Megabus doing M6 London-West country run again.

[cambsy]

Megabus is running the M6 services again, now using a coach firm called MIT Luxury travel which, from their website, has a fleet of Neoplans. On some other routes they are using other coach firms too - Orion and MP Travel. To me, it seems that they are going along a similar line as Flixbus and National Express in using coach firms instead of their own fleets.

I’m using the Megabus and MIT Luxury Travel run M6 service from Exeter-London this Saturday to see what they are like. If they are any good, and the Megabus fares are good too at £9.88 each way compared to about £21.00 out and £19.00 back for National Express, booked today, Tues 19th Oct. I think National Express will need to bring their fares down if they are to compete with Megabus on price again.

The M6 service also now stops Exeter-Taunton near Jct 25, and Bridgwater Jct 23 then Heathrow. This seems a good idea as it offers faster journey times than going into the centre. It leaves Exeter 02.00-London 06.20 and London 23.59-Exeter 04.10, and also daytime services. I'll be interested to see how Megabus do on this route again, and whether this coach firm is reliable and any good. If they are, I will definitely use them quite a bit, as the fares are good.

Has anyone travelled with this coach firm, and is this a good way for Megabus to go or are they better using their own fleet?

 

[route101]

Megabus is running the M6 services again, now using a coach firm called MIT Luxury travel which, from their website, has a fleet of Neoplans. On some other routes they are using other coach firms too - Orion and MP Travel. To me, it seems that they are going along a similar line as Flixbus and National Express in using coach firms instead of their own fleets.

I’m using the Megabus and MIT Luxury Travel run M6 service from Exeter-London this Saturday to see what they are like. If they are any good, and the Megabus fares are good too at £9.88 each way compared to about £21.00 out and £19.00 back for National Express, booked today, Tues 19th Oct. I think National Express will need to bring their fares down if they are to compete with Megabus on price again.

The M6 service also now stops Exeter-Taunton near Jct 25, and Bridgwater Jct 23 then Heathrow. This seems a good idea as it offers faster journey times than going into the centre. It leaves Exeter 02.00-London 06.20 and London 23.59-Exeter 04.10, and also daytime services. I'll be interested to see how Megabus do on this route again, and whether this coach firm is reliable and any good. If they are, I will definitely use them quite a bit, as the fares are good.

Has anyone travelled with this coach firm, and is this a good way for Megabus to go or are they better using their own fleet?

Does this service run via the A303 or M4/M5?

 

[AndrewE]

What is the relevance of M6? Do they run 5 other motorway routes, or did they grow out of a W Midlands to NW Engkand/Scotland operation? Probably neither, but the branding is not obvious in any way.

 

[221129]

Does this service run via the A303 or M4/M5?

M4/M5

 

[JonathanH]

What is the relevance of M6? Do they run 5 other motorway routes, or did they grow out of a W Midlands to NW Engkand/Scotland operation? Probably neither, but the branding is not obvious in any way.

I think Megabus numbered their routes sequentially as they were introduced. Nowadays, with the changes to the network they are left operating a network with gaps in the numbering.

There is a slightly dated page here on Wikpedia with the relevant routes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Megabus_routes_in_the_United_Kingdom

This suggests that the routes up to M6 were
M1 London – Coventry – Birmingham Airport – Birmingham - Manchester - Leeds
M2 London – Faversham - Canterbury (no longer runs)
M3 London - Winchester - Southampton (currently used for London - Southampton - Bournemouth - Poole)
M4 (was this Portsmouth via Winchester?)
M5 London - Brighton - Worthing (no longer runs)
M6 London - U.W.E - Bristol - Exeter - Plymouth - Newquay - Redruth - Camborne - St Erth - Penzance

I think National Express will need to bring their fares down if they are to compete with Megabus on price again.

National Express have some very competitive fares at the moment where there is competition (eg Bristol to London). Less so elsewhere - indeed, some seem quite expensive for coach travel.

 

[cnjb8]

Megabus have brought in a number of operators to work their routes due to driver availability I believe

 

[Mwanesh]

They will be using Megabus vehicles. The other company will be supplying drivers only. Hamilton Gray used to do the same. MP Travel are a full time Megabus contractor. Every route has a coach company that can be called in at short notice.

 

[cambsy]

Mwanesh, thats interesting that I'll likely be on a Megabus coach, though it does say on the Megabus website that it's operated by MIT Luxury travel, which makes it sound like they use their own Neoplan coaches. If it's a Megabus coach, which depot is it likely to come from? I'll be interested to see what turns up on saturday morning.

 

[carlberry]

Mwanesh, thats interesting, that ill likely be on a Megabus coach,though it does say on the Megabus website, thats its operated by MIT Luxury travel, which makes it sound like they use their own Neoplan coaches, if its a Megabus coach, which depot is it likely to come from? Ill be interested to see what turns up on saturday morning.

They had the same arrangement to run the Barnstaple service pre Covid where Stagecoach lent out a couple of their coaches to a local operator to run the service. I suspect it'll be something that's been in store or used for Manchester schools a few months ago.

 

[221129]

They will be using Megabus vehicles.

