Ember: Electric coach service

[AndrewTaylor95]

AIR is going stop a newhouse from October change

Trying to combat Flixbus as well then, Must be bricking it doing all these changes, Ember are £4.40 cheaper for a return to the Airport than Citylink as well, Ember £5.30 single & Citylink are £7.50, Noticed on Megabus it's £13.49 so Ember still edge out cheaper, Plus Citylink charge booking fees online

 

[smsm1]

Trying to combat Flixbus as well then, Must be bricking it doing all these changes, Ember are £4.40 cheaper for a return to the Airport than Citylink as well, Ember £5.30 single & Citylink are £7.50, Noticed on Megabus it's £13.49 so Ember still edge out cheaper, Plus Citylink charge booking fees online

Woah, it used to be that megabus would be the cheap coach operator years ago.

 

[CMBS]

Trying to combat Flixbus as well then, Must be bricking it doing all these changes, Ember are £4.40 cheaper for a return to the Airport than Citylink as well, Ember £5.30 single & Citylink are £7.50, Noticed on Megabus it's £13.49 so Ember still edge out cheaper, Plus Citylink charge booking fees online

Used the E20 on Sunday last week and I was pretty much the only person on it the full way from Glasgow, changed to the AIR and about a third of the seats must have been taken.
Don't know about Flixbus as I personally find them to be poor value but 090 passengers numbers from what I've observed at BBS are surprisingly doing well, I'd imagine it must be popular with European tourists.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Used the E20 on Sunday last week and I was pretty much the only person on it the full way from Glasgow, changed to the AIR and about a third of the seats must have been taken.
Don't know about Flixbus as I personally find them to be poor value but 090 passengers numbers from what I've observed at BBS are surprisingly doing well, I'd imagine it must be popular with European tourists.

090 can either be rammed or dead, hit and miss really

 

[Volvodart]

From a recent newspaper article:-

Ember boss on 'growing' Inverness's Union Street bus stop and cars in loading bays causing congestion

Head of Scotland operations Andy Mason said the firm's Highland services are "frequently sold out".

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

So we’ll be launching a route to Skye before the end of this year, and we’re actively exploring expansion up to Fraserburgh."

 

[Voyager lad]

I’ve heard locally a rumour about an Ember service coming through Falkirk? Haven’t seen anything to confirm it but could be a very interesting move, if anyone has heard anything?

 

[CMBS]

From a recent newspaper article:-

Ember boss on 'growing' Inverness's Union Street bus stop and cars in loading bays causing congestion

Head of Scotland operations Andy Mason said the firm's Highland services are "frequently sold out".

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

Funnily enough I predicted an Aberdeen to Fraserburgh/Peterhead service would happen

I’ve heard locally a rumour about an Ember service coming through Falkirk? Haven’t seen anything to confirm it but could be a very interesting move, if anyone has heard anything?

Don't know about it but I'd imagine its a Glasgow to Fife service considering they are recruiting in Fife at the moment, The X24/7 already stops in Forth Valley Hospital.

 

[overthewater]

So is the rumour about Citylink going to Falkirk is because Ember thinking of Falkirk? The route in Question wouldn't be going to Fife, The one I've heard is Glasgow - Falkirk - Edinburgh Airport.

The last time there was express to Falkirk must be nearly 30 years ago when First tried the X17, which was a Saturday only service. Before that it was another Saturday or Weekend only service with X28 Fife Scottish. Before that X22? and old 980 Citylink service?

From 1998? to Covid Falkirk had a 15min service to Glasgow & Edinburgh on the trains. The Car Congestion around Jct 5 on M9 would highlight plenty still took the car.

 

[SoloSR334022]

So is the rumour about Citylink going to Falkirk is because Ember thinking of Falkirk? The route in Question wouldn't be going to Fife, The one I've heard is Glasgow - Falkirk - Edinburgh Airport.

It would be nice to get a service from Falkirk to Livingston again.

