Megabus Gold

[cambsy]

Just booked Megabus Gold from Plymouth to London at 16.30 and then 23.00 London to Inverness on Tues 23rd July, returning on 24th on 19.30 Inverness to London and then the 10.30 London to Plymouth on Thursday 25th July, doing 3 day trip to sample Megabus Gold in both day and night modes, costing £102.00 altogether which includes refreshments, should be good, will do report on trip.

 

[anthony263]

Megabus Gold are launching a sleeper service from Bristol to Glasgow which also serves Cardiff starting from this weekend.

Also additional Cardiff/Bristol - London Victoria services are due to start using some of the Megabus gold vehicles

 

[radamfi]

The Bristol to Glasgow service stops at Birmingham at 0200. If you get it from Bristol/Cardiff to Birmingham or Birmingham to Glasgow you will only get a few hours sleep. And does everybody get woken up on arrival at Birmingham?

 

[SF-02]

Have they now stopped the old bendy buses with private beds for this gold service from London to Scotland? Shame if so and I wouldn't use it whereas old one was enticing.

 

[mbonwick]

Yes, the artics have been withdrawn for now, though some did see use as temporary accomodation for drivers at T in the Park.

I believe the plan is they will be used for dupes as needed, until the Gold network properly settles down.

 

[Class 33]

Spotted this review elsewhere on the net...

The sleeper bus layout has changed significantly.

I wouldn’t recommend the bus with the new layout to anyone.

You no longer get a seat & bed, only a bed nowadays, with the bed’s previous privacy now gone! a bed with no privacy – no thanks!!

The new layout includes side by side single beds with entrance only from 1 side!!!

With details of each stop shouted out over the tannoy every 2 hours, the unability to block out the glow from the street lights & the poor temperature control, It’s nigh on impossible to actually get a sleep!

All in all the sleeper service is not what it once was.

I along with my friends that were previous users of the services no longer use them. I am sure we are not alone.

No Privacy – No Thanks

I've been thinking about doing a little trip up to Edinburgh, using up my East Coast Rewards points for the train journey up there. Stay there a night. And then the next night get a Megabus Sleeper back to London.

Now, the lack of privacy sleeping in the bunks is not a problem for me. As I have stayed in hostel dorms many times over the years. And for an overnight sleeper coach, all you need to do is sleep really, so what's the problem. BUT I don't like the sound of side by side beds with entrance/exit only from one side! In effect these are more like double beds, and you'll be sleeping next to a stranger!

 

[starrymarkb]

It doesn't look that nice either.

Seating is 2+1 so in theory couples can sleep together

 

[radamfi]

http://www.arnoldclark.com/newsroom...leeper-service-equipped-with-beds-and-onesies

clearly shows that the 2+2 seats convert into one bed on top of another, so it isn't like a double bed. In fact, there is more intimacy from the beds across the aisle.

You get an eye mask so that you don't get woken up by lights from outside the window.

Maybe there are a few 'dodgy' seats where you have the 'side by side' layout.

I don't mind the idea of not having a seat as well as a bed. The annoying thing about the bendies were that you weren't allowed to go straight to bed as you had to sit in the seat until the coach reached the motorway. You also got woken up before the destination as you had to go back to the seat.

 

[Liam]

The annoying thing about the bendies were that you weren't allowed to go straight to bed as you had to sit in the seat until the coach reached the motorway. You also got woken up before the destination as you had to go back to the seat.

I never had to do that.

 

[radamfi]

I never had to do that.

Maybe they changed the policy. I used it just as the service started, and paid £1.50!

 

[Liam]

Maybe they changed the policy. I used it just as the service started, and paid £1.50!

The first time I used it, the driver/co-driver never said anything other than seat and bed number, so I just jumped into the bed. Second time they said anyone who hasn't been on before take a seat while we read some stuff out. I was really tired and wanted to try and get to sleep before setting off, so again I went straight to bed. Don't think I would use it again, prefer the seated sleeper.

 

[anthony263]

Another issue I have with Megabus gold is the price £16.00 from Cardiff to London Victoria each way compared to £5.00 on the standard Megabus.

The problem is the service I usually catch back from London is now a megabus gold service which throws a wrench into teh works.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Bristol to Glasgow at £60 return doesn't sound too bad. Seems to be the base line for fares as they don't seem to drop below £30. I was hoping all the way in October there might be some ridiculous £1.50 fares, but they all seem to be £30 and upwards.

 

[tbtc]

Once you've got people used to getting something for a quid (or free), it's going to be hard to get them to accept a reasonable fare like £60 for Bristol to Glasgow (return) or £16 from Cardiff to London (single).

Not a lot of companies have managed to go *upmarket* - best of luck to Stagecoach here but once people get used to paying pennies it may be hard to get them to stump up a reasonable fare (that's probably still cheaper than train/driving/ NationalExpress).

 

[Class 33]

Megabus Sleeper fares are actually available at £15. But none available at the mo, as they've all been snapped up. Only about SIX tickets per service/journey are available at these lowest fares.

For bookings from October through to February, try checking again in very early August for the £15 tickets. But you'll have to be quick!

 

[overthewater]

Other problem is the bendis only just cover its cost, its made no profits. I never understood why it need seats in the first place. Why not have all beds? better still give the seats to new passengers, I bet 24 addition passengers at £20 a pop would get the profits in.

