MegaBus/Train

[Simon Poole]

I been checking on Megabus/Train website and they have some rail journeys for £1.00 with an 50p, has anyone used MegaTrain/Bus? just want some information and wait to do when you pay for a ticket(less)

 

[Pumbaa]

They're valid tickets. Sometimes too valid (if anyone gets my drift).

Great way to pick up cheap singles usually when other advances are long gone.

 

[Simon Poole]

They're valid tickets. Sometimes too valid (if anyone gets my drift).

Great way to pick up cheap singles usually when other advances are long gone.

even know they for Virgin, East Midlands and South West Trains, thinking about going to Havant on the cheap to film some trains

 

[bb21]

They work in a similar way to Advance tickets. You have to travel on the train booked.

There is no ticket needed. All you need is to take a note of the reference number which will be displayed once you have paid (or print out the confirmation email if you prefer). The guard will have a list of numbers to check your reference against (but many don't bother).

The reference number will be in the form of: 00-0000-blablabla

The first two digits (or one digit if you book early enough) are sequential as the seats are sold, while the next group of four digits are the real PIN. The rest of the reference will be information regarding the service itself.

 

[Clip]

Great way to pick up cheap singles usually when other advances are long gone.

Sounds like a saturday night down the local Ritzy

 

[Simon Poole]

They work in a similar way to Advance tickets. You have to travel on the train booked.

There is no ticket needed. All you need is to take a note of the reference number which will be displayed once you have paid (or print out the confirmation email if you prefer). The guard will have a list of numbers to check your reference against (but many don't bother).

The reference number will be in the form of: 00-0000-blablabla

The first two digits (or one digit if you book early enough) are sequential as the seats are sold, while the next group of four digits are the real PIN. The rest of the reference will be information regarding the service itself.

It also says you have to show it at the station, is that at the automatic gates or the booking office?

 

[Brucey]

It also says you have to show it at the station, is that at the automatic gates or the booking office?

Just at the gates, if present.

 

[Simon Poole]

Just at the gates, if present.

that great and easy, thanks

 

[Bellwater]

Just like a "Print at home" Ticket really. on the rare occasions we see them it's just a case of seeing the date and time train you're booked on.

 

[theblackwatch]

When I did Megabus-Megatrain, I had to give the bus driver my booking ref when I joined for the journey to East Midlands Parkway, then upon alighting at East Midlands Parkway, all passengers were handed a ticket for the train journey down to St Pancras.

 

[Deerfold]

There is no ticket needed. All you need is to take a note of the reference number which will be displayed once you have paid (or print out the confirmation email if you prefer). The guard will have a list of numbers to check your reference against (but many don't bother).

I tend to find the checking usually consists of checking where you're going if it's a coach to get any luggage in the right place and counting how many people there are - only if there's more people than expected do some drivers then look in detail at your number (can be printed off or written down) - had one of these where the last person to book had done it after the driver had left the depot so there was one more than he was expecting - quick call to the depot and all was well.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

When I did Megabus-Megatrain, I had to give the bus driver my booking ref when I joined for the journey to East Midlands Parkway, then upon alighting at East Midlands Parkway, all passengers were handed a ticket for the train journey down to St Pancras.

That'd be Megabusplus to use the lingo - I'm giving that a go next week - Yorkshire - London for £10.50 return seemed worth a try.

 

[bb21]

I tend to find the checking usually consists of checking where you're going if it's a coach to get any luggage in the right place and counting how many people there are - only if there's more people than expected do some drivers then look in detail at your number (can be printed off or written down) - had one of these where the last person to book had done it after the driver had left the depot so there was one more than he was expecting - quick call to the depot and all was well.

Ooh, yes. That's true for coach journeys. I was specifically referring to train journeys as that's what OP appeared to refer to.

 

[noblergt]

When I used the Megabusplus from St Pancras you had to go to a special desk next to the gate line to get your ticket. There was a quite a queue so you had to arrive in plenty of time.

When I did Megabus-Megatrain, I had to give the bus driver my booking ref when I joined for the journey to East Midlands Parkway, then upon alighting at East Midlands Parkway, all passengers were handed a ticket for the train journey down to St Pancras.

Interestingly, you can book a Megabus directly to East Midlands Parkway only, and they still hand you a ticket all the way to London when you get off! My girlfriend was trying to get to Leicester, and she still bought a EMD - LEI ticket separately, but I always wondered if the tickets that were handed out could be used for a break of journey. I'm guessing no, but nothing would of stopped her to keep going to London! The bus was late as well, so the next train all the other passengers had to use wasn't Megatrain designated anyway so I can't see how she would have been caught.

 

[route:oxford]

Megatrain is fantastic. I've used it so many times between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Birmingham New Street. £1.50 each way cannot be beaten.

I've also had one accepted on a later service when my first stage into Queen Street was delayed...

Whilst paperless is good (ie keeping the ticket number on your mobile or written on your hand) - sometimes it's handy to have it printed in order that a connecting TOC can scribble a note and stamp it to help you prove earlier delays.