No they aren't.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Oct 2021 ==

I'll be interested to see what turns up on saturday morning.

They have been using brand new Plaxton Panthers.

 

[anthony263]

Megabus have brought in a number of operators to work their routes due to driver availability I believe

Adventure travel one of the megabus operators now too

 

[JonathanH]

Adventure travel one of the megabus operators now too

...and Yellow Buses on the Poole service. They turned out a white Lavante with a Megabus logo on the night I took that service.

 

[bussnapperwm]

Another operator new to Mega is Prospect Coaches of Lye on the M37 Norwich to Brum

 

[JonathanH]

They have been using brand new Plaxton Panthers.

Yes, YX21NPJ on tonight's overnight trip from London. Quite pleasant inside.

 

[cambsy]

JonathanH, I was on the M6 service too with YX21 NPJ, Sat 23rd October, i might have seen you boarding or even chatted with you.

Yesterday Sat 23rd October, Did the Megabus M6, Exeter-London, overnight both ways, and can say it was a good experience, I had both the 21 plate Plaxton Panthers, with YX21 NPJ on the way back, they were modern and decent coaches, pleasant inside,the coach out, arrived few mins early Exeter,then proceeded to have good runs, arriving Taunton and Bridgwater early, and arriving 15 mins early into Heathrow, then coming back left Victoria 8 mins late, and arrived Exeter 3 mins early, the drivers both ways were nice and pleasant, so from first experience of Megabus and MIT, running the service, i will definitely be using often and can recommend using the M6 service.

 

[route101]

JonathanH, I was on the M6 service too with YX21 NPJ, Sat 23rd October, i might have seen you boarding or even chatted with you.

Yesterday Sat 23rd October, Did the Megabus M6, Exeter-London, overnight both ways, and can say it was a good experience, I had both the 21 plate Plaxton Panthers, with YX21 NPJ on the way back, they were modern and decent coaches, pleasant inside,the coach out, arrived few mins early Exeter,then proceeded to have good runs, arriving Taunton and Bridgwater early, and arriving 15 mins early into Heathrow, then coming back left Victoria 8 mins late, and arrived Exeter 3 mins early, the drivers both ways were nice and pleasant, so from first experience of Megabus and MIT, running the service, i will definitely be using often and can recommend using the M6 service.

How were the loadings? Coaches generally busy on overnights to and from the Southwest?

 

[volvob12]

Yesterday Sat 23rd October, Did the Megabus M6, Exeter-London, overnight both ways, and can say it was a good experience, I had both the 21 plate Plaxton Panthers, with YX21 NPJ....., so from first experience of Megabus and MIT, running the service,....

I think YX21 NPG/J are with AirSym, who have also been running south west Megabus services.

Does the Bristol depot still run any Mega routes or has that all stopped now?

 

[cambsy]

The loadings were, well loaded going out, say 3 quarters full, which for newly re started service was good, and coming back, think we had 8 passengers, which not unsual coming back overnight, I’d say the overnight services, 404 and 406 have been quieter than before Covid, never been full when travelled on them, unlike before COVID when they could be pretty much full or full, and the M6 service, well have to wait and see how it loads in coming months, but before Covid it was pretty busy service, especially from Bristol, which it used to serve but not now, its Bridgwater-Heathrow non stop, both ways.

I think how the M6 service will do loading wise, will depend on wether National Express competes fare wise with Megabus, when i booked mid week last week, Nat EX were about £22 out and £19 back,while Megabus were £9.88 both ways, and wether MIT are reliable and punctual runners of the service, I’m hoping Nat Ex try compete with Megabus, on tickets nearer to the date,ie Nat Ex about £41 return compared to Megabus about £20 return, buts it definitely good to have Megabus running again to London, from Exeter.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Oct 2021 ==

Volvob12, your right it was an AirSym coach, based Colnbrook Slough, going out one of the drivers had a Premium Coach Services high vis vest on, I dont think Megabus have had a Bristol Depot for ages, as before Covid they used South Glos Bus and then Redwoods, and then i think for short period, Edwards too, before Edwards had national Express contracts, I also think the Megabus services to Newcastle etc use, Megabus coaches from Stagecoach Midland Red, Rugby Depot, but i stand corrected if wrong on that.

 

[221129]

I dont think Megabus have had a Bristol Depot for ages, as before Covid they used South Glos Bus

They still do. South Glos bus was brought by Stagecoach a couple of years ago.

 

[cambsy]

221129.I’d forgotten that, what Megabus services services do south Glos, operate on Then?

 

[volvob12]

They still do. South Glos bus was brought by Stagecoach a couple of years ago.

As far as I’m know most (all?) of the Levantes have been in Manchester for the past year or so operating school dupes.

They also had some ex Gold Van Hools as well as some LHD coaches but I’ve not seen those around for a while. They used to run a lot of the south west services so wondered if they still run any of that work out of Bristol?

 

[cambsy]

I think the LHD Vanhools have moved on from south West services, as everything Megabus, in south West is elite interdeckers, or the Plaxton Panthers etc, on the M6 service, and i dont know if the LHD Vanhools are still with Megabus, or sold onto other operators, as they 2014 plate etc.

