National Express Coaches Discussion

[Cesarcollie]

The 717 is really not great since Airport Bus Express took over it.

Apart from the more basic vehicles and the amateur LED displays, they still only have two vehicles liveried up (two required for the timetable) and one or the other has been off service for a fair bit of the time they have been running the service. None of the spare vehicles ever track on the coach tracker and they all appear to be still configured for the now defunct Airport Bus Express Wifi Portal which seems to have been disconnected (probably because that service was cancelled ages ago).

Surely they could livery a third vehicle up and fit it with GPS and a WIfi network that works. I know vehicles are always going to have issues, but not to have a spare to the same configuration as the other two just screams of not wanting to commit a third coach to the service.

NX have switched operators on the 717 purely because it was significantly cheaper. Given their financial problem, this is perhaps unsurprising, but you get what you pay for. They will presumably have agreed a vehicle and service specification with Airport Bus Express which matches the cost.

 

[Mikw]

On my regular 440 from Leicester to London. First time it's not had "Woods Coaches" labelled on it, it's got "National Express, Digbeth" on it instead

 

[Sealink]

Just received a notification that amendment fees are going up to £6, with immediate effect. Was £5.

 

[F Great Eastern]

NX have switched operators on the 717 purely because it was significantly cheaper. Given their financial problem, this is perhaps unsurprising, but you get what you pay for. They will presumably have agreed a vehicle and service specification with Airport Bus Express which matches the cost.

A massive downgrade if you ask me

BV22 WTW has now been off service for a fortnight and the other wrapped vehicle BV74 MZL spent another 3 day spell out of service recently to the point where both duties were being operated by spare vehicles for several days, which is a new low, before we've seen one out of use but now both seem to be happening.

Already the poor return from Covid destroyed demand on that services with a ridiculous timetable that made the service unattractive that heled push people to the train and other services, the latest poor standard of service is just going to push even more people away. It feels like managed decline at this point.

 

[route101]

A massive downgrade if you ask me

BV22 WTW has now been off service for a fortnight and the other wrapped vehicle BV74 MZL spent another 3 day spell out of service recently to the point where both duties were being operated by spare vehicles for several days, which is a new low, before we've seen one out of use but now both seem to be happening.

Already the poor return from Covid destroyed demand on that services with a ridiculous timetable that made the service unattractive that heled push people to the train and other services, the latest poor standard of service is just going to push even more people away. It feels like managed decline at this point.

You have to wonder what services will get this treatment next.

I took a NX service last night from Birmingham and the seat reservations now go back as half way down the coach. The trouble is, the seats are only numbered to row 5. This caused confusion and the driver had to sort where people sat. The service was busy for a Saturday night in the middle of the bank holiday too.

I noticed a NX sticker at Worcester Bus Station, when was the last time Worcester was served?

 

[317 forever]

I noticed a bus stop for National Express in Bingley on Saturday.

I didn't expect them to serve somewhere like Bingley any more.

 

[Deerfold]

I noticed a bus stop for National Express in Bingley on Saturday.

I didn't expect them to serve somewhere like Bingley any more.

They don't.

They used to serve it on the way from Keighley to Bradford (then Leeds and London), but they haven't served Keighley since Covid. I think the Bingley stop was withdrawn some time before that.

Edit: yes, not since 2013.


Although this article suggests it was temporary, I don't think they ever called there again.

Shipley councillor slams National Express over pick-up point changes

The National Express coach firm has stopped picking up passengers in Bingley and Shipley on routes to and from London to dodge delays at Saltaire…

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

The National Express coach firm has stopped picking up passengers in Bingley and Shipley on routes to and from London to dodge delays at Saltaire roundabout, a councillor has revealed.

 

[Bungle965]

I noticed a bus stop for National Express in Bingley on Saturday.

I didn't expect them to serve somewhere like Bingley any more.

I can’t find any evidence of Bingley on the Stop Finder on their website, perhaps it’s just not been removed when a service was culled?

 

[Deerfold]

I can’t find any evidence of Bingley on the Stop Finder on their website, perhaps it’s just not been removed when a service was culled?

They don't call there.

National Express stopped calling at Sowerby Bridge in the 80s (on the Leeds-Blackpool service), but their symbol stayed on the stop for at least a decade afterwards.

 

[317 forever]

They don't.

They used to serve it on the way from Keighley to Bradford (then Leeds and London), but they haven't served Keighley since Covid. I think the Bingley stop was withdrawn some time before that.

Edit: yes, not since 2013.


Although this article suggests it was temporary, I don't think they ever called there again.

