Scottish Citylink

[overthewater]

I think its more to do with the competition that is knocking on its door.

 

[route101]

I'd question whether the 900 needs reservations at all. It's basically a metro-style service. Does anyone book onto the Oxford Tube?

Edit: The Oxford Tube does appear to sell tickets via megabus.com but at no discount, all the fares are £12 standard singles, so you'd pay more by booking as there are returns at £18 if you go walk-up.

I have never booked a specific service on the 900 but many people do. I guess pre booking is wise on late services after a concert. I Prefer a flexible ticket.

Ember designed their own IT front end from scratch, rather than take one off-the-Shelf and panel-beat it to fit. Since they make no charge for reservations a Scotia card holder with a booking has to board 5 mins before departure and tap in - if they don’t then the seat becomes available. I do recall drivers were not encouraged to accept fares from anyone not previously booked, but this seems to have been modified by accepting contactless only (No cash). The loading on their Youtongs from Glasgow is getting much higher and mostly from walk-ups.

Ember is much cheaper than Citylink with a walk up fare.

 

[Highland050261]

The New M96 Timetable.

 

[computerSaysNo]

What is happening with the M96? It is due to start on Monday and is appearing on the Google Maps journey planner and on Stagecoach's own journey planner, yet it isn't advertised anywhere on the Stagecoach or Citylink websites? Usually when a new route is launched there are adverts on the run-up to the launch day aren't there?

 

[Volvodart]

Bluebird are launching something on Saturday at Union Square, Aberdeen, thought to be this. Having previously denied any knowledge about it on social media, Citylink have now found out about it and are currently working on putting bookings and timetables on their website(s)

 

[computerSaysNo]

Bluebird are launching something on Saturday at Union Square, Aberdeen, thought to be this. Having previously denied any knowledge about it on social media, Citylink have now found out about it and are currently working on putting bookings and timetables on their website(s)

Ah.
Okay.
It doesn't sound like the most organised thing they've ever done!

 

[Spsf3232]

Ah.
Okay.
It doesn't sound like the most organised thing they've ever done!

Think it's been done in a bit of a hurry before any other operator does the same service and at the same time to use up more departures in the bus station to make it look busier!

 

[Volvodart]

Bluebird are launching something on Saturday at Union Square, Aberdeen, thought to be this. Having previously denied any knowledge about it on social media, Citylink have now found out about it and are currently working on putting bookings and timetables on their website(s)

You can now book the M96 on Citylink. I could not see them on Megabus. They appear to be charging the 10 single fare plus booking fee rather than the premium M96 Bluebird fare. The indirect service from Aberdeen to Inverness via Perth has a much reduced fare shown of £8.00.

 

[computerSaysNo]

You can now book the M96 on Citylink. I could not see them on Megabus. They appear to be charging the 10 single fare plus booking fee rather than the premium M96 Bluebird fare. The indirect service from Aberdeen to Inverness via Perth has a much reduced fare shown of £8.00.

Still no timetable up though!

Separate question: why are some routes ran by West Coast Motors (WCM) listed under the WCM page on bustimes but others are listed under Citylink (e.g. the AIR service is run entirely by WCM is it not)?

 

[GusB]

I've had a look at the fare from Elgin to Aberdeen, and the single is showing as £13.30 on the Citylink site; the same as the Bluebird fare. Unless Bluebird Explorer tickets will be accepted on the M96, there's not really much incentive for people like me who have to make a local journey to connect with it, to use the service.

Still no timetable up though!

There was a copy of the timetable posted in post #873.

Edit: I couldn't see it on the Citylink website, though.

 

[Highland050261]

The new M96 service is named the Gordon Highlander.

Gordon Highlander

www.stagecoachbus.com

We are pleased to announce our new service M96 (The Gordon Highlander).

This service will be running from the 12th of June between Aberdeen, Elgin, and Inverness.

Tickets will be available to book through Scottish City Link, you can also purchase tickets on the bus.

The full timetable is available here.

There was a copy of the timetable posted in post #873.

Edit: I couldn't see it on the Citylink website, though.

its on this Stagecoach Page.

 

[GusB]

its on this Stagecoach Page.

The point is that it's not yet available on the Citylink website and that's where people would expect to find a timetable for a Citylink service. I realise that the timetable doesn't start until 12 June, so hopefully it will be in place by then. At least it's in the journey planner.

 

[PG]

The point is that it's not yet available on the Citylink website and that's where people would expect to find a timetable for a Citylink service. I realise that the timetable doesn't start until 12 June, so hopefully it will be in place by then. At least it's in the journey planner.

