Megabus Seating

[Butts]

Have temporarily defected from National Express to Megabus for a £1.50 special to London, departing from Newport at 0530 tomorrow.

With regard to seating is it best to go up or down if you are on your own ? Are there any "Exit Seats" aka National Express ?

Anticipating the service will be empty at that time of the morning and midweek - will I be correct in that assumption ?

I think it originates up the road in Cwmbran - where can you find timetables showing all the stops as I can't seem to find that information on the website.

Many Thanks.

 

[ValleyLines142]

The 0530 actually originates from Pembroke Dock (0155), and picks up in Cardiff beforehand, so you may find it's fairly well loaded. I imagine upstairs will be better, as the views are nicer from the top and downstairs tends to be taken quicker. There are also more seats upstairs anyway.

The timetables with stops is on Traveline South East.

 

[Butts]

The 0530 actually originates from Pembroke Dock (0155), and picks up in Cardiff beforehand, so you may find it's fairly well loaded. I imagine upstairs will be better, as the views are nicer from the top and downstairs tends to be taken quicker. There are also more seats upstairs anyway.

The timetables with stops is on Traveline South East.

Thanks, am I correct in assuming there are no timetables on the Megabus Site ? - this seems a bit weird.

 

[Temple Meads]

Thanks, am I correct in assuming there are no timetables on the Megabus Site ? - this seems a bit weird.

Yes you're correct, you can usually work them out using the booking engine, but it's still rather fiddly.

The coaches on that route are now mostly new Plaxton Elite i 'interdecks', with only 3 downstairs seats right behind the driver.

Attached is a screenshot from the route M7/M10 timetable taken from the Traveline SE website - I've highlighted your service.

 

[Butts]

Yes you're correct, you can usually work them out using the booking engine, but it's still rather fiddly.

The coaches on that route are now mostly new Plaxton Elite i 'interdecks', with only 3 downstairs seats right behind the driver.

Attached is a screenshot from the route M7/M10 timetable taken from the Traveline SE website - I've highlighted your service.

Thanks TM - am I being stupid asking why they don't have Timetables on the Megabus Website ?

 

[Flying Snail]

Have temporarily defected from National Express to Megabus for a £1.50 special to London, departing from Newport at 0530 tomorrow.

With regard to seating is it best to go up or down if you are on your own ? Are there any "Exit Seats" aka National Express ?

Anticipating the service will be empty at that time of the morning and midweek - will I be correct in that assumption ?

I think it originates up the road in Cwmbran - where can you find timetables showing all the stops as I can't seem to find that information on the website.

Many Thanks.

I seriously doubt it will be empty, I used that service last year on a Sunday morning coming from Rosslare, we skipped Carmarthen but picked up a decent amount in Swansea and Cardiff with a few in Newport. Was nearly an hour quicker also, 8.30 arrival in Victoria.

 

[PeterC]

Thanks TM - am I being stupid asking why they don't have Timetables on the Megabus Website ?

1. Because they think that you are only interested in your stated journey and don't want to ask questions like:
"Is there a more suitable set down point than the one that I entered"
2. Timetables are just old fashioned

 

[Mwanesh]

They dont do timetables they are an online business.Even if they did them where will they put them.The only place with a timetable is Victoria there is a large one on the wall showing routes and places served.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm almost certain they used to have timetables on their old site.

The new one also contains this gem:
"You can bring cold food, cold drinks and hot drinks that have a lid on. For safety reasons, we can’t allow hot food on our coaches."

Is that for safety from getting a clout from another passenger for stinking the coach out? I never understood why such garbage non-reasons have to be invented, rather than simply because it is antisocial to eat smelly hot food in confined spaces full of people. After all I never heard of someone killed by a portion of chips - but I did once see someone become close to being killed by a NatEx driver when he found they had taken chips on!

 

[Mwanesh]

After all I never heard of someone killed by a portion of chips - but I did once see someone become close to being killed by a NatEx driver when he found they had taken chips on!.Nat Ex come hard on drivers if someone complains.Megabus tend to take things in their stride.

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

I'm almost certain they used to have timetables on their old site.

The new one also contains this gem:
"You can bring cold food, cold drinks and hot drinks that have a lid on. For safety reasons, we can’t allow hot food on our coaches."

Is that for safety from getting a clout from another passenger for stinking the coach out? I never understood why such garbage non-reasons have to be invented, rather than simply because it is antisocial to eat smelly hot food in confined spaces full of people. After all I never heard of someone killed by a portion of chips - but I did once see someone become close to being killed by a NatEx driver when he found they had taken chips on!

Actually, little known to the public, but it is illegal to take hot food onto a bus according to the Conduct of Drivers, Conductors and Passengers Act 1936 {as amended} though I agree the wording on the website seems a bit odd... surely you're more likely to be injured by a hot drink {with or without lid} than hot food.... and of course some cold food can be lethal... flapjacks for instance

 

[GusB]

They dont do timetables they are an online business.Even if they did them where will they put them.The only place with a timetable is Victoria there is a large one on the wall showing routes and places served.

Why would being an online business prevent them from posting timetables on their website? It's not as if they're limited by physical space

 

[Butts]

Why would being an online business prevent them from posting timetables on their website? It's not as if they're limited by physical space

Exactly my thoughts, a suprising omission.

 

[Martin1988]

In my job I have been required to compile spreadsheets showing Megabus diagrams out of Bristol before. When the timetables on Traveline have been out of date it has been very time consuming and required a lot of concentration.

Am not sure whether I prefer sitting at the front or back for a Megabus journey. Normally judge it on how busy the service is, what other passengers are doing and the vehicle type.

