Megabus New Services?

[sonic2009]

Having just booked a journey with megabus online between Coventry and London for £1.

I noticed Worcester as a desitination in the drop-down menu. I had a quick look and it seems there is a new service to Gloucester, Swindon and London.

Any other new services?

 

[Jay]

Don't about new, but there is a Megabus service from Leeds to Nottingham at 2am in the morning. However there is not one the other way!

 

[Volvodart]

It is difficult to find out new services without going into the website and searching for yourself. The left hand drive coaches are supposed to be launched on 23 September and there are new European services coming which we may hear about then. They may add on details of any other new UK services then.

 

[radamfi]

A few weeks ago Lille, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Cologne were visible on the drop down box but they were removed shortly afterwards.

It looked like there would be a new service from Brussels to Rotterdam and Amsterdam, from Antwerp to Rotterdam and Amsterdam, from Rotterdam to Antwerp and Brussels, and from Amsterdam to Antwerp and Brussels.

So it looks like the service will run London to Gent to Brussels to Antwerp to Rotterdam to Amsterdam. My guess is that it would be an extra service to the existing London to Amsterdam service. Possibly that service would no longer stop in Brussels.

It was noteworthy that bookings didn't look permitted between Rotterdam and Amsterdam, or between Antwerp, Brussels or Gent. Presumably domestic coach services within the Netherlands and Belgium are still banned and haven't yet been deregulated, unlike Germany where National Express have already set up quite a comprehensive network.

 

[Volvodart]

http://www.stagecoach.com/media/news-releases/2013/2013-10-02.aspx

Megabus.com expands to new European destinations

02 Oct 2013
Coach operator to enter German market for first time
New links from UK to Cologne, Ghent, Lille, Rotterdam and Antwerp
10 new left-hand-drive vehicles introduced on European network
Timetable improvements also made to UK network
Tickets available from 7 October at www.megabus.com

megabus.com announced today (2 October 2013) that it is expanding its network of budget coach services to include new European destinations.

The low-cost coach operator – part of Stagecoach Group - is to run services in Germany for the first time, with a new link between London and Cologne to be launched on 21 October.

In addition, megabus.com will also now serve Lille, Ghent, Rotterdam and Antwerp for the first time, providing even more choice for customers travelling to Europe.

Offering seats for as little as £1*, the new London to Cologne service, which will also serve Ghent and Brussels in Belgium, will operate twice a day in each direction, with a total journey time of ten and a half hours.

Also from 21 October, customers will be able to travel on twice daily services between London, Lille, Ghent, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, with journeys between London and Lille taking less than six hours.

Prices on all megabus.com Europe services range from £1 or €1 up to £40 or €40*.

Tickets for the new services will be available to buy on www.megabus.com from Monday 7 October.

megabus.com launched its European network in April 2012, offering journeys between the UK and Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Boulogne. The services have proved very popular with families, students and tourists looking to bag a bargain ticket to Europe.

More people are choosing to travel by coach, with figures showing that 27% more passengers used megabus.com Europe services during the most recent 4-week period, compared to the same period in 2012.

megabus.com has also recently introduced a fleet of 10 brand new left-hand-drive 72-seat Van Hool coaches to operate on its network in Europe. All vehicles are equipped with wi-fi, air conditioning and a toilet on board.

All locations are served daily, with routes to and from the UK operating during the day and overnight. An interchange at Victoria Coach Station also offers through services to and from locations in Scotland, England and Wales.

megabus.com has launched French and Dutch language websites to make it even easier for European customers to book their tickets and the company is also due to launch a German language website.

The new European services are part of a series of network improvements being made by megabus.com. The megabus.com UK network will also see the below timetable improvements from Monday (7 October):
A new link to Ireland with megabus.com services operating from London and Manchester to Holyhead where passengers can link with the ferry service to Dublin.
More services every day between London and Swansea
A new link from Swansea to Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham Airport and Birmingham.
Frequency between Norwich and London doubled to four services every day
A new link from Worcester to London, Swindon, Gloucester and Cheltenham

Managing Director of Stagecoach's UK Coach division, Elizabeth Esnouf said: "These new links are great news for our customers and we're delighted to be entering the German market for the first time. With more locations added to our European network, our low-cost, high-quality coach services will allow customers to travel even more extensively at very affordable prices, helping to make their money go further.

