When a National Express coach is sold out online, is it possible to board by buying a walk up ticket from the driver?

[miklcct]

Suppose that I wanted to go to London from Brighton using the 025 coach. However, all the remaining departures of the day were listed as sold out on the app. In this case, if I turned up at the coach station, would I still be able to buy a walk up ticket from the driver and board the coach?

Would there be any difference if Brighton - Gatwick wasn't sold out, but Brighton - London was sold out?

(I was nearly in this situation tonight after the railways were closed and couldn't find people to share a car back to London, eventually I avoided it as someone offered a lift to Redhill.)

 

[Starmill]

Not if there aren't any seats actually available. Otherwise, possibly. At least one person not showing up is likely, but of course you won't be sold a seat that's already booked if there are any further stops for picking up.

 

[JonathanH]

Suppose that I wanted to go to London from Brighton using the 025 coach. However, all the remaining departures of the day were listed as sold out on the app. In this case, if I turned up at the coach station, would I still be able to buy a walk up ticket from the driver and board the coach?

No, the only way would be if there was a no show. They don't leave space for walk up passengers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There's always a chance of a no show or a bigger coach ends up being used but I'd not rely on it. Plus some drivers don't like selling tickets so will just refuse.

I've done it once though.

 

[miklcct]

No, the only way would be if there was a no show. They don't leave space for walk up passengers.

Does the driver know how many vacant seats are available between each stop of the journey, such that he can sell me a ticket if there is a seat?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does the driver know how many vacant seats are available between each stop of the journey, such that he can sell me a ticket if there is a seat?

I think they have to ring control for that, which many are understandably reluctant to do. I suspect they'd only do it if they knew they had a no-show (or a really quiet coach, or it's the last boarding stop).

It would be something to go and ask for if unexpectedly stranded. It is not something to ever plan to do.

 

[miklcct]

I think they have to ring control for that, which many are understandably reluctant to do. I suspect they'd only do it if they knew they had a no-show (or a really quiet coach, or it's the last boarding stop).

It would be something to go and ask for if unexpectedly stranded. It is not something to ever plan to do.

I wasted a large amount of tickets in the past by preplanning coach travel and the rail strike getting called off, therefore now I only want to do that when I'm absolutely sure that coach travel is the only way I can make the journey, I'm absolutely sure that there are no rail and no local bus services, I'm absolutely sure about my travel time, i.e. within one hour of the departure, and I can't get car share from anyone attending the event if the coach isn't a desirable option (025 is not a desirable option to go to London as it makes a huge detour via Heathrow).

It seems that there is absolutely nothing north from Brighton, apart from NX 025, on a Saturday evening after the railway shuts down.

 

[GusB]

Suppose that I wanted to go to London from Brighton using the 025 coach. However, all the remaining departures of the day were listed as sold out on the app. In this case, if I turned up at the coach station, would I still be able to buy a walk up ticket from the driver and board the coach?

Would there be any difference if Brighton - Gatwick wasn't sold out, but Brighton - London was sold out?

(I was nearly in this situation tonight after the railways were closed and couldn't find people to share a car back to London, eventually I avoided it as someone offered a lift to Redhill.)

Could you clarify which direction you were actually travelling in? In your first sentence you say you're going from London to Brighton, but then mention Brighton to Gatwick and Brighton to a London, along with not being able get a car share back to London.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If the coach is suitable and you preplan it, why not stick with it?

It seems again to be down to trying to do too much

 

[JonathanH]

It seems that there is absolutely nothing north from Brighton, apart from NX 025, on a Saturday evening after the railway shuts down.

Yes, the last 273 bus to Crawley is at 1850, last 29 bus to Tunbridge Wells at 1910.

 

[miklcct]

Could you clarify which direction you were actually travelling in? In your first sentence you say you're going from London to Brighton, but then mention Brighton to Gatwick and Brighton to a London, along with not being able get a car share back to London.

I was travelling from Brighton to London. I hoped to get a car share to London but weren't able to do so (as everyone from London wasn't returning home in the evening). Even those people living north of London, e.g. in Hemel Hempstead, wouldn't drive through London and would drive a long way round the M25 (they offered me a ride to Watford which I was not interested as it was far beyond my home) despite crossing London was the shortest path back their home.