Shipley councillor slams National Express over pick-up point changes

The National Express coach firm has stopped picking up passengers in Bingley and Shipley on routes to and from London to dodge delays at Saltaire…

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

Thank you for your update about when this changed.

I did catch a coach from Leeds to Skipton 1 Saturday evening in 2009. I think it was non-stop, not even stopping at Keighley. Maybe it was supposed to on the timetable but skipped the stop due to nobody having booked to use it.

 

[Deerfold]

Thank you for your update about when this changed.

I did catch a coach from Leeds to Skipton 1 Saturday evening in 2009. I think it was non-stop, not even stopping at Keighley. Maybe it was supposed to on the timetable but skipped the stop due to nobody having booked to use it.

Usually it would have stopped at Bradford and Keighley.

Although I live in Keighley I never caught it, even when catching a coach from Leeds to London as it was much faster, and often cheaper, to get the train from Keighley to Leeds - and then not be limited to 3 (then 2) departures a day. I did catch the Megabusplus as that arrived back in Keighley around 0300 (or once at 0600...)

 

[route101]

You see a few old stickers around. Bridport and Worcester I have seen.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 May 2026 ==

I noticed a bus stop for National Express in Bingley on Saturday.

I didn't expect them to serve somewhere like Bingley any more.

There was a Glasgow service that came across the A65 at one point. It may of been the Corby service.

 

[Deerfold]

You see a few old stickers around. Bridport and Worcester I have seen.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 May 2026 ==


There was a Glasgow service that came across the A65 at one point. It may of been the Corby service.

That called at Keighley until a couple of years before it was withdrawn, too. It was the Glasgow to Corby 537 - I think it went around 2016. It wouldn't surprise me if that called at Bingley and Shipley, too in earlier times. If it had been about 90 minutes earlier it would have been better for me - I occasionally go to Glasgow for a gig, but it ran just a bit too late (and cost more than an anytime train ticket with half a dozen options).

 

[F Great Eastern]

You have to wonder what services will get this treatment next.

It's clearly about cost cutting, the press release made me laugh when they said the move was about providing a "consistent, high-quality experience." and this move literally removed that in favour of something that was completely the opposite.

 

[route101]

It's clearly about cost cutting, the press release made me laugh when they said the move was about providing a "consistent, high-quality experience." and this move literally removed that in favour of something that was completely the opposite.

I do feel they are trying to align with Flixbus bit by bit.

 

[Sealink]

With immediate effect, National Express Coachcards have doubled in price. This was in the latest agent bulletin which I can't link to as it's password protected.
Public websites have been updated.

Now £30

Buy a Senior Coachcard: Save 1/3 on coach travel for over 60s

Over 60? Get a Senior Coachcard and save 1/3 on standard & flexible National Express fares Pays for itself in just one trip - buy yours today!

www.nationalexpress.com

Our Senior Coachcard is just £30, when you book a ticket make sure you check the Coachcard box and enter the number of Coachcards required in the journey planner.

Buy a Young Persons Coachcard: Save 1/3 on coach travel

Aged 16-26? Get a Young Persons Coachcard and save 1/3 on standard & flexible National Express fares Pays for itself in just one trip - buy yours!

www.nationalexpress.com

Our one-year Young Persons Coachcard is just £30

Disabled Coachcard: Save 1/3 on National Express coach travel

Get a Disabled Coachcard and save 1/3 on standard & flexible National Express fares The card pays for itself in just one trip - buy yours today!

www.nationalexpress.com

Our Disabled Coachcard is just £30

 

[Towers]

Are we edging closer to the time where we need to add NatEx to the ‘Companies you expect to disappear soon’ thread?!

On a side note, how many dedicated National Express ‘coach stations’ exist? Or indeed just coach stations in general, as opposed to locations where services utilise an existing bus station or just use a roadside stop?

 

[markymark2000]

Are we edging closer to the time where we need to add NatEx to the ‘Companies you expect to disappear soon’ thread?!

They have been edging that way for a while. I think pre Covid they were getting there, and then Covid accelerated their demise. Then they went to promote themselves as the 'premium' option during the NX v Mega v Flix competition which I doubt will ever really work in the UK for express coach travel, and now they keep making cuts all over the place and failing to hold onto

On a side note, how many dedicated National Express ‘coach stations’ exist? Or indeed just coach stations in general, as opposed to locations where services utilise an existing bus station or just use a roadside stop?

