Bus fare 724

[boiledbeans2]

Does anyone know the bus fare of route 724, if travelling from
- Heathrow to Watford
- Uxbridge to Watford

Are both at the £3 cap? I can't seem to find any fare info on their website.

Trying to compare if there is fare benefit in using TfL bus A10 to get from Heathrow to Uxbridge for option 2 above.

 

[LA50041]

Does anyone know the bus fare of route 724, if travelling from
- Heathrow to Watford
- Uxbridge to Watford

Are both at the £3 cap? I can't seem to find any fare info on their website.

Trying to compare if there is fare benefit in using TfL bus A10 to get from Heathrow to Uxbridge for option 2 above.

The Arriva website suggests that the fare Heathrow - Watford is £3

 

[higthomas]

Fares – 724 - Harlow - Hertford - Welwyn Garden City - Hatfield - Heathrow – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

Both £3

 

[E B]

Does anyone know the bus fare of route 724, if travelling from
- Heathrow to Watford
- Uxbridge to Watford

Are both at the £3 cap? I can't seem to find any fare info on their website.

Trying to compare if there is fare benefit in using TfL bus A10 to get from Heathrow to Uxbridge for option 2 above.

An adult single for Route 724 is indeed £3.

 

[boiledbeans2]

Thanks for your answers!

How is it determined which bus routes fall under the £3 cap? E.g., why isn't RA3 from Heathrow to Watford also part of the cap scheme?

 

[JamesT]

Thanks for your answers!

How is it determined which bus routes fall under the £3 cap? E.g., why isn't RA3 from Heathrow to Watford also part of the cap scheme?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/3-national-bus-fare-cap lists routes that are and aren’t included. As it notes:

Participation in the bus fare cap scheme is voluntary and some bus companies have chosen not to take part.

Presumably for the RA buses they’ve decided the government funding isn’t sufficient to cover the shortfall and they’re unlikely to gain significant additional custom.

 

[ChilliSauce]

The Arriva website suggests that the fare Heathrow - Watford is £3

I think there is a Red TfL bus from Uxbridge to Heathrow ....£1.75 single ???

There is certainly a Harrow-On-The-Hill to Heathrow Airport Direct Bus : SL9

 

[Edvid]

How is it determined which bus routes fall under the £3 cap? E.g., why isn't RA3 from Heathrow to Watford also part of the cap scheme?

With a few exceptions, the cap doesn't apply if you're on a coach.

I think there is a Red TfL bus from Uxbridge to Heathrow ....£1.75 single ???

Yes, the A10. Same fare on the Carousel 102 as well.

Neither will save you money for travel to/from Watford as Uxbridge - Watford is still £3 on the 724/725 anyway.

There is certainly a Harrow-On-The-Hill to Heathrow Airport Direct Bus : SL9

In theory you could connect with the 258 for a Hopper fare, but that's dependent on the timetables and traffic conditions.

SL9 - Superloop - Heathrow Central - Harlington - Hayes - Northolt - Harrow Bus Station

First Bus London

bustimes.org

258 - Watford Junction - Harrow Weald - Wealdstone - Harrow - South Harrow

Metroline Travel

bustimes.org

 

[Haywain]

In theory you could connect with the 258 for a Hopper fare, but that's dependent on the timetables and traffic conditions.

Pretty unlikely with the SL9 scheduled to take 70 minutes from Heathrow to Harrow during most of the day.

 

[stadler]

Does anyone know the bus fare of route 724, if travelling from
- Heathrow to Watford
- Uxbridge to Watford

Are both at the £3 cap? I can't seem to find any fare info on their website.

Trying to compare if there is fare benefit in using TfL bus A10 to get from Heathrow to Uxbridge for option 2 above.

Just to add to what others have said it is worth pointing out that the £3.00 single fare cap is valid on both the 724 and 725 buses. They both run along the Heathrow to Uxbridge to Watford route. They run hourly each and provide a combined half hourly service. So you can take either a 724 or 725 for the same journey time and the same £3.00 single fare cap.