As the 025 coach needs to make a huge detour to Heathrow, it's not a desirable option and I even tried to work out getting off the coach at Gatwick, then route 100, 405, 468, 2 and 16 buses (the Abellio strike is affecting the Croydon - Brixton route as well) to get home but it would be half an hour slower despite saving the huge detour and without much fare saving using the walk up NX fare in the calculation.

Luckily I eventually got a ride back to Redhill where I could take the 4 buses home without messing with NX.

If the coach is suitable and you preplan it, why not stick with it?

It seems again to be down to trying to do too much

If there is a direct coach from Gatwick to Central London, I would have already booked a ticket earlier and sticked with it.

 

[Joe Paxton]

If the coach is suitable and you preplan it, why not stick with it?

It seems again to be down to trying to do too much

Whilst I don't agree with all your thoughts re car use and ownership (e.g. I think car use can be problematic in rural settings), I returned in my head to your comment to miklcct of a few days ago.

I kind of admire his bloody-mindedness, but his lifestyle makes demands that public transport struggle to satisfy. Even in those other parts of Europe with (supposedly) superior public transport systems, I think he would probably find similar difficulties.

I do sort of get the Catch-22 - it seems miklcct's sporting endeavours are a big part of his raison d'etre, and so I can understand the unwillingness to limit participation in them.

I also appreciate that buying and running a car for the first time does seem like a daunting prospect. But it would help facilitate the busy lifestyle he is after.

 

[JonathanH]

But it would help facilitate the busy lifestyle he is after.

That depends on how tiring the activities 'miklcct' finds his activities. After a gruelling sporting endeavour driving a car may not be the best follow up activity.

Using public transport, including coaches, to travel around offers the opportunity to recover whilst someone else takes the strain of concentrating on the road.

 

[zwk500]

I was travelling from Brighton to London. I hoped to get a car share to London but weren't able to do so (as everyone from London wasn't returning home in the evening). Even those people living north of London, e.g. in Hemel Hempstead, wouldn't drive through London and would drive a long way round the M25 (they offered me a ride to Watford which I was not interested as it was far beyond my home) despite crossing London was the shortest path back their home.

Just on this point, the M25 is far quicker than crossing London, even at Night. The M23 ends immediately within the M25 and the A23 is of a poor standard right the way into London. Fighting your way through South London to end up on the North Circular at Kew is not fun. A lift to Watford was a reasonable offer given the available route. If I was driving that run I might also have offered Heathrow T5 on the basis something would have been running into London, coach, bus or taxi. Add in the ULEZ and congestion charging and nobody would consider driving across London unless their destination was around the North Circular. Tbh if I was driving in for Cricklewood from Brighton I might still have gone M25-M4-A406.
If you are determined to stick to 'direct line' routes then you will always make life harder for you. I do appreciate that trying to work out the financially best option is hard though.

 

[GusB]

The mere thought of having to take four buses to complete my journey would be enough for me to book the National Express service all the way, detour or no detour! I also wouldn't plan a trip anywhere without a) being certain that I would be able to get home later and b) having sufficient funds to cover the cost a hotel or B&B if travel plans fail. We are, after all, in the middle of a cold snap and it can all go pear shaped rather quickly if there is significant snowfall.

 

[miklcct]

The mere thought of having to take four buses to complete my journey would be enough for me to book the National Express service all the way, detour or no detour! I also wouldn't plan a trip anywhere without a) being certain that I would be able to get home later and b) having sufficient funds to cover the cost a hotel or B&B if travel plans fail. We are, after all, in the middle of a cold snap and it can all go pear shaped rather quickly if there is significant snowfall.

My plan was to book a National Express coach at the last minute if everything else failed. I didn't expect it to be sold out. Hence the existence of this thread.

I ended up getting a lift to Redhill, buses to Brixton, and tube afterwards. I was thinking using buses all the way from Redhill to save the tube fare but the route 2 across Central London fell out of the schedule so I boarded a 432 at West Norwood.

Tbh if I was driving in for Cricklewood from Brighton I might still have gone M25-M4-A406.

If I am given a car to drive, I'll go M23 - A23 - Western edge of congestion zone - A5 to get home.

 

[GusB]

My plan was to book a National Express coach at the last minute if everything else failed. I didn't expect it to be sold out. Hence the existence of this thread.

In other words, you left it to chance. You did not expect the coach to be sold out, but it was. You expected to be able to get a lift to London in the first place, but were unable to. You were, in this case, fortunate enough to get a lift as far as Redhill from where you used Transport for London services to get you home.

