National Express - what a mess!

[neilmc]

I live near Penrith and I happen to know that NE does actually run services there, because I've seen them and wondered where I can get to by coach. Down to the Bus Station - no information whatsoever. Then I remember seeing a coach stop at the Railway Station. Over to the Railway Station - nope, no information there either. Now where was that coach going to which I saw once - oh, yes, Bournemouth, I think. I remembered it sounded a horribly long journey.

On to the website then, key in Penrith as home town on the timetable finder. Bournemouth doesn't appear as a destination served, only the occasional London-Scotland 590 coach. But there's a proviso about "times and fares for a route not listed here", so I'll try an alternative.

If I then key in "Penrith" as a starting point, and "Bournemouth" as a destination then the 539 service finally shows up. I suppose it's not a downloadable format timetable then. I've now seen a few places I can get to by coach, but no route map or reliably accurate list of services.

Sorry but this is appalling customer service, it's as though they don't really want any business!

 

[PeterC]

Timetables are so twentieth century, why would you want one?

The NE site seems good for giving me timings between points where I know a coach stops. However, as none stop in my home town I can only find a pick up point by trial and error and then it might give me a roundabout route when a different nearby location might have a direct route.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The NE website is quite old - it's a modern shell on top of a very old piece of software, I think at least 10-12 years old. Could do with a full rewrite, really. Something more map-based like the GTR journey planner (which is terrible for rail use, but coach is different because stop locations aren't obvious) would probably work well.
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Timetables are so twentieth century, why would you want one?

They are very useful for walk-up travel, particularly on direct services. But as NE don't offer that[1], a journey planner is probably the best way.

[1] Sort-of. Drivers can sell tickets, but it's a heck of a risk of it being full.

 

[ooo]

I believe National Express Timetables can be found on Traveline

 

[221129]

I believe National Express Timetables can be found on Traveline

Indeed they can.

 

[neilmc]

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but when I go into a town's bus station I expect to see timetable boards at each stand, or in a central point, telling me where I can go and when. Ditto with the railway station. In Penrith I wouldn't have had a clue that NE actually served the town until I saw a coach arriving at the railway station. There is actually a bus shelter in the station forecourt with boards but no coach timings!

 

[221129]

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but when I go into a town's bus station I expect to see timetable boards at each stand, or in a central point, telling me where I can go and when. Ditto with the railway station. In Penrith I wouldn't have had a clue that NE actually served the town until I saw a coach arriving at the railway station. There is actually a bus shelter in the station forecourt with boards but no coach timings!

Surely that is down to the local council?

 

[PeterC]

They are very useful for walk-up travel, particularly on direct services.

No, not young and hip enough. Only an app will serve these days.

Ok this time, so you get my point.

 

[Temple Meads]

I don't think I've ever seen an NX timetable on a stop, even at places where other express coach operators have a full timetable in the same case, so I suspect it's more of an NX policy than anything else.

Given that most ticket purchases are online or in a ticket office where timetables are usually available I don't think it's too much of an issue, however I do think they should provide a comprehensive service list on their website.

 

[221129]

I don't think I've ever seen an NX timetable on a stop, even at places where other express coach operators have a full timetable in the same case, so I suspect it's more of an NX policy than anything else.

Given that most ticket purchases are online or in a ticket office where timetables are usually available I don't think it's too much of an issue, however I do think they should provide a comprehensive service list on their website.

There is one in Exeter Bus Station and there was one at Tiverton don't know if there still is.

 

[Qwerty133]

I don't think I've ever seen an NX timetable on a stop, even at places where other express coach operators have a full timetable in the same case, so I suspect it's more of an NX policy than anything else.

Given that most ticket purchases are online or in a ticket office where timetables are usually available I don't think it's too much of an issue, however I do think they should provide a comprehensive service list on their website.

I'm 99% sure that there is one at Sheffield (although as its past the doors to the coach stop most people would probably miss it)

 

[Temple Meads]

There is one in Exeter Bus Station and there was one at Tiverton don't know if there still is.

Good point about Exeter!

Tiverton doesn't have one though.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

There is one in Exeter Bus Station and there was one at Tiverton don't know if there still is.

Theres some at Scunthorpe

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I don't think I've ever seen an NX timetable on a stop, even at places where other express coach operators have a full timetable in the same case, so I suspect it's more of an NX policy than anything else.

Given that most ticket purchases are online or in a ticket office where timetables are usually available I don't think it's too much of an issue, however I do think they should provide a comprehensive service list on their website.

In Yorkshire especially at Huddersfield, Brighouse, Halifax, Leeds and Meadowhall, Doncaster and Sheffield have NX timetables in cases. Leaflet format can be picked up at Leeds and at Sheffield.

There's one timetable that they don't have avalible in West Yorkshire but yet the thing was available in Bristol bus station and when I checked also in Sheffield - unbelieveable.

At Crowden and also at Langsett, NX timetables are also shown on the roadside timetable cases - althoygh whether these are still valid is another thing.

 

[randyrippley]

Up here in Lancaster a majority of the small number of NE services actually run when the bus station is closed up for the night, so have to use an adjacent street-based "night stop". If you look closely there is a post with a list of departures, but you'd easily miss it especially if you're not local