Basic National Express questions.

I'm planning on taking a cruise out of Southampton next July.

 

I am a US person and will fly into LHR.

 

See that National Express is the way to get from LHR to Southampton and return. Great!

 

However, it appears as though you have to purchase coach tickets online and ahead of time for a certain departure from LHR. And if you are a no-show for the time you purchased due to a late flight or slow Immigration, you are out of luck and your ticket is cancelled.

 

So, my question is, would it be better to purchase tickets upon arrival at LHR to avoid a late flight and cancelled coach ticket?

 

If I don't have a reserved coach time, will I have to wait all day for an open seat on a coach?

 

Of course, all of the same questions apply for returning from Southampton to LHR.

 

Is there an "open" time coach ticket available? What are the pros/cons for them if they are available?

 

Sorry if these have been answered before but I've searched all over and haven't found these questions and their answers.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Jim

I'm planning on taking a cruise out of Southampton next July.

 

I am a US person and will fly into LHR.

 

See that National Express is the way to get from LHR to Southampton and return. Great!

 

However, it appears as though you have to purchase coach tickets online and ahead of time for a certain departure from LHR. And if you are a no-show for the time you purchased due to a late flight or slow Immigration, you are out of luck and your ticket is cancelled.

 

So, my question is, would it be better to purchase tickets upon arrival at LHR to avoid a late flight and cancelled coach ticket?

 

If I don't have a reserved coach time, will I have to wait all day for an open seat on a coach?

 

Of course, all of the same questions apply for returning from Southampton to LHR.

 

Is there an "open" time coach ticket available? What are the pros/cons for them if they are available?

 

Sorry if these have been answered before but I've searched all over and haven't found these questions and their answers.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Jim

hi,Jim,

National Express is very helpful if you are delayed,yes you should buy your ticket in advance,coming across the pond to sail from Southampton,I would have thought u had a considerable length of time built in,as for returning,ship wil be docked early,so you can book a ticket to Heathrow.

 

National express web site has a contact address

Hi MAKEM:

 

Yes, I do have plenty of time as I'm planning to arrive two days early and "play tourist" in and near Southampton.

 

I just don't want to spend my time at LHR waiting for a seat on a coach.

 

Appreciate your comforting answer about National Express being "very helpful".

 

Jim

What I recommend coming into Heathrow from the US is to allow 3 hours from arrival time to bus time. That gives you time to get through immigration, luggage pick-up, customs, and the walk to the bus terminal. The walk is the shortest: about 10 minutes.

 

Better to wait for the bus you have a seat on, and they will put you on an EARLIER one if there are seats available. Win-win that way.

 

I had to change our outbound, called their Customer Service number, and they were very nice about changing the ticket. It costs 3 GBP per ticket to change.

 

Are you looking for the "funfares" to London and Southampton? We paid $18 for two of us HTH-London, then London-Southampton. Very comfortable buses, very efficient, too. A nice economical way to get around the UK.

Hi Peggy and thanks for the follow-up.

 

I will plan on the 3 hours from arrival to bus departure.

I never mind waiting and people watching.

Better than rushing and getting stressed out.

 

I've not heard of "funfares".

Are they a part of National Express or some other means of transport?

Why are they so much cheaper than the normal bus to Southampton?

Do they give you a time-share pitch while you are trapped on the bus? <G>

Hi Peggy and thanks for the follow-up.

 

I will plan on the 3 hours from arrival to bus departure.

I never mind waiting and people watching.

Better than rushing and getting stressed out.

 

I've not heard of "funfares".

Are they a part of National Express or some other means of transport?

Why are they so much cheaper than the normal bus to Southampton?

Do they give you a time-share pitch while you are trapped on the bus? <G>

 

Holy cow!! You haven't heard of Funfares yet? I'm glad I mentioned it. On the National Express home page, look for the Funfare link, then go through the ressie process.

 

MegaBus, MegaTrain, and National Express all compete with these 1 - 2 GBP fares, and we used them in and out of London. They do NOT have them for travel between airports, though.

 

The bus is like a public transportation means, and it's just like riding a Greyhound in the US. The drivers take their jobs and schedules VERY seriously, and are very polite. They also help load and unload your luggage.

 

Here's some links:

 

http://www.nationalexpress.com/

http://www.megatrain.com/index.php (this is really megabus)

 

We checked both for our trip London-Southampton, but Megabus didn't have the cheap fare on our travel day. The bus terminals for both are within a block of each other in Victoria London, and the Victoria Tub/Train station is within a block or two of them, also. Great location.

However, it appears as though you have to purchase coach tickets online and ahead of time for a certain departure from LHR. And if you are a no-show for the time you purchased due to a late flight or slow Immigration, you are out of luck and your ticket is cancelled.

 

The ticket is not cancelled if your flight is delayed. Below is the formal position of National Express at airports.

 

Thank you for your enquiry. Our conditions of carriage state that if you miss the coach you are booked on, through no fault of National Express or Eurolines, and you do not cancel your seat before the time of departure (longer on Eurolines services) then the ticket is no longer valid and is not eligible for a refund or amendment.

 

However, at airports we do try to help as much as we can. Under normal circumstances we will try to accommodate you on a later departure, subject to seats being available. But we are under no obligation to do this.

 

Our advice when booking is always to book on a service slightly later. Then, if your plane arrives on time or early, and you are in time to catch an earlier coach, we will be happy for you to travel on an earlier departure - subject, always, to seats being available.

 

Please note that a small amendment fee on domestic bookings may be charged by the agent/office making the amendment at their discretion.

I hope that this information helps. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further enquires.

Regards,

Juanette Harley

Internet Services Advisor

National Express

Many thanks to both Peggy and Juanette.

 

You have given me lots of good information.

 

Looks to be "a piece of cake".

 

Thanks.

 

Jim

I've not heard of "funfares".

Are they a part of National Express or some other means of transport?

As pcur says, these very cheap (and capacity-limited) fares on National Express just don't exist from airports. And it's not worth your while going in to central London just to get those fares - the extra time and hassle and cost far outweighs the money you'd save.

Thanks Globaliser:

 

After looking at the schedules LHR to LON to Southampton and the fares, I agree it isn't worth my time to save a few cents.

 

I'd rather spend my time seeing things and places other than the inside of a bus window.

 

Direct coach LHR to Southampton for me.

 

Jim