 

[ModChod]

Megatrain is fantastic. I've used it so many times between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Birmingham New Street. £1.50 each way cannot be beaten.

I've also had one accepted on a later service when my first stage into Queen Street was delayed...

Whilst paperless is good (ie keeping the ticket number on your mobile or written on your hand) - sometimes it's handy to have it printed in order that a connecting TOC can scribble a note and stamp it to help you prove earlier delays.

I have looked at booking New St to Edinburgh a few times. Is there only 1 journey each way per day? From memory, the only outbound I have ever seen come up is from New St is approx 06:30?

 

[bb21]

I have looked at booking New St to Edinburgh a few times. Is there only 1 journey each way per day? From memory, the only outbound I have ever seen come up is from New St is approx 06:30?

Yes. Megatrain is only available on selected departures.

 

[Deerfold]

I have looked at booking New St to Edinburgh a few times. Is there only 1 journey each way per day? From memory, the only outbound I have ever seen come up is from New St is approx 06:30?

It's hard to tell. Megabus/train seem to have given up on publishing timetables so if there's no service at the time you look you don't know whether it doesn't exist or is full/out of allocated tickets.

 

[Pumbaa]

Previously a user Posted the entire list of mega train services. Usually just 1 or 2 each way on each service.

 

[Deerfold]

Previously a user Posted the entire list of mega train services. Usually just 1 or 2 each way on each service.

Still hard to know if they've changed anything as there's no compulsion for megatrain to continue to offer tickets on any given service (and for coaches to know where is linked to where except by trying to search...)

 

[Butts]

I have looked at booking New St to Edinburgh a few times. Is there only 1 journey each way per day? From memory, the only outbound I have ever seen come up is from New St is approx 06:30?

Yes I've done that journey from Brum to Auld Reekie at 0630 for £1

In the other direction it's normally 1800 odd departure from Edinburgh to Birmingham via WOLVERHAMPTON (don't ask )

 

[Deerfold]

Yes I've done that journey from Brum to Auld Reekie at 0630 for £1

In the other direction it's normally 1800 odd departure from Edinburgh to Birmingham via WOLVERHAMPTON (don't ask )

That sounds sensible compared with Keighley - London via East Midlands Parkway with megaplusbus or Leeds - London via Birmingham and Coventry on plusbus (that one was 90 minutes late and the girl sat next to me got travelsick and started throwing up about 45 minutes out of London).

 

[EM2]

I've tried looking for the answer to this, but the work PC seems not to like the Megabus site.
How far ahead do they open bookings?

 

[dzug2]

About 6 weeks for trains - possibly longer for buses

 

[route:oxford]

I have looked at booking New St to Edinburgh a few times. Is there only 1 journey each way per day? From memory, the only outbound I have ever seen come up is from New St is approx 06:30?

That's true.

All depends on how valuable the discount is to you compared to convenience.

If you're prepared to travel across to the less refined part of the Central belt, there's often availability on the 10.00 from Weegieland Central.

 

[bb21]

I've tried looking for the answer to this, but the work PC seems not to like the Megabus site.
How far ahead do they open bookings?

45 days for megatrain iirc. Tickets are released on a daily basis.

 

[extendedpaul]

I use Megabus/Megatrain only when I can get a £1 ticket - I think sometimes there is just one at that price. So cheap it's worth a little inconvenience.

The 50p booking fee is charged only once if you book several journeys together. I sometimes book on two services an hour or two apart to give some flexibility/insurance, though that isn't always possible on the train routes.

 

[Deerfold]

I use Megabus/Megatrain only when I can get a £1 ticket - I think sometimes there is just one at that price. So cheap it's worth a little inconvenience.

The 50p booking fee is charged only once if you book several journeys together. I sometimes book on two services an hour or two apart to give some flexibility/insurance, though that isn't always possible on the train routes.

I used to do that to Brighton sometimes with a mix of NX and megabus tickets - usually an early morning one down, an evening one up and a lunchtime one back in case of bad weather - there'd usually be a couple of shops I wanted to go to but only wander round aimlessly in good weather - and usually for £3.50.

 

[EM2]

Thanks for the booking ahead answers.

 

[MikeWh]

I use Megabus/Megatrain only when I can get a £1 ticket - I think sometimes there is just one at that price. So cheap it's worth a little inconvenience.

The 50p booking fee is charged only once if you book several journeys together. I sometimes book on two services an hour or two apart to give some flexibility/insurance, though that isn't always possible on the train routes.

I keep seeing this assertion that there is only one £1 ticket per train. Whilst I can't disprove that categorically, I can confirm that on at least one Waterloo to Southampton train and return later in the day there are actually EIGHT £1 tickets. I managed to get six of us there and back for £1 each and on one train I managed to add a further one at £1. The ticket numbers told me that the total per train was 8. My sister also booked on the train that I got all 7, but her two tickets were both at the next price up because there was only one left after my initial 6.

 

[Brucey]

I have previously bought ticket number 10 for a HAV - WAT journey at £1.