton of juice. The cold drinks are really cold, particularly welcoming on a hot day. Tea and coffee is only offered about 50% of the time in my experience. The (Scottish) crew are mainly very friendly and happy to chat.

I've never had to travel backwards and don;t want to but some people choose the back facing seat which I find surprising.

Boarding is the same as on a standard megabus from reference numbers checked against a list.

Fares start at £5 with several seats sold at that price whereas there is only one at £1 on most standard services.

 

[Mojo]

Do you book a specific seat or is it first come first served?

 

[Temple Meads]

Do you book a specific seat or is it first come first served?

First come first served.
_____

I agree with the other posters regarding backwards seats, they would probably make me motion sick, very quickly!

 

[freetoview33]

First come first served.
_____

I agree with the other posters regarding backwards seats, they would probably make me motion sick, very quickly!

Although when I was travelling on the last gold of the day between London and Bristol/Cardiff. All bristol passengers were upstairs and cardiff down this was because at Bristol the top deck became a sleeper for the night service to Glasgow.

 

[extendedpaul]

Although when I was travelling on the last gold of the day between London and Bristol/Cardiff. All bristol passengers were upstairs and cardiff down this was because at Bristol the top deck became a sleeper for the night service to Glasgow.

That sleeper service between Cardiff and Glasgow is withdrawn from 1st March due to low usage.

The 19.00 Megabus Gold journey from London to Cardiff via Bristol is continuing and it looks like the coach will overnight in Cardiff (or Cwmbran) and form the 06.30 Gold to London via Bristol the following morning.

 

[quarella]

I Armrests didn't really exist (Due to arrangements for beds) and you are sat at a table and have little choice but to chat to people around you (Privacy issues), But the seats are spacious.

Privacy Issues!?
1 You don't have to talk.
2 Only say what you are comfortable with.
3 Headphones can be very useful even if you do not actually turn the music on.
4 In normal seating you are going to be able to hear and be heard by the people around you.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Privacy Issues!?
1 You don't have to talk.
2 Only say what you are comfortable with.
3 Headphones can be very useful even if you do not actually turn the music on.
4 In normal seating you are going to be able to hear and be heard by the people around you.

I don't get it either. I get the train to London or Manchester and often have a table seat - helps me work with the laptop but if not, I can just pop the ipod on or sleep

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't get it either. I get the train to London or Manchester and often have a table seat - helps me work with the laptop but if not, I can just pop the ipod on or sleep

I think it's a personal thing. I'd rather not have somebody opposite unless they were travelling with me.

Neil

 

[Titfield]

A backwards facing seat is actually a safer seat.

In the event of sudden deceleration the force applied "forces" you into the seat whereas when facing forwards you are thrown forwards which if you are not wearing a seatbelt can have dire consequences.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A backwards facing seat is actually a safer seat.

In the event of sudden deceleration the force applied "forces" you into the seat whereas when facing forwards you are thrown forwards which if you are not wearing a seatbelt can have dire consequences.

Personally I find all UK public transport to be adequately safe, and therefore will make my choice on comfort rather than safety.

Neil

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I think it's a personal thing. I'd rather not have somebody opposite unless they were travelling with me.

Neil

You could always pay for more seats than you need?

 

[Bletchleyite]

You could always pay for more seats than you need?

It's an option (one you can do on a plane), though will Megabus let you or will they sell the spare seat to a walk-up passenger?

Neil

 

[Mike395]

It's an option (one you can do on a plane), though will Megabus let you or will they sell the spare seat to a walk-up passenger?

Neil

It's unreserved seating on Megabus though (unlike a plane) - so Im not sure a strategy of buying the second seat you want to keep free would work...

 

[Deerfold]

A backwards facing seat is actually a safer seat.

In the event of sudden deceleration the force applied "forces" you into the seat whereas when facing forwards you are thrown forwards which if you are not wearing a seatbelt can have dire consequences.

Such as pitching you into the person opposite you in the backwards-facing seats?

 

[quarella]

Such as pitching you into the person opposite you in the backwards-facing seats?

Potentially with this effect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKHY69AFstE

 

[extendedpaul]

Megabus are ending all the daytime gold services between London and Cardiff/Bristol/Plymouth from 4 May. London to Scotland sleeper services are not affected.

