Stansted Express Bus Replacement

[F Great Eastern]

Stansted Express are replacing trains with buses for most of the next weekend.

They state the journey will take approx 1 hour by bus with buses operating every 15 mins? If anyone here has used the bus replacement, is it reliable and is the time that AGA give accurate?

I have a flight at 10.05pm and will be getting the 17:43 from Ipswich, arriving at London Liverpool Street at 18:55, with a bus at 19:10 timetabled to arrive at 20:10.

Now as long as I get to the airport by 20:45 I should be fine but does anyone think it is risky or not? I don't think I would be able to make the 17:20 train from Ipswich to Cambridge to go via that route.

 

[306024]

The problem for Stansted Express trains is that the competing road network is actually very good. After leaving Liverpool St you are soon on the dual carriageway leading to the M11. So yes that is as reliable as possible and the journey time realistic. The timetable is nominal, the coach leaves as soon as it is full, but the minimum is a coach every 15 minutes.

Did you not consider the 18.00 National Express coach from Ipswich to Stansted Airport, which will get you there at 19.30? £20.60 single.

 

[F Great Eastern]

I was considering the 6.00pm National Express coach, however I am meeting a friend in London who is also travelling to Stansted and they have already bought Stansted Express tickets.

 

[306024]

Fair enough. You would be OK 9/10 times I guess, just hope sods law doesn't kick in as there's not a lot of margin for error.

 

[James Wake]

The route out to the A12 is up from Liverpool St to Shoreditch, down to Cambridge Heath, then across to Hackney Wick to join the A12, so only about 10 minutes until you should be on the A12, then the M11 to Stansted.

 

[F Great Eastern]

I cut it fine last time during a similar trip where I booked National Express coach from Stratford where Sods law kicked in so that is what I'm a bit weary.

I booked the 19:30 from Stratford to Stansted that should have arrived at 20:20 in the end didn't arrive until 21:10 and I had to make a made scramble for the flight which left at 22:05.

 

[anti-pacer]

The route out to the A12 is up from Liverpool St to Shoreditch, down to Cambridge Heath, then across to Hackney Wick to join the A12, so only about 10 minutes until you should be on the A12, then the M11 to Stansted.

10 minutes from Liverpool Street to Hackney Wick is a tad optimistic don't you think?

 

[James Wake]

Ok, maybe 15, but once on the dual carriageway and motorway it should be quicker. I hope of course for the OPs sake there isn't any trouble on the A12 or M11 that evening.

 

[anti-pacer]

Ok, maybe 15, but once on the dual carriageway and motorway it should be quicker. I hope of course for the OPs sake there isn't any trouble on the A12 or M11 that evening.

I've Google mapped it and that route suggests 23 minutes WITHOUT traffic delays (30 with) from Liverpool Street to Hackney Wick (A12).

However, Liverpool Street to Stansted comes in at 44 minutes, without traffic delays, going the Hackney Wick way.

This makes no sense at all because there's no way even in a car you could do Hackney Wick to Stansted in 21 minutes.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Thanks guys, will think about it.

The other alternative my friend was thinking was to meet at Chelmsford and get the X30 coach from there to Stansted, although that's the most expensive option, since there are no advance tickets from Ipswich to Chelmsford so it's the £14 anytime day single + the £10 Stansted Aircoach. It's quite annoying, because advances are £8 from Stowmarket to Chelmsford.

The £13.80 Ipswich to Stansted via London advance looks the best bet but if sods law kicks in as you say I'm screwed.

 

[quarella]

I used the Stansted Express RRB yesterday. Arrived at Liverpool St at 1120. Departed at 1130 and arrived at Stansted Airport 53 minutes later.
I had a quick look at Stansted Citylink coach service from St Pancras International for comparison purposes. They allow journey times from 55 minutes off peak up to an hour and a half at peak times.

 

[jopsuk]

Can't you instead meet your friend at the airport?

 

[306024]

Can't you instead meet your friend at the airport?

That would indeed be the simplest solution rather than all this X30 from Chelmsford stuff. Having said that the X30 is an excellent service to save having to go into London and out, but a long way round if you are starting from London.