 

[boiledbeans2]

Many thanks for all your replies!

With a few exceptions, the cap doesn't apply if you're on a coach.

I had previously thought about the above as well. But what exactly is a coach?

E.g.

- Skills Motor Coaches states on the side of their ADL E200 "stylish coach travel [...]" https://www.alexander-dennis.com/al...ro400-double-deckers-at-skills-motor-coaches/

- Westway Coaches operating ADL E400: https://www.facebook.com/AlexanderD...le-deckers-to-westway-coach-/979164091084637/

- And this "executive" 10,000th ADL E400 interior: https://es5zyafq95u.exactdn.com/site-content/uploads/2023/06/ADL-Enviro400-milestone-3.jpg (main article: https://www.alexander-dennis.com/al...10000-bus-milestone-with-executive-enviro400/)

 

[Statto]

Before the £3 fare cap, it was £10 single on the 724 to Heathrow (£20 return) because of the premium Heathrow charged, you could have bought an explorer ticket for £8, traveled to Uxbridge, then changed to the A10 for £1,75 single (which would be £3.50 if you're returning the same way).

 

[Tetchytyke]

I had previously thought about the above as well. But what exactly is a coach?

Participation in the fares cap is voluntary. Operators will, generally, exclude their premium limited-stop or tourist services from the cap. Long-distance coach services are also excluded.

Operators will, generally, use coaches for these services. But a service being operated by a bus doesn't mean it is in the cap and a service being operated by a coach doesn't mean it is not in the cap.

The full list of routes is actually on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/3-national-bus-fare-cap

 

[greaterangrier]

Before the £3 fare cap, it was £10 single on the 724 to Heathrow (£20 return) because of the premium Heathrow charged, you could have bought an explorer ticket for £8, traveled to Uxbridge, then changed to the A10 for £1,75 single (which would be £3.50 if you're returning the same way).

Sorry if I'm missing anything obvious, but is this explorer ticket what is now the TravelEssex Saver? Or has it been withdrawn?

 

[Edvid]

Sorry if I'm missing anything obvious, but is this explorer ticket what is now the TravelEssex Saver? Or has it been withdrawn?

The Intalink Explorer (now labelled Intalink Connect All Zones) is a Hertfordshire ticket and still exists, but it's not valid between Maple Cross and Heathrow these days.

The Arriva-only All Zone* ticket is valid up to Uxbridge.

[* "All Zone" meaning Beds & Bucks + Herts & Essex, i.e. Shires & Essex as was]

 

[stadler]

The Intalink Explorer (now labelled Intalink Connect All Zones) is a Hertfordshire ticket and still exists, but it's not valid between Maple Cross and Heathrow these days.

The Arriva-only All Zone* ticket is valid up to Uxbridge.

[* "All Zone" meaning Beds & Bucks + Herts & Essex, i.e. Shires & Essex as was]

It is worth pointing out that the validity was massively cut at the same time they changed it from the Intalink Explorer ticket to the Intalink Connect All Zones ticket. It is now only valid in Hertfordshire and on routes that go to and from Hertfordshire. But under the old Intalink Explorer it used to be valid all over the shires and on many operators routes that went nowhere near Hertfordshire. You could get as far as Chelmsford / Colchester / Braintree / Cambridge / Oxford / Bedford / Reading / Slough / Northampton / Brackley / Bicester / Banbury on the Intalink Explorer ticket. It is a shame it has so much less validity since it got changed a couple years ago.

 

[Railguy1]

Can the national bus pass be used on the 724?

 

[stadler]

Can the national bus pass be used on the 724?

Yes the 724 and 725 routes accept ENCTS bus passes along the entire length including to and from Heathrow airport.

 

[boiledbeans2]

I tried this route 3 times so far, and yes indeed, the price is £3. I was doing Heathrow to Watford. Twice, the tickets was indeed printed Heathrow to Watford as the origin and destination (after I told the driver my destination). But the last trip, the destination was printed as Moneyhill Parade. I guess the driver just presses any button which produces £3.

