National Express Luggage Allowance

[Doeymeister]

We're planning on taking a coach from London to Dover, but I'm a bit concerned about the luggage limits. The National Express site states that you can only bring two medium size suitcases and one carry-on. Does anybody know how strictly this is enforced? For example, would one large suitcase be acceptable instead of two medium?

[kruzseeka]

We have carried cases (one each passenger) up to 25Kg (which was our flight limit) without any problem with drivers to/from Gatwick and Heathrow. I have also seen passengers with several cases - some very big (and I suspect very heavy) being loaded onto the coach. I notice on the National Express website though that they are now saying 20Kg per case.

 

As long as the driver has room, they are usually pretty accommodating - but you can't assume that they will accept anything over the stated luggage weight. H&S regulations will probably mean they would not be happy with (i.e. not accept) one large case of 40Kg instead of 2 x 20Kg because of having to lift them.

 

Apart from the weight, space is also an issue - there may be a problem if the coach is full and everyone has one or more cases. And you wouldn't want to be refused carriage as presumably you're working to a schedule. It's not like at the airport when you can just pay for the excess baggage.

 

It's just one of those issues where you can't predict whether you will get away with it or not. We've always found it very stress-free travelling by coach - but if you did have a problem, how much of a problem would that cause for you?

[handfordr]

Its pretty unsatisfactory for passengers knowing where they are, 9 times out of 10 drivers are very flexible and turn a blind eye. The attitude of National Express seems to be that they leave it totally at the discretion of the driver.

If everybody brought 2 cases, there wouldn't be room in the luggage hold and it only takes a jobsworth driver and you're stuck.

[Doeymeister]

I don't think weight will be an issue. 20 kg is about 44 lbs, and I don't think I'm close to that. And, I'm not expecting them to take two large suitcases, just one large instead of two medium. It should actually take up less space. I just wondered how strictly they interpreted the rules that state two medium suitcases.

[kruzseeka]

Are there two of you travelling - or are you travelling alone? If there are two of you, and you haven't topped the 40Kg weight limit, then I'd definitely take two cases. I take your point about one case taking up less space, BUT if, as a pp said, you get a 'Jobsworth' driver who refuses to accept your luggage, you've got a big problem. Perhaps waiting for the next coach and hope the driver's more amenable is an option, if you have the time.

 

However, most companies have fairly strict rules on weight limits for their employees to lift. If employees exceed the weight regulations and have a back injury for example........... Companies are covering their backs (sorry, no pun intended!) so they don't have problems of employees claiming for industrial injuries.

 

You may very well not have a problem but I just wouldn't risk it.

[handfordr]

Its worth pointing out that its not airline style check-in with National Express, nobody weighs or measures your luggage - there is no apparatus to do this.

You just dump your luggage by the luggage hold of the bus and either the driver will put it in the luggage hold or he will not. The 20kg/441b per bag is as much do with health and safety for the drivers than anything else.

I have only seen a driver turn away people once because of luggage and that was at Southampton when there was a full bus after a cruise came in with people obviously abusing the stated luggage allowance.