National Express coach from Inverness after Lejog?

[Mike G]

I wonder if anyone has tried taking a coach back from Inverness after a Lejog? With train tickets to London at around £160, and coach tickets at £45, this has got to be worth considering, but what about carrying the bikes? Would I have to box them up, wheels off etc?...........and how on earth do you organise that at the end of a Lejog?

Mike

[mw3230]

I've often thought that the coach would be an economic mode of travel, but then I look at the time it takes and save harder!!

[witney1]

Have you considered the Bargain Berths Sleeper from Inv to Euston. Tickets normally released 10 weeks in advance. Usually 2 @ £19, 2 @ 29 2 @39 2 @ £49. You have to be quick to catch the £19 tickets but look here:

http://www.travelpass.buytickets.scotra ... 294&To=307 and there are still tickets for July.

You need to book the bike as well by phone to Scotrail. I am booked the other way Euston - Inverness 24 MAy - no hassle with packing boxes etc. For me there is just no comparison - quicker cheaper more comfortable(?)than a bus

There is a very detailed thread downline - search "bargain berths"

Hope this is of help

[Mike G]

Thanks for that.......I'll log the date and try to snaffle a "bargain berth".

Mike

[Ron]

Thanks for that.......I'll log the date and try to snaffle a "bargain berth".
Mike

Easiest way of getting a Bargain Berth is to first win the Lottery then just buy the whole train.

[rbrian]

I use the megabus a lot, because it's usually about half the price of national express. There is a strict no bike rule, and considering how many bags get packed into the hold, often needing a trailer too, that's fair enough. They don't mind a bagged brompton though.

[MLJ]

National Express will only take properly bagged folding bikes. The journey time is not much more than the train from Inverness to places beyond London, eg 16.5 hrs from East Kent as against 12.5 hrs by train.

[dkmwt]

I did it last year, cost me £81.

As we had a camper as a support vehicle I took far more than I needed so I sent all my camping gear(not enough bed space in the camper) home by UPS and still had a trailer full of clobber. The driver at Inverness put the fear of god in me by saying that he doesn't think I'll get on at Glasgow bus change due to luggage space. I spent the entire trip from Inverness to Glasgow worrying what to do if I couldn't get on.

The driver from Glasgow asked where I was going. "Plymouth" was my answer so he wrote "PLYM" on the bike bag and said "put it in the back" then on the the bus with no worries. I think total travel time was 25 hours. Left Inverness at 18.30 arrived in Plymouth 19.30 I think.

BTW. The trike is technically a folding bike so by Nat Express own admissions is allowed.

[andrew_s]

Have you considered the Bargain Berths Sleeper from Inv to Euston. Tickets normally released 10 weeks in advance. Usually 2 @ £19, 2 @ 29 2 @39 2 @ £49. You have to be quick to catch the £19 tickets but look here:

http://www.travelpass.buytickets.scotra ... 294&To=307 and there are still tickets for July.

You need to book the bike as well by phone to Scotrail. I am booked the other way Euston - Inverness 24 MAy - no hassle with packing boxes etc. For me there is just no comparison - quicker cheaper more comfortable(?)than a bus

There is a very detailed thread downline - search "bargain berths"

Hope this is of help

The previous thread is here:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=33803
Note the limited bike bookings on the sleeper from Inverness - 3 per train

Standard non-bargain fare is £64, iirc

[bikes4two]

Another Option is to hire an estate car 1-way from Inv. Two weeks ago I hired a Mondeo diesel estate that did 47mpg from Hertz for 80 GBP per day to get self, wife and tandem back to Hampshire. (got us from JoG to Inv via www.highlandbicycletransfers.co.uk ). Try Hertz or www.rentals-4-less.com

[EllieMay968]

We flew back from Inverness to Bristol using Easyjet. It was very straightforward. We simply deflated the tyres to 50%, turned the handlebars, and wrapped the bikes in polythene and tape bought from B&Q in Inverness. To circumvent the charge per item on baggage we wrapped all four panniers in a load of plythene and booked it on as one item. (this did not quite go to plan as it all fell apart in baggage handling but the staff were brilliant and retrieved it all - our fault for being stingy with the tape). Flights cost £40 quid each including bikes. At the other end we reinflated the tyres, tightened the handlebars and cycled home.