Before the £3 fare cap, it was £10 single on the 724 to Heathrow (£20 return) because of the premium Heathrow charged, you could have bought an explorer ticket for £8, traveled to Uxbridge, then changed to the A10 for £1,75 single (which would be £3.50 if you're returning the same way).

Interesting. In that case, fares on this route has dropped significantly, considering when RA3 was introduced in 2023, it was £9, even cheaper than the former £10 for 724.

 

[zero]

In 2012, I emailed Green Line and got the following reply:

Thank you for your Email.

An Adult Single from Heathrow Airport Central Bus Station to Rickmansworth Station (Stop C) is £6.40 and an Adult Day Return is £11.90.

--
Thank you
Greenline Customer Services
0844 801 7261

 

[ChilliSauce]

In 2012, I emailed Green Line and got the following reply:

Naughty got as 0844 number .. that is Revenue Share and 0844 numbers are outside of all inclusive call packages ..

 

[PG]

Naughty got as 0844 number .. that is Revenue Share and 0844 numbers are outside of all inclusive call packages ..

At some point in the intervening 14 years(!) they have amended this to 0344 which should be included in inclusive call packages.

 

[njr001]

To answer post #17 an ENCTS Bus pass is valid on the 724 I've used it between Heathrow & Rickmansworth on several occasions

 

[Chriso]

I think there is a Red TfL bus from Uxbridge to Heathrow ....£1.75 single ???

There is certainly a Harrow-On-The-Hill to Heathrow Airport Direct Bus : SL9

There is the A10 and I think U3

 

[boiledbeans2]

Interestingly, an advance (fixed time) ticket for RA3 on their website is also £3, even on the day of travel. Business must be bad...

 

[Edvid]

Interestingly, an advance (fixed time) ticket for RA3 on their website is also £3, even on the day of travel. Business must be bad...

If seats are available you can use any other service on the day of travel.

The BODS farechart on bustimes (First Hampshire BRA3) says £13 each way for adults so perhaps it's a web-only offer.

From Luton a bus journey to Heathrow requires a change at St Albans or Watford (2 x £3 singles) so I may well use the RA3 instead of the 724/725 on my next trip there...

 

[benk1342]

If seats are available you can use any other service on the day of travel.

The BODS farechart on bustimes (First Hampshire BRA3) says £13 each way for adults so perhaps it's a web-only offer.

From Luton a bus journey to Heathrow requires a change at St Albans or Watford (2 x £3 singles) so I may well use the RA3 instead of the 724/725 on my next trip there...

I did not know about bustimes.org! I think you have changed my life…

 

[boiledbeans2]

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/3-national-bus-fare-cap lists routes that are and aren’t included. As it notes:

Presumably for the RA buses they’ve decided the government funding isn’t sufficient to cover the shortfall and they’re unlikely to gain significant additional custom.

If seats are available you can use any other service on the day of travel.

The BODS farechart on bustimes (First Hampshire BRA3) says £13 each way for adults so perhaps it's a web-only offer.

From Luton a bus journey to Heathrow requires a change at St Albans or Watford (2 x £3 singles) so I may well use the RA3 instead of the 724/725 on my next trip there...

Seems like RA3 is now £3 walkup. Both links in the above quotes have been updated. RA1 & RA2 are included in the first link, but not the second.

 

[Edvid]

The DfT bus cap page hasn't been updated, but that walkup fare has been noted in the Watford Community Facebook group.

Watford Community | Railair from watford junction to heathrow direct | Facebook

Railair from watford junction to heathrow direct. Price has gone down from 13 pound to 3 pound for a single journey. Still empty though!

www.facebook.com

 

[Edvid]

Rode on the RA3 last Wednesday and upon leaving Heathrow around noon it was still very quiet despite the low fares. If that's typical of the route in general it won't last the rest of the year.

With regard to routes that serve Terminals 2 & 3 specifically (as opposed to the Central Bus Station), a RailAir return to Watford is now cheaper than a Hotel Hoppa single!!