National Express announces more services this summer
National Express has announced plans to increase its coverage across the UK this summer.
Ahead of the summer holidays the UK 's largest coach operator has introduced three new routes and a number of enhancements to airport services, taking daily journeys between Stansted and London to almost 200 a day.
New to the network from 3 July:
- A31: 12 services a day from Luton Airport to Portsmouth and Fareham via London Victoria Coach Station
- 424: Daily overnight service from Blackpool to London via Manchester
- 455: Four services a day from Northampton to London via Milton Keynes
Enhanced routes from 3 July:
- A2: Luton Airport to London Paddington via Golders Green, Finchley Road, St Johns Wood and Baker Street - significantly increased from 16 to 48 services a day
- A5: Stansted Airport to London Paddington increased from 16 to 39 services a day, operating every 30 minutes and every 20 minutes at peak times
- A7: Stansted Airport to London Victoria Coach Station increased with 15 minute faster journey time and 42 journeys calling at Southwark and Waterloo
The latest investment in providing fast, frequent services connecting cities, towns and airports follows a continued surge in customers turning to coach travel during 2023.
New routes and increases to existing services from 3 July take National Express 's capacity up to over 11,150 journeys available on services across the country each week, providing holiday makers with even more great value and sustainable options for travel.
Earlier this year, the company announced an uplift in coach services from March, when it introduced a number of new routes. It also announced the purchase of 130 new vehicles that will both replace some of the existing fleet and add to its inventory.
In 2022 over 16 million people used the National Express coach network - up from over 10 million from 2021. The rail strikes and soaring costs for motorists are all believed to be contributing factors in the increase in passengers, with 10 percent of rail users reported switching to coach travel for better value and reliability of service.
Ed Rickard, service delivery director for National Express said: “More and more customers are turning to coach for great value, reliable and sustainable travel. It 's encouraging to see customers making the switch from other modes of transport and choosing our coaches.
“With continued investment in our services this month, we are making it even easier for our new and existing customers to save their money for their holiday treats. And by letting us do the driving our customers can enjoy a relaxing, comfortable journey to their summer destinations.
“2023 has been hugely busy across our network so far, giving us confidence that the demand is there. As we roll out more services across our network, we expect to see 21 million customers travelling by coach to get there where they need to be. ”
National Express, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, currently operates over 550 services across the country. The company is rated Excellent (4.3) on Trustpilot. Punctuality and reliability are also the best they have ever been, with 90 per cent of services on time.
For more information and to book tickets visit www.nationalexpress.com.