Manchester Chorlton Street
Birmingham Digbeth
Leeds Coach Station
Southampton Coach Station
Bournemouth (not sure if this is actually a NX facility though or just it's a council coach station that NX use).
Newcastle Coach Station
Milton Keynes Coachway
Cardiff Sophia Gardens

Plus there is Plymouth where I believe it's a council facility but managed by National Express.

The other places listed on their coach stations page (https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/coach-stations) are shared facilities which have 'coach station' applied to the name despite it just being a normal bus station with a coach stand.

 

[nick291]

Are we edging closer to the time where we need to add NatEx to the ‘Companies you expect to disappear soon’ thread?!

On a side note, how many dedicated National Express ‘coach stations’ exist? Or indeed just coach stations in general, as opposed to locations where services utilise an existing bus station or just use a roadside stop?

Victoria, Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham are the ones that immediately spring to mind

 

[Martin1988]

I've heard suggestions that National Express have pulled out of the deal with Caetano to have the Levante as the standard coach for NX operators. Does anyone on here know anything more about this?

 

[Class73Electro]

Are we edging closer to the time where we need to add NatEx to the ‘Companies you expect to disappear soon’ thread?!

On a side note, how many dedicated National Express ‘coach stations’ exist? Or indeed just coach stations in general, as opposed to locations where services utilise an existing bus station or just use a roadside stop?

Victoria, Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham are the ones that immediately spring to mind

Also Have Southampton

 

[Deerfold]

Victoria, Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham are the ones that immediately spring to mind

Victoria is a TfL facility, not dedicated to National Express.

 

[Towers]

I've heard suggestions that National Express have pulled out of the deal with Caetano to have the Levante as the standard coach for NX operators. Does anyone on here know anything more about this?

Were they not evaluating something from VanHool a little while ago?

 

[Dwarfer1979]

I've heard suggestions that National Express have pulled out of the deal with Caetano to have the Levante as the standard coach for NX operators. Does anyone on here know anything more about this?

Were they not evaluating something from VanHool a little while ago?

It was around higher capacity over-deckers (Altanos) as an alternative to double-deckers on busier journeys (or ones with more luggage requirement such as airports). Fell apart as it was around the time Van Hool collapsed so not sure any were actually delivered or deployed in service in the end.

They have allowed operators to use more off-the-shelf models (likes Stotts with the Temsas) so I wouldn't be surprised if they were to step away from the more exclusivity style deal they seem to currently have even if they still promoted the purchase of Levantes by contractors as preferred option.

 

[joieman]

I've heard suggestions that National Express have pulled out of the deal with Caetano to have the Levante as the standard coach for NX operators. Does anyone on here know anything more about this?

Apparently some orders got cancelled, so the deal between NX and Caetano was terminated. The Levante is now called the Voyager on Caetano's website.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Apparently some orders got cancelled, so the deal between NX and Caetano was terminated. The Levante is now called the Voyager on Caetano's website.

And ironically Flibco have just took a delivery of a bunch of Levante's which are not branded Levante's that are being operated in competition with National Express on the routes to London out of Stansted Airport.

And the coaches operated on the National Express 717 by GoABE (formally Airport Bus Express) are ironically also vehicles that used to compete with National Express when ABE operated from London to Stansted.

 

[nick291]

And ironically Flibco have just took a delivery of a bunch of Levante's which are not branded Levante's that are being operated in competition with National Express on the routes to London out of Stansted Airport.

And the coaches operated on the National Express 717 by GoABE (formally Airport Bus Express) are ironically also vehicles that used to compete with National Express when ABE operated from London to Stansted.

Just shows the standard that NatEx's competitors are offering. Isn't Flibco also cheaper on the Stansted Route?

 

[Statto]

With immediate effect, National Express Coachcards have doubled in price. This was in the latest agent bulletin which I can't link to as it's password protected.
Public websites have been updated.

Now £30

Way to kill the company, at a time when your withdrawing services, you now decide to double the price of your discount card which no doubt put those off from using National Express, it's like National Rail increasing the standard Railcard from £20 to £40 overnight.

 

[Titfield]

You could argue the new price aligns it more with railcard pricing.

I wonder what the maths of these cards is like: has the much higher fares they are charging increased the sales of coach cards so much that they effectively are back to square 1 in terms of overall revenue?

 

[Deerfold]

Way to kill the company, at a time when your withdrawing services, you now decide to double the price of your discount card which no doubt put those off from using National Express, it's like National Rail increasing the standard Railcard from £20 to £40 overnight.

It's like anything doubling. Not sure why you'd choose a fictional example to compare with. Railcards are mostly £35, having gone up from the £30 they were at foor a long time.