A Megabus Query

[Martin1988]

In London Victoria Coach Station there seems to be the option for Megabus passengers to pay £5.00 to travel on an earlier service than the one they are booked on if there are seats available.

Does anyone know, does this have the effect of freeing up the seat of the service the passenger was originally booked on?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd figure so - that's why easyJet do it (for free).

 

[telstarbox]

Does anyone ever turn up at the Megabus office inside VCS and buy a ticket for immediate travel?

 

[causton]

Does anyone ever turn up at the Megabus office inside VCS and buy a ticket for immediate travel?

I'd imagine so!

If people turn up at my station and ask for a single to Dublin (knowing in advance that the ferries have strict quotas and if we don't have the ferry quota available they can't go) - I am sure many do! Especially those who have booked online and then can't find their reference or whatever, or realise "the computer has booked it for the wrong date"

 

[overthewater]

On the night coaches, people would still try and buy tickets, whilst queuing up.

If passengers were really lucky, IE free seats were up for grabs which didn't happen all the time, there would sell them a ticket at the top price plus £5-£10.

 

[extendedpaul]

Megabus at Victoria charge £5 to travel earlier on a standard service and £10 on a gold. The only time I've done it I was issued a receipt but I don't recall my reservation number being written down to be removed from my booked service though I might be wrong. I don't think National Express allow early travel at all.

I was once delayed an hour on a train to Victoria and missed my booked Megabus. I had to go to the main travel office to buy another ticket. I was definitely told they do not sell tickets at their office (near gate 20). Fortunately it was on a Wednesday when all fares were £5 (since discontinued) so didn't hurt too much.

Returning to London I've known Megabus drivers permit early travel. I don't think they have ticket issuing facilities so don't charge. However I've twice seen passengers unable to find their reservation numbers on smart phones and they were not allowed to board.

 

[Techniquest]

I bought a Megabus London to Newcastle journey on the day once, thanks to my inbound journey from Gloucester being held up thanks both to Megabus and two passengers! This was a long while before I got a smartphone, so couldn't have bought online whether I liked it or not!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Megabus at Victoria charge £5 to travel earlier on a standard service and £10 on a gold. The only time I've done it I was issued a receipt but I don't recall my reservation number being written down to be removed from my booked service though I might be wrong. I don't think National Express allow early travel at all.

In some situations at driver discretion they do, or did. Certainly while you got a service marked on your ticket if you bought one from MK Coachway to London, last time I tried it you could just get on any Nat Ex coach with it (as it's the last pickup stop into London, so if there are seats free it is known they will remain free).

 

[extendedpaul]

I bought a Megabus London to Newcastle journey on the day once, thanks to my inbound journey from Gloucester being held up thanks both to Megabus and two passengers! This was a long while before I got a smartphone, so couldn't have bought online whether I liked it or not!

Yes you can definitely buy on the day. I've done so several times myself and the saving over rail fares is usually so great it more than justifies the longer travelling time and (slightly imo) reduced comfort. London to Newcastle this afternoon is £121 by train and £20.50 on Megabus.

Also I like the fact that they only charge 50p to cancel a journey up to 24 hours before travel and use the price paid towards another trip.

 

[Martin1988]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond. Normally when I travel on the Megabus up to London I catch the 0730 departure off of Bristol but turn up when the 0645 journey has been loading. On a couple of occasions I've been told I need to wait for my booked coach at 0730 but in one instance the driver let me travel early. There didn't seem to be that many passengers on board that particular journey although the driver told me not to tell anyone so I'm guessing I was very lucky.

My main reason for paying the £5.00 fee to travel earlier has been when there's been a duplicate coach on an earlier departure to the one I've been booked on. Same with National Express. Normally though I prefer to simply wait for the service I'm booked on to get first choice of seats.

 

[RT4038]

Does anyone ever turn up at the Megabus office inside VCS and buy a ticket for immediate travel?

Tickets cannot be bought at the megabus office inside VCS. You can buy them at the VCS TfL ticket office.