Megabus Discussion

[route101]

Have just booked a London to Edinburgh trip for next month to I hope. Sample a 9700DD On the M20
Very much. Hope it doesn't Chuck out a panorama instead as the last one I had on a Megabus duty almost a year ago. Queeked and rattled a fair bit and the climate control made. Thrub throb throb throb throb throb noises all night

This time it's a daytime run and I hope to get some work done

Last time I took the M20 it was an Interdeck! Not sure if all runs on M11 and M20 are the new Volvos yet, the seats look the same as found on the Panoramas. I know Macleans have a few runs on the M11, best avoided.

 

[Blindtraveler]

What are McLean's using on those?

 

[route101]

What are McLean's using on those?

I took the M11 from London to Glasgow via Reading and it was a new Irizar. I have also seen the VDL and Yutong on it. M11x gets VDL or the Panorama from what I have seen.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Well I'm booked on the morning departure of the M20 early next month so we will soon find out,

 

[Parebunks]

According to both bustimes.org and the megabus booking engine, the M52 to Barnstaple is no more, partially replaced with a weekends-only once a day service from Victoria to Plymouth. The Bristol to Barnstaple shuttle arrangement did seem unworkable so not surprised it's gone, although I did think they might try to keep it going over the summer for tourist season.

 

[route101]

According to both bustimes.org and the megabus booking engine, the M52 to Barnstaple is no more, partially replaced with a weekends-only once a day service from Victoria to Plymouth. The Bristol to Barnstaple shuttle arrangement did seem unworkable so not surprised it's gone, although I did think they might try to keep it going over the summer for tourist season.

I am surprised Megabus don't seem to work on routes to Southwest.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jun 2024 ==

Well I'm booked on the morning departure of the M20 early next month so we will soon find out,

How was your trip?

 

[henryb]

Have you got a timetable

According to both bustimes.org and the megabus booking engine, the M52 to Barnstaple is no more, partially replaced with a weekends-only once a day service from Victoria to Plymouth. The Bristol to Barnstaple shuttle arrangement did seem unworkable so not surprised it's gone, although I did think they might try to keep it going over the summer for tourist season.

for the Victoria to Plymouth service. It also says run by Megabus falcon, but seat reservations offer a top deck. Any ideas?

 

[embers25]

Have you got a timetable

for the Victoria to Plymouth service. It also says run by Megabus falcon, but seat reservations offer a top deck. Any ideas?

They have 1 white decker running daily and recently they've also been running a fully blue megabus decker too. I assume this was in preparation for this. The M52 service starts 28th June and runs daily bar Tuesday and Wednesday from Plymouth at 0700 (running at the same time as the 0700 falcon but only calling at Exeter, Taunton, Bristol Airport and Bristol. The other way at 1530 it fills a gap at 1800 from Bristol with the same limited stops. I wonder if walk up fares are still valid on it and whether it will show on the main Falcon timetable?

 

[Parebunks]

Have you got a timetable

The timetable was in bustimes.org last night by seems to be gone now. Have put it on my general megabus timetable sheet, see the two 'M4' tabs at the end.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Does anyone know if the Megabus routes through Oxford (M81 and M82) will get the new 9700s?

 

[route101]

Does anyone know if the Megabus routes through Oxford (M81 and M82) will get the new 9700s?

Its only the London to Glasgow/Edinburgh services run by Stagecoach Cumbernauld at the moment.
Parks of Hamilton use the single decker varient on the M17 which stops at Oxford Parkway.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I'd be interested to see if we have any drivers on here to get their opinion, but I really enjoyed my journey on one of these the other week, albeit that it was a little longer and slower than it need have been due to various delays

 

[YorkRailFan]

Megabus US' owner (Coach USA) has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection.

Megabus parent company Coach USA files for bankruptcy

Bus ridership fell early in the pandemic and hasn’t fully bounced back.

www.marketplace.org

One of the biggest operators of private bus service in the United States filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week. Coach USA runs a network of commuter services, mostly in the Northeast, as well as Megabus service throughout the U.S. It’s ridership fell early in the pandemic and hasn’t fully bounced back.

While airlines and cruises are again seeing record bookings, bus trips have continued to lag, according to Peter Pantuso, CEO of the American Bus Association.

“We lost somewhere between 40% and 50% of the industry,” he said.

The biggest hit has been to commuter services, he noted — typically between outer suburbs and city centers.

“People stopped going to work five days a week all of a sudden, and now they’re going maybe one day a week — if they’re going in at all,” Pantuso said.Longer trips, like those from Megabus, have fared a little better, said Joe Schwieterman, a transportation professor at DePaul University. But domestic airfares are still relatively cheap, and the motor coach industry has struggled with driver shortages, rising labor and fuel costs.

“People are, like, super price sensitive, so they’ll take the bus, but don’t make the fare the same price as Amtrak or they’re gonna ditch, ditch you for the train,” Schwieterman said.

One bright spot in the industry is charter bus service, he noted. With spending on other forms of travel and leisure up, there’s more demand for tours and connections.

Greyhound Bus won this one.

 

[padbus]

News of a Plymouth to London Megabus service has appeared on Devon Live. https://www.devonlive.com/news/devo...ral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop

A new Megabus service is connecting Plymouth to London for under £10. The route also takes in Exeter, Taunton, Bristol and Bristol Airport.