All this kerfuffle seems to highlight that it seems like it is Stagecoach who are calling the shots despite the fact that its (supposedly) a Citylink service. Potential competitors might fancy a punt at the Competition Commission or whatever they're calling themselves these days!

 

[GusB]

All this kerfuffle seems to highlight that it seems like it is Stagecoach who are calling the shots despite the fact that its (supposedly) a Citylink service. Potential competitors might fancy a punt at the Competition Commission or whatever they're calling themselves these days!

It's confusing; the service is supposedly operated by Citylink, yet its main contractor is the organisation that's publicising the service and, on top of that, the service number has an "M" prefix, which suggests its a Megabus route!

It's my view that Citylink should ditch one of the brands permanently. I'd prefer it if the Citylink brand was retained because it has more history, but others may disagree. Either way, I don't see any point in retaining both Citylink and Megabus when you can book a ticket for one and end up travelling on a vehicle that's branded for the other. Thank the maker that they ditched the "Gold" brands, because that caused even further confusion!

 

[route101]

For a number of people they book exclusively on Megabus.com and think their service is Megabus, even th e900 service.

 

[oldman]

It's confusing; the service is supposedly operated by Citylink

Technically it is a Stagecoach service which can be booked through Citylink. You can also book Inverness to the Far North and Oban to Fort William on Citylink but they are not (now) Citylink services.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Is it known what vehicles the M96 will use yet?

 

[PG]

Technically it is a Stagecoach service which can be booked through Citylink. You can also book Inverness to the Far North and Oban to Fort William on Citylink but they are not (now) Citylink services.

Thanks for enlightening us! I assume then that the service is registered in Notices and Proceedings by Stagecoach Bluebird?

 

[Volvodart]

Is it known what vehicles the M96 will use yet?

I would guess the existing Bluebird coaches at least initially, maybe with a couple from Highland. The final 2 E200s from Highland are now painted, so I guess they are at Elgin to do local work that the coaches used to do .

 

[Blindtraveler]

Think I saw it posted on another thread, possibly the Highlands one? That there was some Mercedes coming for this. Very nice indeed if so

 

[Highland050261]

Is it known what vehicles the M96 will use yet?

Apparently ex national express coaches.

 

[Mwanesh]

It's confusing; the service is supposedly operated by Citylink, yet its main contractor is the organisation that's publicising the service and, on top of that, the service number has an "M" prefix, which suggests its a Megabus route!

It's my view that Citylink should ditch one of the brands permanently. I'd prefer it if the Citylink brand was retained because it has more history, but others may disagree. Either way, I don't see any point in retaining both Citylink and Megabus when you can book a ticket for one and end up travelling on a vehicle that's branded for the other. Thank the maker that they ditched the "Gold" brands, because that caused even further confusion!

Citylink is the brand mostly for Scotland. Most South of the border know the Megabus brand. With everything done from Glasgow it makes sense to to keep then together. Most do look surprised when they see a Citylink branded bus in London.

Apparently ex national express coaches.

The 60 plates or the newer ones are 2017 and still in use at Chesterfield.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Is it known what vehicles the M96 will use yet?

In the short term it'll just be the existing coach fleet at Elgin with some coaches (currently 53628, 53702 and 53708) also on loan from Highland.

54825 was used for the service launch at Union Square yesterday.

 

[Volvodart]

You can now book the M96 on Megabus. They appear to have 5 seats per journey. At £12 they are slightly cheaper than the £13.30 Citylink charge, although I am unaware of any seat number restriction there.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Why do some Citylink drivers seem to deliberately turn off the ventilation and air conditioning when taking over a service?
The AC was on for the first part of the journey until Perth (albeit it wasn't very powerful) but since Perth it's been mostly off.

 

[overthewater]

Did you speak with the driver?

 

[computerSaysNo]

Did you speak with the driver?

Of course not, who does that? ()

 

[route101]

Why do some Citylink drivers seem to deliberately turn off the ventilation and air conditioning when taking over a service?
The AC was on for the first part of the journey until Perth (albeit it wasn't very powerful) but since Perth it's been mostly off.

Maybe someone asked for it to be turned off. I was on a 902 service yesterday and the AC made it quite cool.

 

[Spsf3232]

It's something I've noticed happening for years - on taking over a coach very rarely do you find the heating and aircon set properly! I used to set it at 21c and middle setting for the blowers, unless it was Nightshift then put it to 29c and put everyone to sleep!

 

[Butts]

I have just booked a couple of "Coffin Dodger" Day Returns from Stirling to Inverness and Aberdeen for Saturday and Sunday this weekend - £1 each return.

I thought they would have moved onto bar coded tickets by now but the e-mail just has the Booking Reference Numbers - not even an option for a PDF.

Is this normal for Scottish Citylink ?