bb21
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I have done it before, but that was more than 10 years ago now. Just showed the driver both tickets and explained what I did, and the driver happily waved me on.
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Megabus vs National Express
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Ayman Ilham
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I haven't really been on a coach in a while (last time I used a scheduled coach service was back in 2010 on a National Express from Stansted to Heathrow and I was only a kid back then) but, since the quality of the coaches (based on what I heard from others) is all down to personal preference, which company is better really depends on where you are travelling to! Where do NatEx and Megabus stop in the towns/cities you plan to travel between? How convenient is the location of the stop/station (city centre or out of town)? Is it a proper bus station with waiting facilities and information or just a simple kerbside stop that may not even have a shelter? It's all down to the city you're travelling to/from!
For some cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, etc. National Express often have their own coach stations in a certain part of the city centre which would have variable facilities depending on the city (for example, Birmingham and Manchester are very good, while the ones in Newcastle and Southampton are considerably smaller with less facilities) and would often have a live departure board! Many times, they may use the main bus station of the city shared with local buses, as is the case with cities like Bristol and Bath!
For Megabus, it is much more variable as sometimes, it may just be a simple bus stop in the city centre with minimal facilities (maybe not even any shelter or seats) which is the case with Birmingham (worst stop but best location), Bristol and Newcastle; other times it actually stops at a decent bus station like Shudehill in Manchester which as well as being a proper terminal building with waiting facilities and connections with local buses, is located next to Arndale Centre and the Printworks (perfect for shoppers), has its own tram stop and is within close proximity to Victoria railway staton but on the other hand, lacks live information screens! However, Megabus may stop outside the city in some cases like Sheffield, where they use Meadowhall Interchange! Finally, there are many cities where Megabus share the same station as NatEx, notably the (in)famous Victoria coach station in London, but also cities with large bus stations such as Preston, Glasgow, Leeds, Hull and Swansea!
Obviously, if you're travelling to/from (say) London, Leeds or Glasgow it doesn't matter which coach you take, it's all down to personal preference, availability and fares for the time you want to travel! However, sometimes if NatEx and Megabus stop in different locations, as is the case with Manchester, it's about which location you prefer: The NatEx coach station is closer to Piccadilly and the University and has Transdev bus connection across the road, while Shudehill (Megabus) is closer to Victoria, has Metroshuttle and tram connections to both major railway stations and more suited for the shoppers!
Sometimes, the stopping location may be an easy choice, as is the case for Cardiff which, since the demolition of its old bus station and numerous delays in building the new one, the temporary National Express "station" has very little in terms of waiting facilities or even shelters, being a simple parking area in the middle of a park which is a horrible location, being a mile away from the city centre or even any local bus connections meaning you would either have to walk for ages or get an expensive taxi with no other alternative! I've read many reviews and people actually get a bad impression of Wales as a consequence! On the other hand, the Megabus stop for Cardiff is much better even though it is just a bus shelter on a slip road since it is actually in the city centre (only just) with local bus connections just around the corner and much closer to the main parts of the city! You all know which I'd rather take to travel to Cardiff!
Fare-wise, even though Megabus fares can be as low as £1, these are often quite hard to find for most routes (usually not for your desired time either) and you normally have to look at least 2 months in advance. Normally, if you just book a week or two in advance, NatEx and Megabus fares will generally be almost the same, with Megabus usually being only slightly cheaper. Sometimes, NatEx fares can actually be cheaper than Megabus, especially the Manchester to Birmingham corridor close to the day of travel (for example) as NatEx fares tend to stay at around £5 between these cities, even on the day, but Megabus fares often go even higher up to £10 each way! Also consider NatEx if travelling from London to any Great Western destination such as Bristol, South Wales (not Cardiff though, as explained in the previous paragraph, at least until 2020 whenever they finally open their new bus station) or Plymouth as fares on these routes start at £2.40, even services out of Heathrow Airport, which is normally more expensive on NatEx!
The above information is based on my research by checking bookings between various locations on the National Express and Megabus websites, having a thorough look around Google Maps (as well as seeing pictures on street view and reading reviews) and actually visiting some of these bus and coach stations myself such as Manchester and Leeds!
For some cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, etc. National Express often have their own coach stations in a certain part of the city centre which would have variable facilities depending on the city (for example, Birmingham and Manchester are very good, while the ones in Newcastle and Southampton are considerably smaller with less facilities) and would often have a live departure board! Many times, they may use the main bus station of the city shared with local buses, as is the case with cities like Bristol and Bath!
For Megabus, it is much more variable as sometimes, it may just be a simple bus stop in the city centre with minimal facilities (maybe not even any shelter or seats) which is the case with Birmingham (worst stop but best location), Bristol and Newcastle; other times it actually stops at a decent bus station like Shudehill in Manchester which as well as being a proper terminal building with waiting facilities and connections with local buses, is located next to Arndale Centre and the Printworks (perfect for shoppers), has its own tram stop and is within close proximity to Victoria railway staton but on the other hand, lacks live information screens! However, Megabus may stop outside the city in some cases like Sheffield, where they use Meadowhall Interchange! Finally, there are many cities where Megabus share the same station as NatEx, notably the (in)famous Victoria coach station in London, but also cities with large bus stations such as Preston, Glasgow, Leeds, Hull and Swansea!
Obviously, if you're travelling to/from (say) London, Leeds or Glasgow it doesn't matter which coach you take, it's all down to personal preference, availability and fares for the time you want to travel! However, sometimes if NatEx and Megabus stop in different locations, as is the case with Manchester, it's about which location you prefer: The NatEx coach station is closer to Piccadilly and the University and has Transdev bus connection across the road, while Shudehill (Megabus) is closer to Victoria, has Metroshuttle and tram connections to both major railway stations and more suited for the shoppers!
