Megabus Discussion

[nick291]

The online booking says the journeys are all full, so if Megabus pulls the plug when are they going tell ALOT of unhappy customers their plans have been thrown out the window? That is disgusting if that is the case.

Since my AWFUL megabus journey last year nothing has really surprised me anymore. so I definitely would not put this past them.

 

[darloscott]

The online booking says the journeys are all full, so if Megabus pulls the plug when are they going tell ALOT of unhappy customers their plans have been thrown out the window? That is disgusting if that is the case.

Either that or they’re showing full because they’ve been removed from sale ?

 

[JonathanH]

Has London to Scotland overnight coach travel really collapsed, or have Flixbus just made up the capacity that Megabus has hitherto offered?

 

[danielhogg2005]

Has London to Scotland overnight coach travel really collapsed, or have Flixbus just made up the capacity that Megabus has hitherto offered?

I don't think so as all the buses I've seen are full or nearly full, the last time I saw an M20 boarding at Edinburgh Bus Station was for the overnight service, there was a large queue to board the bus, even Flix's N11 looks to be doing well and it goes up to Aberdeen.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

That is the date Ive also heard but, that madness as all the coaches from 23rd until 5th Jan are full?

If the M11 and M20 are being withdrawn then why close to Christmas??? At least wait til after!

We want more services to return, not get withdrawn.

 

[alan25]

I think it is a real shame to see Megabus become a shadow of its former self. Like the trains, I think the west coast routes simply have more viability given that they have several huge conurbations on the route.

With intra-Scotland competition heating up, I can see why they are retreating to their fortress. However with Flix gaining traction and Ember being so well loved, I don’t see a rosy future for Megabus.

If only they had been a bit nicer, customers may have been more brand loyal. I remember when Ryanair figured out that treating people abysmally is bad for business. Their product improved. Their service improved. Their technology improved and with that customer numbers and yield have been buoyant. Megabus uses Citylink’s booking engine and it takes me back to a time of dialup/AOL. It just doesn’t cut it today.

Megabus just thought it was cheap so they could be as awful as possible. That’s fine when you’re travelling long haul for £1* (*+ booking fee) but when the competition do it better, for similar or slightly higher prices then it’s a no brainer. I remember complaining about a driver bullying another passenger and their customer service was sarcastic and unhelpful. It seems they are reaping what they’ve sown. Exactly!

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I don't think so as all the buses I've seen are full or nearly full, the last time I saw an M20 boarding at Edinburgh Bus Station was for the overnight service, there was a large queue to board the bus, even Flix's N11 looks to be doing well and it goes up to Aberdeen.

See what I don’t understand is why not extend the M11 up to Aberdeen!? Also why no Inverness-London route?

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Besides where did these rumours even start!?

 

[route101]

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See what I don’t understand is why not extend the M11 up to Aberdeen!? Also why no Inverness-London route?

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Besides where did these rumours even start!?

The M11 did go to Aberdeen before COVID, it came back a few years ago as a direct coach and was stopped. The 588 was the last time there was a direct Inverness to London coach but that was NX.

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Has London to Scotland overnight coach travel really collapsed, or have Flixbus just made up the capacity that Megabus has hitherto offered?

In 2023 there was more capacity brought in. NX had two services overnight each to London from Glasgow and Edinburgh along with Flix and Megabus.
NX has cut back Glasgow to one service, while Edinburgh has two.

The core M11 and M20 services use double deckers so thats a lot of capcity going.

If you look at the prices on Flixbus, their services almost always full and NX will sell out.

The daytime services take longer and from Scotland to London at least, not as busy.

 

[alan25]

M11 and M20 will merge with Nat ex next year

Where are you hearing this?

 

[Spsf3232]

All services have now been removed from the booking system as of the 22nd of December. Looks like it's quietly disappearing without much announcement.

Only services that show are national express

 

[route101]

All services have now been removed from the booking system as of the 22nd of December. Looks like it's quietly disappearing without much announcement.

Only services that show are national express

I would hope NX and Flixbus up capacity on the corridor.

 

[AAO]

There is rumours speculating that megabus are getting rid of the m11 and m20 can anyone confirm?

If that is the case than surely megabus would cease to exist which would be incredibly sad as they have much nicer coaches than NX or FlixBus love going on their double deckers.

 

[Spsf3232]

If that is the case than surely megabus would cease to exist which would be incredibly sad as they have much nicer coaches than NX or FlixBus love going on their double deckers.

They still haven't said anything official on website or twitter but there is one comment that has been posted that confirmed that they will be ending on the 22nd of December.

It's a sad day to see them go

 

[AAO]

I

They still haven't said anything official on website or twitter but there is one comment that has been posted that confirmed that they will be ending on the 22nd of December.

