National Express Journey Advice, 29/10/23

[gray1404]

I'm looking at going on the currently fully booked 1600 Liverpool to London 550 on Sunday 29 October. What are the chances of someone cancelling and a seat becoming available?

I know there are other limited options but I really do need the 1600.

 

[londonteacher]

I'm looking at going on the currently fully booked 1600 Liverpool to London 550 on Sunday 29 October. What are the chances of someone cancelling and a seat becoming available?

I know there are other limited options but I really do need the 1600.

Megabus have a service leaving 5 minutes later. For £22.

 

[markymark2000]

I'm looking at going on the currently fully booked 1600 Liverpool to London 550 on Sunday 29 October. What are the chances of someone cancelling and a seat becoming available?

I know there are other limited options but I really do need the 1600.

I'd say slim. More likely now that it would just be a no show and if there is a no show, the driver can sell you a very expensive full price ticket on the coach

 

[gray1404]

Megabus have a service leaving 5 minutes later. For £22.

I'm looking at using a free NX ticket code and be on a connecting service out of Vic so it needs to be the NX 1600 sorry. Thanks anyway.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Oct 2023 ==

I'd say slim. More likely now that it would just be a no show and if there is a no show, the driver can sell you a very expensive full price ticket on the coach

Damn. Would be looking at a space becoming available on the booking system so I can use a free code, but that looks unlikely now sadly.

 

[Eyersey468]

I'm looking at going on the currently fully booked 1600 Liverpool to London 550 on Sunday 29 October. What are the chances of someone cancelling and a seat becoming available?

I know there are other limited options but I really do need the 1600.

Honest answer, very slim. As others have said more likely to be a no show. What you could do is buy a ticket for the 1600 on the Monday and see if the driver will let you use it as a standby, some drivers will others won't.

 

[route101]

Honest answer, very slim. As others have said more likely to be a no show. What you could do is buy a ticket for the 1600 on the Monday and see if the driver will let you use it as a standby, some drivers will others won't.

I saw a passenger travelling from Edinburgh to Oxford via Milton Keynes try to use the 594 a day early. The driver phoned control and the passenger was allowed to board, but only after everyone else had boarded.

 

[Eyersey468]

@gray1404 did you get sorted in the end?

 

[gray1404]

@gray1404 did you get sorted in the end?

Thanks for following up. Checked early afternoon Sunday and still fully booked so travelled today instead.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Oct 2023 ==

Honest answer, very slim. As others have said more likely to be a no show. What you could do is buy a ticket for the 1600 on the Monday and see if the driver will let you use it as a standby, some drivers will others won't.

I saw a passenger travelling from Edinburgh to Oxford via Milton Keynes try to use the 594 a day early. The driver phoned control and the passenger was allowed to board, but only after everyone else had boarded.

I do notice that many of the drivers on the 550 and 025 (the routes I use often) can be very strict about a customer being on the correct service and will not let passengers travel early. It's a shame really when there is space, especially when customers like me use flexible tickets and sometimes arrive in Victoria and an earlier service to still to depart.

 

[Mwanesh]

Thanks for following up. Checked early afternoon Sunday and still fully booked so travelled today instead.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Oct 2023 ==



I do notice that many of the drivers on the 550 and 025 (the routes I use often) can be very strict about a customer being on the correct service and will not let passengers travel early. It's a shame really when there is space, especially when customers like me use flexible tickets and sometimes arrive in Victoria and an earlier service to still to depart.

It's not easy dealing with control.It saves calling in and waiting for a decision.

 

[londonbridge]

Earlier this year I travelled on an overnight service from Birmingham to London, the itinerary was arrive Luton 2:40am and the 4:00am to Victoria, at Luton I spoke to the driver of the 3:00am and he allowed me on board.

On a couple of occasions the coach was delayed to the extent that it would affect my plans at my destination, so I just got off early and took a train the rest of the way. Neither of these two journeys involved airport stops, in both cases I told the driver I was leaving early and nothing was said.

 

[GusB]

As the OP has now completed their journey, we'll bring this thread to a close. Thanks for all your contributions.