They don't appear to be transferring the vehicles to other routes during the day so not sure what the crews will do but perhaps sleep ?

There's an extra standard service to and from Plymouth but via Bristol and Exeter instead of direct so 40/45 minutes longer journey time .

On the Cardiff route the frequency is now slightly reduced and the last service to London on Tues-Thurs and Sat is now the 17.20. Affects me as I often travel on the 18.30 gold to London on Wednesday or Thursday and will now need to use National Express at 19.00 .

 

[ValleyLines142]

Megabus are ending all the daytime gold services between London and Cardiff/Bristol/Plymouth from 4 May. London to Scotland sleeper services are not affected.

They don't appear to be transferring the vehicles to other routes during the day so not sure what the crews will do but perhaps sleep ?

There's an extra standard service to and from Plymouth but via Bristol and Exeter instead of direct so 40/45 minutes longer journey time .

On the Cardiff route the frequency is now slightly reduced and the last service to London on Tues-Thurs and Sat is now the 17.20. Affects me as I often travel on the 18.30 gold to London on Wednesday or Thursday and will now need to use National Express at 19.00 .

Ah that's a real disappointment. I quite liked the Gold journeys. May have to squeeze one last journey up to London before 4th May!

Looks like I'll be taking the train from now on then!

 

[Stonesourscotty]

You can now book the Bed Next to you on Gold services if you want to have extra room £25 is the cost.

 

[freetoview33]

I wonder why they are being withdrawn? It was a good concept! Okay not 100% about the routes it served but I hope this is not the end of Megabus Gold daytime!

Maybe Holyhead - London, Pembroke Dock - London, as well as services to Scotland. Maybe a version of the M34,35,36.

Gold would be attractive on Long Distance routes as well as maybe some non stop London - Manchester services?

 

[Martin2012]

Its a shame that the Megabus Gold services are ending but I do wonder, maybe its better that Megabus concentrate on their main bulk of services where they have the opportunity to sell a greater number of seats and make a greater profit margin per passenger.

I do wonder if one of the problems for the Megabus Gold services were that the overhead costs were too high after all the different expenses had been accounted for(eg refreshments, driver's wages, fuel) and that the profit margin for each passenger was very small.

I didn't realise that the last journey from Cardiff to London was 17:20. I thought they had journeys running much later than that. Here in Bristol its currently something like 1900-1930 apart from on Friday and Sunday when its 2000. And after the timetable change it will be 2100.

I've noticed they're adding in an extra journey from Cardiff to London by extending the existing Friday and Sunday only departure 1430 from Bristol and 1830 return and making it a 7 day service.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Gold would be attractive on Long Distance routes as well as maybe some non stop London - Manchester services?

As people don't like facing backwards and can't guarantee they won't, the seating (even though 2+1) may not be popular.

I do wonder if a 2+1 seated forward facing coach might be popular, particularly if you can reserve a seat on the 1 side. That said, getting into that kind of thing means coach companies can't substitute a different vehicle without complaints so they won't like the idea.

 

[quarella]

As people don't like facing backwards and can't guarantee they won't, the seating (even though 2+1) may not be popular.
.

I managed to squeeze in a Megabus Gold journey between Victoria and Cardiff last week. Half a dozen couples all chose to sit opposite each other suggesting that travelling backwards is not an issue for some as there was sufficient seating for them to travel forwards. The occassions I have travelled on double deck coaches with table seating downstairs such as Bakers Avon-London Flyer and some National Express travels in the eighties, as on trains the table seats were quickly occupied.

 

[extendedpaul]

I won't manage another journey on Megabus Gold unfortunately but I'll really miss the service with the friendly Scottish crew who seem to take a real pride in their work and were always happy to chat.:

Nice muffins and really cold Irn Bru too

 

[quarella]

I won't manage another journey on Megabus Gold unfortunately but I'll really miss the service with the friendly Scottish crew who seem to take a real pride in their work and were always happy to chat.:

Nice muffins and really cold Irn Bru too

I had shortbread too. A bottle of water was available for those whose pallette doesn't stretch to Irn Bru. Could certainly see the merits of the service. Possibly fell between two stools. Too expensive for those wanting to travel as cheaply as possible and the more snobbish thinking that something that cheap cannot be any good. Too late now.