Cheap travel but takes a while. Also, don't travel if you have a delicate stomach. (National Express)

Member Name: gmlm1989

Product:	National Express
Date:	18/03/09 (107 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, don't have to find somewhere to store your luggage.

Disadvantages: Time-consuming, not good for those with travel sickness.

National Express is the largest long-distance coach company in the UK. It offers cheap transport between most major towns and cities in the UK and also some services in Europe.

As a student, I need to watch the pennies. And one of my biggest "luxury" (ie, I don't need it to live) expenses is travel. I currently study and live in Bath and have a boyfriend studying and living in London. I often use National Express to travel between these two places and so that is the route I will be reviewing. I have never travelled on any other National Express route so my experiences can only be taken as a reflection of that particular route.

I first started using National Express in about Oct of last year, when it became clear that travelling to and from London by train every second or third weekend for the next two years was going to be more than I had any chance of affording. At the time, National Express was running £1 single fares (plus 50p booking fee) so this seemed a convenient, easy way to travel.

One of the main advantages I found with that particular route was that you know you have somewhere for your luggage. Even though I usually only travel to London and back with a rucksack and a laptop, there's nothing worse than being stuck on a busy train with a laptop on my knee and a rucksack jammed between my legs. And if I'm travelling near an essay deadline and need to carry all my books, the situation gets even worse. So it's very comforting to know that as long as you can lift the bag, you can take it.

Another advantage is the price. National Express often runs what are known as 'Funfare' tickets. These are cheap tickets, bought online and either printed off or (for an extra 50p) texted to your mobile phone. These tickets are only available for routes between certain destinations, Bath to London being one of them. They tend to vary in price according to when you want to travel, from £1 to £12 or so for a one-way ticket. Even if these tickets aren't available, which since Oct I've never known them not to be, a standard ticket is £19. Compared to £49 for an off-peak return train ticket for the same route (£32.25 with a 16 - 25 railcard), this is still a massive saving.

Now onto the bad points. The main disadvantage is obviously the time. A train from Bath to London takes 1 hour and 30 minutes. A National Express coach can take between 3 and 4 hours, over double the journey time.

Another disadvantage is the toilets. I'm a skinny size 10 girl and I barely fit into the tiny cubical at the back of the bus. Anyone of a larger build is likely to have huge troubles with this. Also, with the toilets being right at the back of the coach, if you suffer any form of travel sickness whatsoever, you're in for a rough time. I usually have to wait until we're on a nice, long stretch of motorway before I go and even then, I come back to my seat wanting to throw up.

Travel sickness in general is obviously a problem for people wishing to travel this way. As you don't reserve a specific seat, there is no guarantee that you'll be able to get a seat near a window or at the front of the coach. I've never had problems doing so but then again, I travel at quiet times of day to keep the cost down. Also, to my knowledge, the coaches don't have sick bags on board. When I felt ill on a journey once, the driver got me a carrier bag from an overhead locker but that was all he had.

Generally, my experiences of this particular route have been positive. I haven't had any major delays or rude passengers. The drivers, though sometimes hard to understand as they all seem to be foreign on that route, have always been polite and helpful. As I said, the main disadvantages are time and travel sickness. But if you don't mind a longer journey and don't suffer from travel sickness badly (or are willing to bring your own sick bag), I would recommend at least giving this service a try.

Summary: Good for those on a tight budget who don't get travel sick easily and don't mind a wait.