Only time I've ever sat downstairs was on a Megabus Gold vehicle as the front row of seats were the only standard forward facing ones.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Exactly my thoughts, a suprising omission.

And only a recent one, I'm sure they were there on the old site.

The problem with journey planners is that, great though they are, they don't sell opportunities to you, they just let you look up if something you've already decided to do is feasible.

 

[overthewater]

The other problem is timetables limit what the company might actually be doing. All point will be served by buy a coach, which coach is a different matter. Dup operate to what been demanded so stops can be skipped or dups cover parts of the route equaling the demand for that night.

 

[mark-h]

For safety reasons, we can’t allow hot food on our coaches

May be worth asking the HSE Mythbusters about this.

 

[lewesroad]

Are the seats comfortable on Megabus? What’s the legroom like?

 

[Clip]

Why would being an online business prevent them from posting timetables on their website? It's not as if they're limited by physical space

Because they simply do not need them because the wider public outside of bus fans do not need them.

You enter where you want to start from and roughly what time and then your destination. That's all travellers want - nothing more and nothing less.

 

[carlberry]

Because they simply do not need them because the wider public outside of bus fans do not need them.

You enter where you want to start from and roughly what time and then your destination. That's all travellers want - nothing more and nothing less.

You need to talk to all the train companies and bus companies that are using printed timetables as a marketing tool and tell them they're all wrong! And companies like Argos that still insist on letting people browse and compare, they could save a fortune!

 

[quarella]

Because they simply do not need them because the wider public outside of bus fans do not need them.

You enter where you want to start from and roughly what time and then your destination. That's all travellers want - nothing more and nothing less.

Journey planners are certainly useful as a basic tool but sometimes a bit more is required and it is only as good as how it is programmed. Tfl's offered me a journey with 2 changes because the direct bus was scheduled to take 2 minutes longer. There are times when location X is where you want to be but Y is close enough to make alternative arrangements for the few miles involved and offers a more frequent/later/better timed service which could be seen on a timetable.

 

[Clip]

You need to talk to all the train companies and bus companies that are using printed timetables as a marketing tool and tell them they're all wrong! And companies like Argos that still insist on letting people browse and compare, they could save a fortune!

Journey planners are certainly useful as a basic tool but sometimes a bit more is required and it is only as good as how it is programmed. Tfl's offered me a journey with 2 changes because the direct bus was scheduled to take 2 minutes longer. There are times when location X is where you want to be but Y is close enough to make alternative arrangements for the few miles involved and offers a more frequent/later/better timed service which could be seen on a timetable.

You are both now introducing issues which have no relevance to the thread nor Megabus and how they operate.

 

[Deerfold]

Because they simply do not need them because the wider public outside of bus fans do not need them.

You enter where you want to start from and roughly what time and then your destination. That's all travellers want - nothing more and nothing less.

I'd find them handy - I can get to several large towns and cities fairly easily. Knowing where Megabus operate to from each of them would be very useful. It means I may be able to find a handier place to be set down that goes from a different departure point. It means I may be able to realise they no longer serve my nearest town, even though the search engine accepts it but provides no results. And it means I might try journeys that I hadn't realised were possible with them.

I don't even need exact times - just a map of where their services actually go would do me.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Journey planners are certainly useful as a basic tool but sometimes a bit more is required and it is only as good as how it is programmed. Tfl's offered me a journey with 2 changes because the direct bus was scheduled to take 2 minutes longer. There are times when location X is where you want to be but Y is close enough to make alternative arrangements for the few miles involved and offers a more frequent/later/better timed service which could be seen on a timetable.

One thing I often use them for is establishing the origin of a train or bus. Going south from Bletchley I prefer one that has originated at MKC because it'll be quieter than one through from Birmingham.

 

[Typhoon]

One thing I often use them for is establishing the origin of a train or bus. Going south from Bletchley I prefer one that has originated at MKC because it'll be quieter than one through from Birmingham.

Also, with coaches and buses, a journey that starts closer to you is probably more likely to be on time. (Less opportunity to be held up.) And you are more likely to have a choice of seats!!

 

[route101]

Kinda preferred the Megabus deckers to the Nat ex singles . Its quieter upstairs and i think all seats face forwards . On nat ex the seats can be leather . The gold bus seating layout i didnt like the seats facing each other .

 

[RT4038]

Why would being an online business prevent them from posting timetables on their website? It's not as if they're limited by physical space

Perhaps it is because (a) the expense of producing and keeping up to date all the artwork required, and (b) the answering of queries related to inconsistencies when trips are amended on individual days, is just judged as not worth the amount of extra business that may be generated? Do many people look at airline schedules other than in journey planner format? No. Network map available at https://uk.megabus.com/uk-network-map , to check on the journey opportunities which may be available.

 

[RT4038]

I'd find them handy - I can get to several large towns and cities fairly easily. Knowing where Megabus operate to from each of them would be very useful. It means I may be able to find a handier place to be set down that goes from a different departure point. It means I may be able to realise they no longer serve my nearest town, even though the search engine accepts it but provides no results. And it means I might try journeys that I hadn't realised were possible with them.

I don't even need exact times - just a map of where their services actually go would do me.

Try https://uk.megabus.com/uk-network-map

 

[Bletchleyite]

Try https://uk.megabus.com/uk-network-map

That looks rather good; at least they have it unlike a certain other coach operator who have long claimed it's a bit too hard.

 

[Deerfold]

Try https://uk.megabus.com/uk-network-map

That's some use. Is it new? I've looked before and not been able to find one. It does lack some routes.