 

[smsm1]

Would be nice to have a coach service in Falkirk. I wonder if it would be more central in Falkirk?

 

[route101]

From a recent newspaper article:-

Ember boss on 'growing' Inverness's Union Street bus stop and cars in loading bays causing congestion

Head of Scotland operations Andy Mason said the firm's Highland services are "frequently sold out".

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

Used the E20 on Sunday last week and I was pretty much the only person on it the full way from Glasgow, changed to the AIR and about a third of the seats must have been taken.
Don't know about Flixbus as I personally find them to be poor value but 090 passengers numbers from what I've observed at BBS are surprisingly doing well, I'd imagine it must be popular with European tourists.

Using the E20 soon to the airport. Looking at seats available, buses mostly empty. Every 20 minutes on Citylink and Ember is crazy.

090 does attract tourists that have booked in advance of trip. Last 090 I was on was fairly busy but the service and coach was filthy. Easier just to buy a £10 return on Citylink and you know it will go and start from Bus Station.

 

[ld0595]

Using the E20 soon to the airport. Looking at seats available, buses mostly empty. Every 20 minutes on Citylink and Ember is crazy.

090 does attract tourists that have booked in advance of trip. Last 090 I was on was fairly busy but the service and coach was filthy. Easier just to buy a £10 return on Citylink and you know it will go and start from Bus Station.

I'll be taking the E20 tomorrow morning and will report back! My quick look at the loads in recent weeks from a dummy booking would agree with that

 

[kkong]

I'll be taking the E20 tomorrow morning and will report back! My quick look at the loads in recent weeks from a dummy booking would agree with that

I was on board a late morning E20 departure from Glasgow to Edinburgh Airport last Sunday.

There were two of us on board at departure time. Nobody else joined and we arrived at Edinburgh Airport around 15 minutes ahead of schedule after a very leisurely non-stop run.

 

[VolvoOly85]

Using the E20 soon to the airport. Looking at seats available, buses mostly empty. Every 20 minutes on Citylink and Ember is crazy.

090 does attract tourists that have booked in advance of trip. Last 090 I was on was fairly busy but the service and coach was filthy. Easier just to buy a £10 return on Citylink and you know it will go and start from Bus Station.

Ember coaches causing chaos at the airport due to arriving ahead of schedule and blocking stances. Already damaged a shelter at the airport and a Stagecoach 747

 

[markymark2000]

There were two of us on board at departure time. Nobody else joined and we arrived at Edinburgh Airport around 15 minutes ahead of schedule after a very leisurely non-stop run.

To arrive 15 minutes early surely means they must have left Ratho before the booking window closes which is not acceptable.

 

[Baileygirl]

To arrive 15 minutes early surely means they must have left Ratho before the booking window closes which is not acceptable.

It is the E19 that goes through Ratho. The E20 is Glasgow to Edinburgh Airport.

 

[markymark2000]

It is the E19 that goes through Ratho. The E20 is Glasgow to Edinburgh Airport.

My mistake, I meant it must be leaving the Ratho Station stop before the booking window closes. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[ld0595]

Took the 08:18 service this morning. Didn't have many people booked in advance but it ended up being over half full with last minute bookings - mostly tourists. Got into Glasgow 10 minutes early. Pretty good journey!

 

[kkong]

Ember coaches causing chaos at the airport due to arriving ahead of schedule and blocking stances. Already damaged a shelter at the airport and a Stagecoach 747

Thins kind of thing works both ways, it would seem.

The image below shows a First bus seemingly having damaged itself (three broken windows) by cutting in front of a stationary Ember coach too sharply and hitting (and dislodging) the Ember's wing mirror.

This was on 10th September at Adelphi (stop G5) on Union Street, Aberdeen.

 

[paul47B]

Thins kind of thing works both ways, it would seem.

The image below shows a First bus seemingly having damaged itself (three broken windows) by cutting in front of a stationary Ember coach too sharply and hitting (and dislodging) the Ember's wing mirror.

