Can coach travel ever be cool?

[Mushroom]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6413839.stm

What do you think?

 

[Mojo]

I took National Express for the first time the other week. I got an outward journey for £1 and the return for £5 - even though I have a Priv - it's way cheaper than the train.

My outward journey was on a modern coach with leather seats. The driver was very friendly and kept us informed over his microphone. The exterior of the coach looked very nice. The engine noise was bearly noticable.

On the way back it was an older coach, and the driver didn't make any announcements, but it was quite loud - I was unable to hear the movie I was watching even with my headphones in. Because of train engineering works, the coach took the same as the train did on the way back.

Both coaches arrived 10 min early, but I saw a lengthy traffic jam going the other way - so wasn't too sure if it's a regular occurance. Seats were just as good on the train. Additionally, you're guaranteed a seat, unlike on the train. Was also good to see a change of scenery.

I only took it to save money, and I was quite impressed. I'd try it again - but only if it offered a saving (at least £4/single jrny) over the train and journey times remain competitive.

 

[Demps]

If your mashed, yeah; a coach journey is a god send.

 

[class 313]

Not done any instead of trains I wouldn't know,

But I have made a few coach journeys, I think it all depends on what kind of coach your in...

 

[Ascot]

Depends how high the air conditioning is on

 

[David]

Forgive me for being a cynic, but I think Nat-Ex are trying to boost their public image following the crash on the M25 not so long back....

 

[Mojo]

I found that the media coverage following that coach crash seemed to give them a good chance to say how good coach travel was and how safe it was. Certaintly when it was being discussed on Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 a few days after, there were lots of callers from people saying how excellent coach travel was which were broadcast.

 

[yorkie]

IAdditionally, you're guaranteed a seat, unlike on the train. Was also good to see a change of scenery.

How is that a bonus? it could be re-worded as "If a seat is not available, you will be unable to travel"

 

[Dennis]

Personally, I find some of the Stagecoach Express services most useful - no need to prebook, regular and cheap as well as being reasonably speedy.

 

[ChrisCooper]

I've just booked on National Express from Leicester to Portsmouth at the end of the month. I've done the trip by train quite a few times (a friend of mine lives down there, and I visit him around once a year), so I decided to try the train instead. The journey time is about the same, since it's direct, rarther than having to cross London. Coming back, even though I have to change at Victoria coach station, it's easier than having to get from Waterloo to St Pancras, including lugging bags around on the Underground, and also the long walk from the Underground to St Pancras station. Will be nice to see different scenary aswell, and the coach will probably be more comfortable than the 450 I'd have from London to Portsmouth (actually, the swapping of the 444s with 450s was a big factor in me deciding to go by coach). I've only ever done National Express once before, and that was a reasonable experiance. Will be nice to see what it's like this time. Anyway, I'm a believer that public transport and it's supporters should be fighting against the car, not other methods. Coaches (and air for that matter) particularly offer the advantage of point to point transport between places where a train service would not be viable or even possible. Coaches can also get into city centres wheras rail stations are often quite a way out. Both of these make coaches particularly attractive for leisure travellers, who are usually more concerned with simple journies that take them from as close to their point of origin and as close to their destination as possible, wheras journey time is less of an issue.

Quote Metroland:
"I have been on National express a number of times, a few years back, and on a couple of occasions staff unhelpful, and waiting at a deserted bus station at 3 in the morning was not a pleasant experience. I didn't appreciate being called 'thick' because I couldn't find the door in the pitch black by the Welsh driver."
You can get unhelpful and rude staff on trains aswell, and waiting at deserted stations at 3 in the morning isn't exactly pleasent either. You can't really judge something by a couple of bad experiances a few years ago.

 

[morgantyreman]

How is that a bonus? it could be re-worded as "If a seat is not available, you will be unable to travel"

Yorkie is right, i travel almost every other weekend to my dads in Ipswich and i live in Leeds. Some time i travel to London to see him at work, if so i get a day ticket £10.

Now i often get the 00:35 off Leeds and that gets me into Vic for about 7AM.
If i dont get a ticket the day befor i have to turn up at the coach station at 00:30 ( no local buses running ) and hope theres space on the coach so the driver can sell me a ticket. If not i have to wait till 03:50 to try the Heathrow and if not its 7AM

 

[First ScotRail]

I personally find Scottish citylink alright to use if theres ever a problem with the trains.

City Linking...Smart Thinking

 

[Tom B]

A 3+2 seated C70F coach.... yuk. An hour and a half to school is bad on that, let alone anything more - thankfully I get on early so manage to get one of the few seats with legroom.

 

[kettlefan]

simple answer..............no train travel all the way.

 

[Gizmogle]

Hmmm...coach travel can be fun! I quite enjoy it sometimes, although I get travel sick sometimes. I don't think any kind of public transport can be cool though to be honest. If it was then RailUK would be 10x more popular lol

 

[class 313]

I don't think any kind of public transport can be cool though to be honest.

Hmm,

I'm sure trains are cool

 

[kettlefan]

Hmmm...coach travel can be fun! I quite enjoy it sometimes, although I get travel sick sometimes. I don't think any kind of public transport can be cool though to be honest. If it was then RailUK would be 10x more popular lol

ugh coaches!! I travel on one EVERY morning and afternoon to school, and after 6 years, it kinda loses its appeal (especially on our roads )!!

 

[ChrisCooper]

Yes, I don't think any public transport is particularly cool, not from a none enthusiast point of view anyway. Even planes arn't cool anymore, most people just view them as another way of getting from a-b, and use them since there isn't an alternative. I think even cars, at least normal day to day cars, whilst trying to be cool, particularly in advertising, are in most people's minds just another tool, and no cooler than a washing machine or fridge (well, fridges are cool, but in a different way). Perhaps though that shows that coaches don't need to be "cool" to attract customers, since they arn't competing with other cooler forms of transport, they just need to do the job better or cheaper or both than the competition, or else work their own niche in the transport market.

 

[devon_metro]

I've seen people have to stand on a Paignton-Heathrow coach.

The seats were cramped, it smelt, it was hot, there was no room, no curtains so all i could see on the motorway was street lamps going past, therefore no light. The way back was ok though, I had a table i could use.

 

[devon_metro]

Coaches carry all the superstars of Arsenal and Chelsea - it isn't just grandmas who travel on holiday to Torquay

Cheeky buggars! I agree though, far too many OAP groups down here.

 

[5872]

At my school we have one of the public busses! but when registration is finished im usally the first 1 on the bus so I can get good legroom!

 

[Demps]

Its always going to be shabba, unless your heading home froma big night out.

 

[David]

I've moved the discussion about Pendo Primo services, and put it here.

 

[Coxster]

Bus travel must be good - they've started naming services

http://upload7.postimage.org/637252/photo_hosting.html

 

[Flying Snail]

If they really want to make their coach services cool then they should buy a fleet of these coaches that are used in Malaysia.

 

[mbonwick]

They look pretty cool, I must say (and thats from someone who hates coaches!)