The new service launched on Thursday (June 27). It will operate from Thursday to Monday each week, departing Plymouth at 7am and arriving in London at 1pm.

The return will leave London at 3.30pm and arrive back in Plymouth at 9.30pm. The coach operator says fares will start from £9.99 and can be booked online.

Megabus managing director Simone Walsh said: "We're so pleased to be adding this route to our network - it offers a direct link between these key cities from Thursday to Monday each week, as well as links to Bristol Airport."


"It's great timing as we're into summer and this is another fantastic chance for customers to use our great value services to enjoy the many lovely towns and cities around the country, while saving money on the journey to spend when they get there."

For more information visit megabus.co.uk

The article is illustrated with a stock picture of a blue Megabus Plaxton Elite-i. Does anyone know who actually runs this service?

 

[henryb]

News of a Plymouth to London Megabus service has appeared on Devon Live. https://www.devonlive.com/news/devo...ral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop



The article is illustrated with a stock picture of a blue Megabus Plaxton Elite-i. Does anyone know who actually runs this service?

Run by Stagecoach Plymouth and double manned

 

[Peter Philips]

News of a Plymouth to London Megabus service has appeared on Devon Live. https://www.devonlive.com/news/devo...ral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop



The article is illustrated with a stock picture of a blue Megabus Plaxton Elite-i. Does anyone know who actually runs this service.

The Barnstaple-Bristol via Taunton, Weston-super-Mare & Bristol Airport local Megabus route is discontinued however, which the article omits to mention. It was also operated by Stagecoach SW.

 

[ScotGG]

I wish they'd bring back the routes to Norwich and East Anglia.

National Express often sell out and trains are ever more busy. Demand seems there.

 

[route101]

I wish they'd bring back the routes to Norwich and East Anglia.

National Express often sell out and trains are ever more busy. Demand seems there.

I am sure there is a Liverpool to Norwich megabus route. National Express don't run cross country from Norwich.

 

[Ridercross]

I am sure there is a Liverpool to Norwich megabus route. National Express don't run cross country from Norwich.

There's definitely a Birmingham to Norwich via Coventry and Cambridge route. I used it last year and it still runs.

 

[Peter Philips]

There's definitely a Birmingham to Norwich via Coventry and Cambridge route. I used it last year and it still runs.

So did I last year when it was a long cross country through service from Norwich to Bristol (it even continued to Cardiff from memory & some other passengers did travel across Birmingham with me though the majority alighted or boarded there).

 

[Parebunks]

The Norwich service at the moment is the M87, which is twice a day to Birmingham with some continuing through to Liverpool around weekends. Obvious there's some potential in the route given NatEx's absence in the area, but not sure how much more frequent it could go from what it is at the moment

 

[ScotGG]

I was referring to Megabus services from London to Norwich and onto the coast. Withdrawn after covid.

 

[Simon75]

How many subcontractors do Megabus use nowadays?

 

[Mwanesh]

Run by Stagecoach Plymouth and double manned

This will be interesting after Plymouth threw their toys out of the pram when they lost the Megabus contract years ago.We ended up parking at Go Ahead Milehouse depot.

 

[richw]

Run by Stagecoach Plymouth and double manned

Not double manned.
Plymouth driver to Taunton where it’s handed to a Barnstaple driver. Barnstaple driver brings company car to Taunton. Plymouth driver the takes the car back to Plymouth. Then the reverse in the evening.
54220 has transferred to Plymouth for the m52.
it runs 5 days a week and not weekend only as previously mentioned on here. No service Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

[embers25]

Not double manned.
Plymouth driver to Taunton where it’s handed to a Barnstaple driver. Barnstaple driver brings company car to Taunton. Plymouth driver the takes the car back to Plymouth. Then the reverse in the evening.
54220 has transferred to Plymouth for the m52.
it runs 5 days a week and not weekend only as previously mentioned on here. No service Tuesday and Wednesday.

Flix also change at Taunton and drive back to Plymouth.

 

[Peter Philips]

Flix also change at Taunton and drive back to Plymouth.

Although with more services Flix Plymouth drivers (supplied by Roselyn which bases some coaches at Citybus Milehouse depot) drive a Devon bound coach back in service (not a car) unless recently changed.

 

[henryb]

Although with more services Flix Plymouth drivers (supplied by Roselyn which bases some coaches at Citybus Milehouse depot) drive a Devon bound coach back in service (not a car) unless recently changed.

They only did that when running down to Penzance. Now it’s just a Berry’s driver

 

[richw]

Although with more services Flix Plymouth drivers (supplied by Roselyn which bases some coaches at Citybus Milehouse depot) drive a Devon bound coach back in service (not a car) unless recently changed.

Rosleyn no longer involved with Flix or Berry’s. Apparently the relationship turned sour and berry’s now swap to another of their own drivers at Taunton

 

[Peter Philips]

Rosleyn no longer involved with Flix or Berry’s. Apparently the relationship turned sour and berry’s now swap to another of their own drivers at Taunton

Thanks. When did that change do you happen to know richw? Original launch info suggested Roselyn would later also contribute a vehicle but that never happened AFAIK. So do Berrys now use the Citybus Milehouse depot for cleaning or fuelling coaches in Plymouth? Updating 'henryb' Roselyn did initially provide local Plymouth - Taunton drivers from when the 045 very first launched and not just when the 045 was extended to Penzance.