This was on 10th September at Adelphi (stop G5) on Union Street, Aberdeen.

View attachment 211882

Was the Ember coach allowed to continue it's journey?

 

[trei2k]

Looking at the data on bustimes.org: https://bustimes.org/vehicles/embr-sg23-ort?date=2026-09-10

It looks like it left with a 20 min delay at that stop, worked to Inverness, then subsequently did a run to Ullapool and back on the same day - so I am guessing it was the First bus that came off poorly in that case.

 

[kkong]

Was the Ember coach allowed to continue it's journey?

I wasn't there (it's not my photo), so I'm unsure.

There was said to be one passenger on the First bus with minor injuries.

 

[gomango]

I’ve heard locally a rumour about an Ember service coming through Falkirk? Haven’t seen anything to confirm it but could be a very interesting move, if anyone has heard anything?

Wonderful news if it is true

 

[Strathtay 260]

festive timetables are out.
Christmas Day
E1

Dundee → Edinburgh 3 return services per day
Aberdeen → Edinburgh 2 return services per day
Combined 5 services from Dundee to Edinburgh
2 from Aberdeen/Dundee to Edinburgh Airport

E3 Dundee → Glasgow
3 return services per day

E4 Edinburgh → Fort William
2 return services per day

E4X Edinburgh → Fort William
no services

E5 Glasgow → Fort William
2 return services per day

E6 Inverness → Thurso
2 return services per day

E7 Inverness → Aberdeen
2 return services per day

E8 Inverness → Glasgow
2 return services per day

E9 Inverness → Edinburgh
1 return service per day

E10 MSIP → Dundee
6 return services per day (three for E1, three for E3)

E11 Dundee → Aberdeen via Braemar
no services

E12 Glasgow → Carmyle
2 return services per day

E14 Inverness → Oban
2 return services per day

E15 Edinburgh → Oban
2 return services per day

E16 Glasgow → Oban
2 return services per day

E17 Aberdeen → Perth
2 return services per day

E18 Inverness → Ullapool
No services

E19 Livingston → Edinburgh Airport
16 return services per day

E20 Edinburgh Airport → Glasgow
16 return services per day

Christmas Eve & New Year's Eve
Early finish to normal service

New Year's Day
Late start to normal service

 

[KrisEK]

I do applaud Ember's commitment to supporting Christmas Day travel, but it also feels a little crazy that Thurso will have a Christmas Day service when Glasgow will almost certainly have no local services once again (unless maybe the 24 hour service on the 77 continues?)

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

I do applaud Ember's commitment to supporting Christmas Day travel, but it also feels a little crazy that Thurso will have a Christmas Day service when Glasgow will almost certainly have no local services once again (unless maybe the 24 hour service on the 77 continues?)

24 hour service on the 77 won't run, Bit obvious when First Glasgow don't run any services at all on Christmas Day. Thurso have technically had a Christmas Day service for ages Stagecoach run the 276

 

[Sealink]

Is it just my browser or is there a bug in Ember's online booking system?
Sometimes it lets me book beyond 14 October, but mainly I get this:

(Wick Co-Op to Glasgow btw)

 

[Bletchleyite]

I see the same. I assume a timetable change is coming up but not yet finalised so not yet on sale.

 

[Volvodart]

I see the same. I assume a timetable change is coming up but not yet finalised so not yet on sale.

There is a Wick town centre stop bookable from 14 October, it may be to do with that.

 

[smsm1]

They are switching from the Co-op stop to the General Hospital stop which is closer to the town centre. See the attached screenshots from the map that confirms this. When I used that coach there were people using it to access the hospital, so it may be to make it easier for those passengers. Actually it could be due to the change of routes north of Wick as there's 2 options, and that way there's a single stop in both directions. This avoids the issue like in Dunblane where multiple stops are used depending on where the coach is going to or coming from.