"We believe megabus.com has the scope to grow even further, in the UK and Europe, and we look forward to attracting more and more people on to our greener, smarter coach services."

megabus.com recently celebrated its 10th anniversary after launching in the UK in 2003. The company revolutionised coach travel by offering fares from just £1* via a simple online booking system. Almost five million passengers now use megabus.com services in the UK every year, which operate to more than 60 locations across the country. More than 30 million passengers have used megabus.com services over the past decade in the UK. A further 30 million customers have used megabus.com in North America since its launch in the US in 2006.

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact: Stagecoach Group Communications on 01738 442111 or email: [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

* All megabus.com bookings are subject to a 50pence or 50cent booking fee

TIMETABLES FOR MEGABUS.COM EUROPE ROUTES

London-Ghent-Brussels-Cologne / Cologne-Brussels-Ghent-London


London

Departs 0900 / 2130

Cologne

Departs 1115 / 2130


Ghent

Departs 1525 / 0515

Brussels

Departs 1415 / 0030


Brussels

Departs 1630 / 0610

Ghent

Departs 1520 / 0135


Cologne

Arrives 1930 / 0910

London

Arrives 2000 / 0730


London-Lille-Ghent-Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam / Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp-Ghent-Lille-London


London

Departs 1030 / 2130

Amsterdam

Departs 0900 / 2120


Lille

Departs 1620 / 0440

Rotterdam

Departs 1015 / 2235


Ghent

Departs 1715 / 0535

Antwerp

Departs 1145 / 0005


Antwerp

Departs 1805 / 0625

Ghent

Departs 1240 / 0100


Rotterdam

Departs 1925 / 0745

Lille

Departs 1340 / 0200


Amsterdam

Arrives 2030 / 0900

London

Arrives 1800 / 0730


London-Boulogne-Paris / Paris-Boulogne-London


London

Departs 1030 / 2130

Paris

Departs 1100 / 2300


Boulogne

Departs 1540 / 0400

Boulogne

Departs 1430 / 0220


Paris

Arrives 1900 / 0800

London

Arrives 1800 / 0730


Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam / Amsterdam-Brussels-Paris


Paris

Departs 1130 / 2300

Amsterdam

Departs 1030 / 2330


Brussels

Departs 1430 / 0200

Brussels

Departs 1530 / 0400


Amsterdam

Arrives 1900 / 0620

Paris

Arrives 1830 / 0640 (0720 on Saturdays)

 

[Aldaniti]

London to Cologne with 71 other passengers, 1 micro-toilet and a travelling environment that probably makes a Pendolino look luxurious? Nein danke. Particularly when you can get a DB Special for £59.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It does annoy me that Megabus love to emblazon their buses with "FARES FROM £1* +50p booking fee". Just say "Fares from £1.50" as surely that looks far more honest!

Apologies for diverting this new topic. I'm sure some will be more than able to cope with the conditions on board, especially if it costs them less than I have to pay for a bus from my place into town!

 

[radamfi]

It says you can book it from 7 October, yet it looks like the timetable for the London to Amsterdam route can already be seen and will no longer serve Brussels from that day. The stops at Lille, Antwerp and Rotterdam are shown as 'TBC'.

 

[Deerfold]

It does annoy me that Megabus love to emblazon their buses with "FARES FROM £1* +50p booking fee". Just say "Fares from £1.50" as surely that looks far more honest!

I've booked 6 journeys at once with Megabus before now - and only paid one 50p booking fee. So their advertising is more accurate.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I've booked 6 journeys at once with Megabus before now - and only paid one 50p booking fee. So their advertising is more accurate.

Good point, well made. I have done the same, generally booking an out and return, sometimes for multiple people. Guess I just get suspicious at the sight of asterisks! It doesn't help that the Megabus 'Mascot' bloke looks rather shifty to me, too!

 

[howittpie]

Don't about new, but there is a Megabus service from Leeds to Nottingham at 2am in the morning. However there is not one the other way!

That replaces the present 02.20 journey from Leeds to London which at present goes via Birmingham and Coventry will now go via Nottingham, Loughborough and Leicester thus arriving in London at 0800 thus providing an early service from town served by East Midlands trains that offer megatrain normally. There hasn't been a late nite return on that service for sometime. However I note there is 21.00 Megabus back as far as Nottingham.

 

[Deerfold]

That replaces the present 02.20 journey from Leeds to London which at present goes via Birmingham and Coventry will now go via Nottingham, Loughborough and Leicester thus arriving in London at 0800 thus providing an early service from town served by East Midlands trains that offer megatrain normally. There hasn't been a late nite return on that service for sometime. However I note there is 21.00 Megabus back as far as Nottingham.

Presumably the 0100 via Leicester and Loughborough has proved popular.

