[Trivia] Bus journeys faster than a train journey.

[infobleep]

I was surprised to find the other day that the bus from Guildford to Farnham was fast than the train service at certain times of the day.

So 19 minutes vs 23 minutes by train. At other times it seems to be 23 minutes, which matches the train service. I'm using today's times, may be during Monday to Friday rush hour, that isn't the case. On Sundays there is no bus or a direct train service to Farnham so the train would be faster.

This got me wondering, what other bus services are faster than the train?

For this you can take as many buses as you like but you can only take multiple trains if that makes the train service faster. I say this because otherwise you will get stations near by on different lines where the bus clearly would be faster.

Walking between bus stops or train stations is also permitted as part of a journey.

 

[Statto]

There have been a few of these threads over the years.

Inverness to Thurso & Wick.

Train takes around 3 hours 45 Inverness - Thurso & extra 30 minutes to Wick.

Bus Stagecoach X99 takes 2 hours 55 Inverness - Wick, around 3 hours 30 Inverness - Thurso

 

[greyman42]

Glasgow to Fort William.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Middlesbrough to Whitby!

 

[ValleyLines142]

Wolverhampton to Walsall, over an hour on the train (stopping service plus a fifteen minute layover at New Street).

Far quicker on the 529 bus.

 

[Oxfordblues]

Carmarthen-Aberystwyth!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Carmarthen-Aberystwyth!

Indeed, but that journey, by train, requires multiple trains, which the OP doesn't/didn't allow. See post #1.

 

[The exile]

There must be quite a few between the ends of two branch lines which originate in different places (Pembroke to Milford Haven, for example). Correction - most won’t have a direct train, so don’t count.

 

[AlastairFraser]

The X52 Wharfe Connection edges out Harrogate to Weeton station by a min. 13 vs 14 mins

 

[JonathanH]

Direct buses between Looe and Liskeard are quicker than the train.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Monday to Saturday, most trains between Chertsey and Staines have a scheduled nine minute wait at Virginia Water to allow the up Reading through. As a result a typical direct journey between Chertsey and Staines takes 15 minutes on White Bus route 446, 17 minutes on Falcon Buses route 456, or 18/22 minutes by South Western Railway (the variation being whether you change at Virginia Water and cross on to the up Reading service, or remain on the direct train).

I was surprised to find the other day that the bus from Guildford to Farnham was fast than the train service at certain times of the day.

So 19 minutes vs 23 minutes by train. At other times it seems to be 23 minutes, which matches the train service. I'm using today's times, may be during Monday to Friday rush hour, that isn't the case. On Sundays there is no bus or a direct train service to Farnham so the train would be faster.

On this note, from 26th May a Sunday service is being introduced on Stagecoach route 65 (Guildford - Farnham - Bentley - Alton). With Sunday trains running Guildford to Aldershot then reversing to/from Ascot, rather than running to/from Farnham like they do Monday to Saturday, the above situation will change so that it will be the bus offering a faster - and direct - service on Sundays.

Source: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-a...ort/bus-timetable-changes/forthcoming-changes

26 May 2024​

Stagecoach​

65 - Route 65 will have a revised timetable with buses running roughly every hour, seven days a week. An earlier journey from Farnham to Guildford will run on weekdays at 0550, and a new later journey will run on Monday to Saturday from Guildford to Alton at 2010.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog

 

[greyman42]

Middlesbrough to Whitby!

Also York to Whitby.

 

[lightning76]

Polegate to Pevensey & Westham.

 

[317 forever]

In London I reckon that bus 21 from Moorgate to Monument is quicker than the Circle Line.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Also York to Whitby.

Again, can this be done using a single train? See post #1.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Richmond to Kew Bridge (station) - 15 mins on Transport for London route 65 bus compared to 29 mins on South Western Railway direct train

This can be done in less time at certain times by changing at Putney and doubling back, but this still takes around 22 mins.

 

[JD2168]

Barnsley to Doncaster, on X19 direct is around 50 minutes. On the Train you have to change at either Meadowhall or Sheffield making it slower.

 

[Teapot42]

Tenuous, as there is only one direct train a day, but Manchester Airport to Stockport is 29 minutes by train (oddly 41 minutes the other way) but only 20 minutes by bus.

 

[stevieinselby]

Middlesbrough to Whitby!

I really don't understand why anyone takes the train from Middlesbrough to Whitby (unless maybe they're connecting from another train, because the bus station is a bit of a walk away) – the X93 bus is more than 20 minutes quicker than the train (1h10 against 1h30), more frequent (hourly, compared to 5 journeys a day), and no more expensive even before the £2 fares cap (now it is a lot cheaper, and has always been cheaper for anyone with a free pass!).