 

[JonathanH]

How were the loadings? Coaches generally busy on overnights to and from the Southwest?

Really quite quiet - only just into double figures I think.

After riding the M6 from London to the outskirts of Taunton I caught the National Express 106 from Taunton to Cheltenham (at 0415) this morning which was busy with many people having to share seat pairs.

I'm returning to London from Bristol on the 2020 Megabus service at the moment. This is again a MIT service but this time Neoplan OU16EVJ. There are a few spare seat pairs.

Anecdotally, particularly looking at queues at Victoria and travelling, it does seem that National Express loadings are greater than Megabus (and Flixbus). It does seem odd what leads to this. Does frequency and brand sell above price?

 

[cnjb8]

I think the LHD Vanhools have moved on from south West services, as everything Megabus, in south West is elite interdeckers, or the Plaxton Panthers etc, on the M6 service, and i dont know if the LHD Vanhools are still with Megabus, or sold onto other operators, as they 2014 plate etc.

I believe most are in store around Stagecoach, with some at Rugby, Ely and Wigan. Some are out on loan to other Megabus operators

 

[route101]

Really quite quiet - only just into double figures I think.

After riding the M6 from London to the outskirts of Taunton I caught the National Express 106 from Taunton to Cheltenham (at 0415) this morning which was busy with many people having to share seat pairs.

I'm returning to London from Bristol on the 2020 Megabus service at the moment. This is again a MIT service but this time Neoplan OU16EVJ. There are a few spare seat pairs.

Anecdotally, particularly looking at queues at Victoria and travelling, it does seem that National Express loadings are greater than Megabus (and Flixbus). It does seem odd what leads to this. Does frequency and brand sell above price?

For example I used National Express between Southampton and London. Far higher frequency than Megabus on route.

 

[carlberry]

Really quite quiet - only just into double figures I think.

After riding the M6 from London to the outskirts of Taunton I caught the National Express 106 from Taunton to Cheltenham (at 0415) this morning which was busy with many people having to share seat pairs.

I'm returning to London from Bristol on the 2020 Megabus service at the moment. This is again a MIT service but this time Neoplan OU16EVJ. There are a few spare seat pairs.

Anecdotally, particularly looking at queues at Victoria and travelling, it does seem that National Express loadings are greater than Megabus (and Flixbus). It does seem odd what leads to this. Does frequency and brand sell above price?

I would say most people wouldn't have heard about Flixbus!

 

[JonathanH]

I would say most people wouldn't have heard about Flixbus!

Indeed, and the fewer services they run, or indeed, more topically, Megabus run with plain white vehicles, the less people will be aware of them.

 

[cambsy]

I had a brand new 71 plate Yutong coach, YD71 FJC, with about 600 miles on the clock, on the M6 Exeter-London service on Sat 6th Nov.

From talking to the driver, I found out that MIT have bought 2 brand new Yutong coaches, including the one I travelled on, for the M6 London-Falmouth service. I was interested to know if Yutongs are good coaches or not, in terms of build and reliability, and what they are like to drive. The driver I talked to liked it, said it was smooth and nice to drive, and from my perspective it was very nice ride, smooth and quiet. I will definitely be using the Megabus M6 service a lot more as they have these coaches on it now.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Nov 2021 ==

I heard rumour from driver, that as the Yutongs have a servery fitted, and set up for Hostess etc, that they are looking into doing a refreshment service of some sort, possibly self service etc, I only had brief chat about this with driver, so may have some things wrong, but if true, would be a game changer on this route, and be great thing to have.

 

[TechDan2002]

I had a brand new 71 plate Yutong coach, YD71 FJC, with about 600 miles on the clock, on the M6 Exeter-London service on Sat 6th Nov.

From talking to the driver, I found out that MIT have bought 2 brand new Yutong coaches, including the one I travelled on, for the M6 London-Falmouth service. I was interested to know if Yutongs are good coaches or not, in terms of build and reliability, and what they are like to drive. The driver I talked to liked it, said it was smooth and nice to drive, and from my perspective it was very nice ride, smooth and quiet. I will definitely be using the Megabus M6 service a lot more as they have these coaches on it now.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Nov 2021 ==

I heard rumour from driver, that as the Yutongs have a servery fitted, and set up for Hostess etc, that they are looking into doing a refreshment service of some sort, possibly self service etc, I only had brief chat about this with driver, so may have some things wrong, but if true, would be a game changer on this route, and be great thing to have.

I too was on this service from Plymouth to London Victoria, in a blue hoody with a scruffy beard. I found the coach to be a smooth ride and the drivers to be excellent, however I struggled with the limited legroom at my height (6’2”) and therefore failed to get much sleep on the service as I was hoping to. I found the seats to be especially tight for legroom compared to what I’ve ridden, including YX21 NPG on the 12:30 service back to Plymouth the next day.

 

[cambsy]

TechDan, I didnt see you as I was at front of the coach, in a Parka with rucksack. I’m only 5ft8, so leg room was ok. The drivers were indeed excellent, and I’m becoming regular user of the service.