Hence we ended up with the van hools, more beds, and can also be used during the day thus more money.

 

[starrymarkb]

UK PSV licencing requires a seat for all passengers in addition to the bed otherwise I bet they'd go fully bed

 

[scotsman]

UK PSV licencing requires a seat for all passengers in addition to the bed otherwise I bet they'd go fully bed

I doubt it, convertible seats/beds means that the coaches can be fully utilised during the day. Stupid to have coaches sitting out of service for 15 hours/day

 

[radamfi]

I doubt it, convertible seats/beds means that the coaches can be fully utilised during the day. Stupid to have coaches sitting out of service for 15 hours/day

If we assume the daytime runs are basically a 'bonus', as otherwise the coaches would be idle, what kind of loadings, at £16 to Cardiff for example, do they need to make them worthwhile?

I was at VCS the other day at 1400, where there is a normal Megabus and Megabus Gold to Cardiff at the same time, and there was only one passenger for Gold.

Do the Citylink Gold services in Scotland carry decent loads?

 

[overthewater]

To be fair, the Edinburgh services displace normal Megabus journeys, so said runs will be busy. Glasgow runs operate the only direct services to inverness.

So yes.

 

[radamfi]

Is Glasgow to Aberdeen Citylink Gold popular? There is a regular direct Megabus service on this route, albeit taking longer because of the extra stops.

 

[Volvodart]

There seem to be a lot of concession cardholders using it, as they get free refreshments.

 

[Blindtraveler]

wasnt aware consessions were allowed on this? Certainly, even as a holder of one I do pay for Citylink gold as its good for working but I am no about to starting using government funds on this type of service. As to MB Gold the sleaping layout doesnt attract me if it is as described.↲

 

[radamfi]

It looks like I have to eat my words. There really are double beds on it! On one side of the coach you have one single hammock above a single bed and on the other side you have a single hammock above a double bed.

That is not clear from the publicity shots and is not mentioned on the website. Whilst the driver did try to ensure that singles got the single beds, it was clear that it is quite likely that you might have to share a double bed with someone you don't know. I don't think that is acceptable.

 

[Deerfold]

That is not clear from the publicity shots and is not mentioned on the website. Whilst the driver did try to ensure that singles got the single beds, it was clear that it is quite likely that you might have to share a double bed with someone you don't know. I don't think that is acceptable.

Depends who it's with.

[/joking]

That's quite a surprise! I'm used to staying in youth hostels and am used to sharing a room with all sorts of people. I've never yet had to share a bed (other than one each in upper and lower (and sometimes middle) bunk).

 

[david16]

wasnt aware consessions were allowed on this? Certainly, even as a holder of one I do pay for Citylink gold as its good for working but I am no about to starting using government funds on this type of service. As to MB Gold the sleaping layout doesnt attract me if it is as described.↲

Perhaps there should be a special fare for concessionary pass holders to travel by express coach and train.

Perhaps £1 single for pensioners/disabled for a single rail/express coach journey or £2 multi journey for rail/express coach that could be usable on both modes. Some areas only have the train and have no access to an express coach and in some cases the full adult fare is the only option for a ticket which is ridiculously expensive to expect a pensioner to have to fork out. They ought really to significantly reduce the price for pensioners and disabled.

It would be unfair to expect pensioners to suddenly have to find the full fare for each and every journey they make on scotrail, Transpennine express,Virgin Rail, East Coast by rail and Citylink, Citylink Gold, Megabus, Megabus Gold and Stagecoach express by express coach.

But there is nothing to suggest that pensioners are abusing the concessionary travel scheme.

 

[radamfi]

Here are a couple of pics of the double beds

m.flickr.com/#/photos/86423851@N08/9609522102

m.flickr.com/#/photos/86423851@N08/9609529464/

Strictly speaking, they are two single beds together, but they are only separated at the foot of the bed by a small bit of wood. You cannot sleep head to foot as you have to sleep facing the direction of travel in case of emergency braking.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Pretty much this will mean unless something goes wrong all the megabus services between south wales & London will be formed of double deck coaches with the exception of the 2300 London - Cardiff and 0400 Cardiff - London services which should be worked by single deck coaches and quite often this has be worked by a citylink liveried volvo

The 0530 Cardiff to London was a single decker when I caught it in July and the 2300 London to Cardiff was a double decker on 11th September.

 

[scotsman]

Bump. Review of my trip on Megabus Gold here: http://www.kettlemag.co.uk/article/megabus-gold-new-way-travel-overnight

Any questions, just ask

 

[radamfi]

Bump. Review of my trip on Megabus Gold here: http://www.kettlemag.co.uk/article/megabus-gold-new-way-travel-overnight

Any questions, just ask

Nice review. The critical line for me is

Groups and couples are generally allocated to the pairs of beds on the left, limiting the chance of sharing with a stranger.

So you could be forced to sleep with a stranger. That seemed evident on my trip in August.

I personally am not prepared to lie down with another man. I wonder what would happen if I refused to share a double bed? Maybe the driver would get someone else to swap, but more likely I would be kicked off the bus, which would be unfair given that the possibility of sleeping with a stranger is not mentioned on the website.

I noticed today that adverts in VCS state that Megabus Gold daytime (England and Wales) is from £5 + 50p booking fee, so that looks like a permanent deal.