Odd that there's nothing back from Nottingham - and only the one from Leicester and Loughborough.

I note the stop in Leeds has moved into the bus station, though some journeys are still showing the old stop (I'm not talking about overnight services).

 

[howittpie]

I also notice there appears to be an 0100 M1 service starting to Coventry and Birmingham from London and the 04.45 early departure from Birmingham and Coventry to London is still running but as a stand alone service instead of coming from Leeds wonder if that will be the same coach returning.

 

[Julian W]

What are the new Van Hool coaches they've introduced? Same models as those recently introduced on the UK network?

 

[Deerfold]

Just looking up an overnight journey London to Manchester and noticed that the 0100 from London goes Rugby, Leicester, Loughborough, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester...

That's quite a route.

And takes 90 minutes longer than the ones that do London to Manchester non-stop.

 

[radamfi]

Just looking up an overnight journey London to Manchester and noticed that the 0100 from London goes Rugby, Leicester, Loughborough, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester...

That's quite a route.

And takes 90 minutes longer than the ones that do London to Manchester non-stop.

If you want to get some sleep on the coach, it might be better than arriving at Manchester at 0530.

It also continues on to Horwich Parkway, Preston, Lancaster University and Glasgow. I've seen it arrive into Manchester at 0700 and most people got off.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What are the new Van Hool coaches they've introduced? Same models as those recently introduced on the UK network?

Megabus buy lots of left hand drive Van Hools for the American services, so perhaps it was just rolled into that order? There may be different requirements for the American services of course.

 

[Deerfold]

If you want to get some sleep on the coach, it might be better than arriving at Manchester at 0530.

It also continues on to Horwich Parkway, Preston, Lancaster University and Glasgow. I've seen it arrive into Manchester at 0700 and most people got off.

Indeed - I need to be in Manchester for about 0800 so that's not a problem for me - it's just very round the houses, especially as so many Megabus services are far more direct than the NX equivalent.

 

[mbonwick]

What are the new Van Hool coaches they've introduced? Same models as those recently introduced on the UK network?

The Gold Sleeper coaches are TDX29 Astromegas.
The LHD coaches for Megabus Euro are TDX21 Altanos, in a C69/3Ft configuration.

 

[radamfi]

The LHD coaches for Megabus Euro are TDX21 Altanos, in a C69/3Ft configuration.

Just Googled that and it is a similar concept to the Plaxton Interdeck with massive luggage space and front seats above the driver.

 

[mbonwick]

Other way round! The Altano family has been around for a lot longer than the Plaxton Elitei, so its obvious who copied who :P

 

[radamfi]

Other way round! The Altano family has been around for a lot longer than the Plaxton Elitei, so its obvious who copied who :P

Fair enough! I generally much prefer Van Hool to Plaxton so it is a shame that Megabus have gone for Plaxton for the Interdecks. Maybe Van Hool don't make a RHD version of the Altano?

 

[mbonwick]

There is an RHD version of the Altano available, the clue is in the cost;

£310,000+ for an Altano
£290,000 for an Elitei

 

[MK Tom]

Does anyone know how the changes to the European services have affected the destinations available and/or the stops at Milton Keynes?

Stagecoach's X7 buses are still advertising MK-Paris on the insides.

 

[DaveHarries]

London to Cologne with 71 other passengers, 1 micro-toilet and a travelling environment that probably makes a Pendolino look luxurious? Nein danke. Particularly when you can get a DB Special for £59.

You got any weblinks for info on those DB Specials? Thanks.

 

[howittpie]

Just looking up an overnight journey London to Manchester and noticed that the 0100 from London goes Rugby, Leicester, Loughborough, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester...

That's quite a route.

And takes 90 minutes longer than the ones that do London to Manchester non-stop.

It has always gone that route since it started except for Rugby that was added not that long ago. The service is usually fully booked as far Leeds so if you are using it make sure you are near the front of the queue to get a good seat. After Leeds there are usually spare seats and north of Manchester is vurtually empty.

 

[Deerfold]

It has always gone that route since it started except for Rugby that was added not that long ago. The service is usually fully booked as far Leeds so if you are using it make sure you are near the front of the queue to get a good seat. After Leeds there are usually spare seats and north of Manchester is vurtually empty.

I've caught it Southbound before - I knew it came from Gasgow but never realised it came via Manchester.

 

[sonic2009]

Im off to Paris for £2 what coach will i expect?

 

[mbonwick]

Van Hool Altano TDX21 LHD C67/3Ft, or if things have gone slightly awry, a Volvo B9R/Plaxton Panther 2 C49FLt.