Stopping Short on National Express

[Butts]

I regularly have to travel from Newport in South Wales to Birmingham and often fares to and from Cardiff are a lot cheaper. Probably because there are far more services to and from Cardiff.

For example the other week it was £30 odd quid return from Newport but only £10.80 from Cardiff. It costs me £2.10 on Newport Bus to get from Newport to Cardiff. On the way back I make sure it is a service that stops in Newport as well as Cardiff and just get off there. Never been questioned by a driver and normally only have hand luggage so nothing in the hold.

Is this frowned upon in the same way as on Trains ?

Have not had the courage to try getting on in Newport when I have booked a service from Cardiff on the outward leg - would I get away with that ?

It did once back fire on me when a late running service from Birmingham to Cardiff that was scheduled to also stop in Newport went non-stop to Cardiff. However that was the exception and I could hardly complain !!

 

[Lrd]

The driver won't care and NatEx aren't going to force you to stay on. But as you've experienced the coach may miss out your desired stop. Just be careful with any luggage that goes in the hold as the driver will place it with the Cardiff lot and won't be happy if they have to dig it out but you can mention it to the driver before getting on and it shouldn't be a problem (some drivers are miserable sods so are never happy anyway)

 

[Butts]

The driver won't care and NatEx aren't going to force you to stay on. But as you've experienced the coach may miss out your desired stop. Just be careful with any luggage that goes in the hold as the driver will place it with the Cardiff lot and won't be happy if they have to dig it out but you can mention it to the driver before getting on and it shouldn't be a problem (some drivers are miserable sods so are never happy anyway)

What about getting on at Newport when I have a ticket from Cardiff (on the same service) - would that be a step to far ?

 

[Temple Meads]

What about getting on at Newport when I have a ticket from Cardiff (on the same service) - would that be a step to far ?

I would avoid that as the driver could refuse you travel, or the coach might not show up at all if no other passengers are booked on from Newport.

 

[embers25]

What about getting on at Newport when I have a ticket from Cardiff (on the same service) - would that be a step to far ?

Used to be no issue at all but now frowned upon and also several ticket types don't allow it (ie funfares etc). Also your seat wouldn't be guarenteed.
The reason for the cheaper Cardiff fares is Megabus competition. Basically if your stop is not as regular a megabus stop NatEx will pretty much double the fare. For example they used to do funfares from Exeter bus station for £5 to London but from Exeter Honiton Road (5 minutes away) it was more than 4 times that despite being nearer. NatEx fares are about as screwed up as rail ones and, like rail fares, it's usually cheaper to buy a ticket not to where you are going or to board the stop before to save money.

 

[Statto]

I got off early loads of times, mostly coming off the overnighters at Heathrow rather than Victoria as Heathrow is easier to interchange with the Tube, not been told off once for doing so as my ticket was to Victoria which is cheaper than to/from Heathrow.

 

[philthetube]

If you are leaving on a service with a distance to travel, it is nice to warn the driver, just so he does not think he has lost anyone at motorway services or wherever.

 

[Martin1988]

During the olympics I had to do a few trips from Bristol to Heathrow Airport (I was working as a gamesmaker in T1). Found that the fare was something like £50.00 on the 200 service from Bristol but in the region of £15.00 from Bath, including bizarrely on journeys which involved a change onto the Heathrow service at Bristol. Consequently I booked on one of those journeys and got to travel from Bristol to Heathrow for a fraction of the normal price.

 

[cambsy]

I regulary book Exeter-Victoria fun fares and get off at Heathrow, never had a problem, as often get the 04.30am its quicker to get tube Heathrow-London than sit in peak time traffic for 80 mins or so.

 

[Butts]

If you are leaving on a service with a distance to travel, it is nice to warn the driver, just so he does not think he has lost anyone at motorway services or wherever.

That's an interesting point - I have never known them do a head count and I have been on a service that has made an unscheduled stop at a Motorway Services when ahead of time. (Newport -Birmingham).

From what people are saying it seems an acceptable practice to short stop on National Express Services.

 

[CarlSilva]

I wanted to get off a Southern vectis bus at some temprory traffic lights near Brading years but the driver said he could get the sack if he allowed it. Git. I ahd to walk all the way up the road.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wanted to get off a Southern vectis bus at some temprory traffic lights near Brading years but the driver said he could get the sack if he allowed it. Git. I ahd to walk all the way up the road.

I don't think that's quite the same thing, and he probably would have got the sack had it been reported.

 

[Lrd]

I wanted to get off a Southern vectis bus at some temprory traffic lights near Brading years but the driver said he could get the sack if he allowed it. Git. I ahd to walk all the way up the road.

It's not like @Butts wanted to jump off the coach as it passed Newport on the M4!

 

[Butts]

It's not like @Butts wanted to jump off the coach as it passed Newport on the M4!

Some people would happily contemplate that thought !!

When getting a Coach from Newport to Birmingham I do want to jump off it when it exits the M5 at Frankley and goes straight into Birmingham. Unfortunately that is not an option. I have to get a Bus or Train all the way back out. Going in the opposite direction of where you want to go for what come sometimes be a quarter of the journey time is frustrating.

 

[Statto]

Had a look at the Liverpool-London & Liverpool-Heathrow fares on the overnight 421 service, Liverpool-London open return £64.70, Liverpool-Heathrow £104 open return, the coach calls at Heathrow before London southbound, Heathrow being the next stop on route northbound after departing London.

 

[GusB]

That's an interesting point - I have never known them do a head count and I have been on a service that has made an unscheduled stop at a Motorway Services when ahead of time. (Newport -Birmingham).

From what people are saying it seems an acceptable practice to short stop on National Express Services.

I'm going back a few years now, but in my student days I used to do a fair few coach journeys. Mainly between Aberdeen and Edinburgh, but I did occasionally venture further afield. There was always a head-count. I recall one Easter weekend when a group of us were travelling from Birmingham to Blackpool and we "lost" a couple of passengers at some service area along the way. Said passengers were later identified and taxis were arranged, supposedly to meet the coach at Wigan. Unfortunately, the message was lost somewhere along the way and the lost passengers were transferred directly to Blackpool, overtaking the rest of us who were stuck for an hour at Wigan bus station!

 

[philthetube]

Some people would happily contemplate that thought !!

When getting a Coach from Newport to Birmingham I do want to jump off it when it exits the M5 at Frankley and goes straight into Birmingham. Unfortunately that is not an option. I have to get a Bus or Train all the way back out. Going in the opposite direction of where you want to go for what come sometimes be a quarter of the journey time is frustrating.

Try waving a tenner at the driver, if there is a safe place to drop you miracles might happen.

 

[Butts]

Try waving a tenner at the driver, if there is a safe place to drop you miracles might happen.

Steady on , that's twice the fare