 

[AlastairFraser]

I really don't understand why anyone takes the train from Middlesbrough to Whitby (unless maybe they're connecting from another train, because the bus station is a bit of a walk away) – the X93 bus is more than 20 minutes quicker than the train (1h10 against 1h30), more frequent (hourly, compared to 5 journeys a day), and no more expensive even before the £2 fares cap (now it is a lot cheaper, and has always been cheaper for anyone with a free pass!).

Perhaps because the Arriva experience is inconsistent and unreliable, especially if you're travelling from outside where you may have experience of their even worse divisions?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I really don't understand why anyone takes the train from Middlesbrough to Whitby (unless maybe they're connecting from another train, because the bus station is a bit of a walk away) – the X93 bus is more than 20 minutes quicker than the train (1h10 against 1h30), more frequent (hourly, compared to 5 journeys a day), and no more expensive even before the £2 fares cap (now it is a lot cheaper, and has always been cheaper for anyone with a free pass!).

Perhaps because the Arriva experience is inconsistent and unreliable, especially if you're travelling from outside where you may have experience of their even worse divisions?

People traveling from Middlesbrough to Whitby invariably get the bus which is pretty reliable. The train might get some who want the scenery and and aren’t time precious. The train is, of course, the lifeline for some communities and it follows a totally different route than the bus, and also is popular with walkers going to places like Commondale or Danby.

They serve totally different markets

 

[AlastairFraser]

People traveling from Middlesbrough to Whitby invariably get the bus which is pretty reliable. The train might get some who want the scenery and and aren’t time precious. The train is, of course, the lifeline for some communities and it follows a totally different route than the bus, and also is popular with walkers going to places like Commondale or Danby.

They serve totally different markets

Thanks for your considered view, I've only ever done it by train personally.

 

[HullRailMan]

Beverley to York is around 5 minutes quicker (1hr 25 v’s 1hr 30) by bus than direct train, plus the bus is twice as frequent and drops you right in the centre of York.

 

[stevieinselby]

People traveling from Middlesbrough to Whitby invariably get the bus which is pretty reliable. The train might get some who want the scenery and and aren’t time precious. The train is, of course, the lifeline for some communities and it follows a totally different route than the bus, and also is popular with walkers going to places like Commondale or Danby.

They serve totally different markets

Oh sure, I'm not saying that the train doesn't have a value, I've used it plenty of times to travel to/from intermediate stations along the line – and I've thought of another group of people going all the way to Whitby who might sensibly choose it over the bus, and that's anyone travelling with bikes or other large luggage – I just find it funny how many people choose the train when they could make the same journey over an objectively better bus service ... and the views from the top deck of the X93 are pretty impressive too!

 

[Farigiraf]

Henley to Marlow (35 min bus, about 45 minutes train (although the connections often don't line up well at Maidenhead)
Cambridge to Bedford - EWR could not come sooner! (Milton Keynes should also get an honorable mention)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Henley to Marlow (35 min bus, about 45 minutes train (although the connections often don't line up well at Maidenhead)
Cambridge to Bedford - EWR could not come sooner!

Are there any direct trains between Henley-on-Thames and Marlow? Or between Cambridge and Bedford?

 

[Man of Kent]

There are three early morning trains from Faversham to London that wend their way round East Kent before heading for the capital. One is the 0725 from Faversham, which reaches Ashford at 0856, a journey the 0730 Stagecoach 666 bus does in 45 minutes. The previous train, 0705, takes an even longer route via Dover and finally arrives in Ashford at 0926.

 

[Teapot42]

I really don't understand why anyone takes the train from Middlesbrough to Whitby (unless maybe they're connecting from another train, because the bus station is a bit of a walk away) – the X93 bus is more than 20 minutes quicker than the train (1h10 against 1h30), more frequent (hourly, compared to 5 journeys a day), and no more expensive even before the £2 fares cap (now it is a lot cheaper, and has always been cheaper for anyone with a free pass!).

Riding the train is a more pleasant experience for one. It's better for families as you have more space and kids aren't stuck in seats. It's better for those who get travel sick as this is less likely on the train. Much easier to eat a picnic on the train.

I remember for one or two summers there was a direct bus from where we lived (Easington, Co Durham) to Whitby and we'd use that simply because the time saving over getting to Hartlepool then changing trains at Middlesborough was significant. Otherwise, the train was the only choice. (Can't quite recall the bus type, pretty sure it was something Alexander Y or T bodied. Better than most other local buses at the time, but still struggled up Birk Brow)

 

[uglymonkey]

Surbition to Kingston would be a contender, as you would have to change at New Malden, but reading that again, don't think its allowed as its not a direct service.