It's a sad day to see them go

Does anyone know where their Volvo DD’s and other Plaxton Panorama’s be allocated which were used on their cross border routes? And where have their Elite i Interdeck coaches gone?

 

[318266]

Does anyone know where their Volvo DD’s and other Plaxton Panorama’s be allocated which were used on their cross border routes? And where have their Elite i Interdeck coaches gone?

I would wager that they are cascaded to general Citylink duties in line with how 50406-11 were cascaded after they were displaced.

 

[JonathanH]

And where have their Elite i Interdeck coaches gone?

As far as I can work out from Bustimes: Some to the bin. Some to Falcon (the last YX68 batch). Some to the services from Glasgow to South West Scotland. Some to the Stagecoach East Scotland 787 service. Some to Stagecoach North Scotland. In some cases these bolster existing non Megabus Elites.

 

[route101]

If that is the case than surely megabus would cease to exist which would be incredibly sad as they have much nicer coaches than NX or FlixBus love going on their double deckers.

Yes, last time I used them it was a Saturday night on the night service from London which runs no stop to Carlisle and Glasgow, usually had no one sat next to me.

 

[Sealink]

Was just checking on the Megabus website, and they are selling services on megabus on 21st December for £39.99, but also under the Citylink brand for £30.00.
Megabus £39.99 is called "General"
Citylink £30.00 is called "Standard".
It's the same service, what is the difference?

 

[Spsf3232]

Was just checking on the Megabus website, and they are selling services on megabus on 21st December for £39.99, but also under the Citylink brand for £30.00.
Megabus £39.99 is called "General"
Citylink £30.00 is called "Standard".
It's the same service, what is the difference?

What you can be assured of is it won't be a return service!

 

[route101]

Was just checking on the Megabus website, and they are selling services on megabus on 21st December for £39.99, but also under the Citylink brand for £30.00.
Megabus £39.99 is called "General"
Citylink £30.00 is called "Standard".
It's the same service, what is the difference?

Is that to do with the seating? Did Citylink bring in reserved seating?

 

[nick291]

Is that to do with the seating? Did Citylink bring in reserved seating?

They did but my understanding is that it was for long distance services in Scotland bar the 900/AIR

 

[danielhogg2005]

They did but my understanding is that it was for long distance services in Scotland bar the 900/AIR

They also don't do reservations for the 902, 909 & M8

 

[nick291]

They also don't do reservations for the 902, 909 & M8

So any route on the central belt, I see

 

[Highland050261]

They did but my understanding is that it was for long distance services in Scotland bar the 900/AIR

961 has Reservation aswell.

 

[route101]

I did use the 919 from Inverness and Fort William, didn't see any seat reservations on the coach but I bought ticket from driver.

 

[danielhogg2005]

I did use the 919 from Inverness and Fort William, didn't see any seat reservations on the coach but I bought ticket from driver.

It's only around 6 or 8 seats that are reserved, when I used the 919 from Fort William to Inverness I noticed that 1 passenger who did reserve a seat be shown to it by the driver after scanning his ticket, I personally don't reserve a seat as I prefer to sit closer to the middle to rear of coaches.

 

[Scott mac]

Sad to see the m11 and m20 go but unfortunately the cross border services aren't that busy now and it isn't just megabus that aren't doing well

 

[azOOOOOma]

I don’t understand why. The narrative teaches us that we have the worst trains on earth and the most expensive. I’d have thought busses would be booming. Particularly when busses offer a cheap overnight option and guaranteed seats. It is a shame to see.

 

[JonathanH]

The narrative teaches us that we have the worst trains on earth

That plainly isn't true, and there will be people who would never consider an overnight coach trip, no matter how bad the train or plane experience is.

Particularly when busses offer a cheap overnight option and guaranteed seats. It is a shame to see.

Yes, a shame to see, but not everyone travelling from England to Scotland is looking for the cheapest option.

 

[megabusser]

Sad to see the effective end of Megabus (as per my username!) presumably only really continuing to exist as a booking site for CityLink, Falcon and National Express. I don’t really understand the appeal of Flix over Mega for those overnight Scotland-London journeys, last time I took the coach the Megabus seemed like the better option in terms of times/prices. But obviously despite Megabus’s brand recognition, especially within Scotland, it hasn’t been enough to fend off the competition.

The use of the Megabus and CityLink brands on services within Scotland has been a bit odd for a while, I presume that Megabus-branded vehicles used within Scotland will adopt the CityLink livery sooner or later.

 

[Stan Drews]

Sad to see the m11 and m20 go but unfortunately the cross border services aren't that busy now and it isn't just megabus that aren't doing well

FlixBus are strong on their various cross-border routes, so surprising that megabus were struggling. Are you suggesting that NatEx aren't doing well?