What would you have done if you were unable to get that lift? I presume you'd then have tried to get a walk-up fare on the 025, but if there were no seats free, or if the driver wouldn't sell you a ticket, what then?

 

[miklcct]

but if there were no seats free, or if the driver wouldn't sell you a ticket, what then?

I had no idea about that. I only knew that after I reached Gatwick Airport I could use the 100 bus to Redhill, but I couldn't find any other options apart from the coach to get me away from Brighton.

That meant, I had to rely on using a coach to get me home if I couldn't get a lift. If the coach couldn't be relied upon I would have to write off my races every time when there is a rail strike and no local bus services are available.

 

[stuu]

If I am given a car to drive, I'll go M23 - A23 - Western edge of congestion zone - A5 to get home.

Why? Using the A23 to get to Cricklewood would be both more time consuming and almost certainly cost more in fuel because of the stop start nature. Google Maps suggests the M25/M4/North Circular as the best route, which is what I would do too. Right now it is 20 minutes quicker, and that will be even more in the day. From everything you have previously posted, it seems like time is most important to you

 

[GusB]

I had no idea about that. I only knew that after I reached Gatwick Airport I could use the 100 bus to Redhill, but I couldn't find any other options apart from the coach to get me away from Brighton.

That meant, I had to rely on using a coach to get me home if I couldn't get a lift. If the coach couldn't be relied upon I would have to write off my races every time when there is a rail strike and no local bus services are available.

Then you should booked it as that was your last resort, and for some peace of mind! If you had been able to get a lift all the way to London, then you'd have forfeited £15. I realise that you're reluctant to spend money (Jeezo, I'm the Scotsman here! ) but how much would it have cost you to spend the night in Brighton? I'm assuming it was yesterday (Saturday) that you were travelling. If that's the case, the only booking available currently is the 0705 departure from Brighton. I wouldn't fancy having to hang around until then. Do you realise how lucky you are to actually have the option of an all-night coach service?

There is known disruption on the railway. You have found out that you cannot rely 100% on getting a lift. You don't want to book the coach in case you don't actually have to use it, thereby wasting money. The only way to get around this is to accept the public transport options that are available, buy yourself a car or decide not to attend a race in the event of disruption.

Sorry to be blunt, but you were entirely in control of your travel options but you chose to wait and see. It nearly backfired. I really cannot see why you have reason to complain.

 

[Flying Snail]

My plan was to book a National Express coach at the last minute if everything else failed. I didn't expect it to be sold out. Hence the existence of this thread.

So you want National Express to be available at all times for your use but not to actually use it unless you exhaust all other options up to the very last minute?

I can imagine no operator being particularly interested in your business at all under those conditions.

 

[JonathanH]

However, if the OP books a ticket that he doesn't use someone else misses out on being able to use the coach though.

I only knew that after I reached Gatwick Airport I could use the 100 bus to Redhill, but I couldn't find any other options apart from the coach to get me away from Brighton.

100 runs from Maidenbower near Three Bridges, but not much help to the OP whose race was at 1830 in Brighton.

https://www.southdowns-orienteers.org.uk/events/brighton-city-race-2022-12-17

However that it what the BCR is all about and it was good to see a good number of you despite the cold temperatures and the train strikes. Unfortunately during lockdown Brighton and Hove massively hiked the cost of parking in the city, I was impressed though the hear about peoples' approaches to overcoming these transport issues.

 

[miklcct]

So you want National Express to be available at all times for your use but not to actually use it unless you exhaust all other options up to the very last minute?

I can imagine no operator being particularly interested in your business at all under those conditions.

Not if the coach doesn't go via Heathrow instead.

If there is a coach which goes direct from Gatwick into London (possibly stopping somewhere in South London), I would have booked it without question and sticked with it.

I am happy to pre-book an M3 coach from London to Bournemouth (via Heathrow) and back in the event of rail strike and stick with it since the route is reasonably direct, and can be competitive even when trains are running, so I don't treat it as an undesirable option.

 

[zwk500]

Not if the coach doesn't go via Heathrow instead.

If there is a coach which goes direct from Gatwick into London (possibly stopping somewhere in South London), I would have booked it without question and sticked with it.

The route Brighton-Gatwick-Heathrow-Central London is the faster route. If you are to insist on the minimum mileage for every journey then I really don't have much sympathy, especially when you seem to scoff at the kindness of strangers.