Sometimes, the stopping location may be an easy choice, as is the case for Cardiff which, since the demolition of its old bus station and numerous delays in building the new one, the temporary National Express "station" has very little in terms of waiting facilities or even shelters, being a simple parking area in the middle of a park which is a horrible location, being a mile away from the city centre or even any local bus connections meaning you would either have to walk for ages or get an expensive taxi with no other alternative! I've read many reviews and people actually get a bad impression of Wales as a consequence! On the other hand, the Megabus stop for Cardiff is much better even though it is just a bus shelter on a slip road since it is actually in the city centre (only just) with local bus connections just around the corner and much closer to the main parts of the city! You all know which I'd rather take to travel to Cardiff!
Fare-wise, even though Megabus fares can be as low as £1, these are often quite hard to find for most routes (usually not for your desired time either) and you normally have to look at least 2 months in advance. Normally, if you just book a week or two in advance, NatEx and Megabus fares will generally be almost the same, with Megabus usually being only slightly cheaper. Sometimes, NatEx fares can actually be cheaper than Megabus, especially the Manchester to Birmingham corridor close to the day of travel (for example) as NatEx fares tend to stay at around £5 between these cities, even on the day, but Megabus fares often go even higher up to £10 each way! Also consider NatEx if travelling from London to any Great Western destination such as Bristol, South Wales (not Cardiff though, as explained in the previous paragraph, at least until 2020 whenever they finally open their new bus station) or Plymouth as fares on these routes start at £2.40, even services out of Heathrow Airport, which is normally more expensive on NatEx!
The above information is based on my research by checking bookings between various locations on the National Express and Megabus websites, having a thorough look around Google Maps (as well as seeing pictures on street view and reading reviews) and actually visiting some of these bus and coach stations myself such as Manchester and Leeds!
bussnapperwm
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Reports have come through that Megabus are to start serving Wolverhampton and Walsall on certain journeys to Manchester.
Aprilis Głupcy, a representative of Megabus says that these are just a few of the new places Megabus will serve in Order to compete against National Express.
Aprilis Głupcy, a representative of Megabus says that these are just a few of the new places Megabus will serve in Order to compete against National Express.
Butts
Veteran Member
Personally I prefer National Express especially if you can blag an exit seat which they don't seem to have on Megabus Services.
It is annoying that fares from Cardiff to anywhere are always cheaper than from Newport. On the return journey I always get a Cardiff Service that stops in Newport and alight there.
Having said that a £1 each way from Newport to Victoria on Megabus later this month encouraged me to defect temporarily.
It is annoying that fares from Cardiff to anywhere are always cheaper than from Newport. On the return journey I always get a Cardiff Service that stops in Newport and alight there.
Having said that a £1 each way from Newport to Victoria on Megabus later this month encouraged me to defect temporarily.
I use National Express and Megabus from Exeter to London frequently, National Express are slightly nicer than Megabus, with curtains and leather seats, though the Megabus Interdecks are nice as sit higher up, and are pretty new, 65-66 plate generally, if doing overnight it comes down to price, as both leave round about the same time, 01.05 and 01.40 Nat Exp, 02.15 Megabus.
The National Express are Paxton elites which getting a bit long in the tooth, but nice coaches, though they are due to be replaced by Caetano Levante’s which seem to have a bad name, so will hold my opinion on them till try them, The Megabus are Plaxton Elite Interdecks which are basically a double decker, fairly spartan inside, no curtains or leather seats, but nice and modern, but think occasionally can be Plaxton Panther 59 plate which are decrepit and best avoided.
To me its a close contest, I like both, so it comes down to time and price on the day, sometimes I’ll use one out and the other back, I’d say both are good, Nat Exp very slightly win on comfort, and both similar on price.
The National Express are Paxton elites which getting a bit long in the tooth, but nice coaches, though they are due to be replaced by Caetano Levante’s which seem to have a bad name, so will hold my opinion on them till try them, The Megabus are Plaxton Elite Interdecks which are basically a double decker, fairly spartan inside, no curtains or leather seats, but nice and modern, but think occasionally can be Plaxton Panther 59 plate which are decrepit and best avoided.
To me its a close contest, I like both, so it comes down to time and price on the day, sometimes I’ll use one out and the other back, I’d say both are good, Nat Exp very slightly win on comfort, and both similar on price.
Class 33
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When I get the coach to and from London I sometime use Megabus, I sometime use National Express. It depends what the prices are like for when I want to travel. At short notice, Megabus is usually cheaper so I usually book with them. Though the disadvantage with Megabus is that a lot of their services nowadays between Bristol and London no longer start/terminate at Bristol like they used to. They come from places like Newport, Cymbran, Cardiff, Swansea, Pembroke Dock. And so if you're getting on at Bristol, it can be a bit tricky/iffy being able to find two seats to yourself and a window seat(I hate having to sit in aisle seats!) because there's already loads of people on there! And it can be fiddly when looking for fares online on the website, finding out where the services actually start from/terminate. They should make it clearer.
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Statto
Established Member
Looks like NEX have finally put all there current timetables up on there site without having to go through other sites, the 375 timetable is up when i type Llandudno as i used to get the 409 timetable instead & the 409 goes nowhere near Llandudno. You still have to go through the Traveline site for Megabus timetables though.
No, it's not a complete list.
There's various routes you can't get on there.
E.G. https://bustimes.org/services/465-london-huddersfield
(In theory it should be on the 564 timetable and a couple of others).
And the 542.
https://bustimes.org/services/542_natx
(It's not running yet for 2018, but you might want to book)
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