U.K. and Ireland - Low Fare Bus Service www.megabus.com ?

Hi! I'm going to be studying at Oxford this summer. I'm wondering if anyone has tried this bus service Megabus . It says fares are as low as GBP1 which would take me from London to Oxford and around the UK. Is this service worth trying or will it be so uncomfortable as to make it not worthwhile?

Thanks for any advice!

Hi! I'm going to be studying at Oxford this summer. I'm wondering if anyone has tried this bus service Megabus . It says fares are as low as GBP1 which would take me from London to Oxford and around the UK. Is this service worth is or will it be so uncomfortable as to make it not worth while?

Thanks for any advice!

I'm sure there was another thread that would answer your questions here, but I can't find it....

Anyway, the buses used to run along the urban routes in Hong Kong and have only had minimal conversions apparently.

Also it's very much from £1 - i.e. the cheapest seats, off peak, booked in advance and I believe there's a 50p booking fee too.

Trains from Oxford aren't great in general - the bus does seem to be the best way of getting into London. However, if you want to go any great distance - i.e. up to Scotland - look at the airlines too.

As always, I suppose you just have to shop around!

Megabus is not very comfortable (similar to a public transit bus in a US city) but for a 1-2 hour journey like Oxford-London then they are fine.

For getting into London, two much better (but more expensive) options are the Oxford Tube (www.oxfordtube.com) and the Oxford Bus Company's "OxfordEspress"(www.oxfordbus.co.uk/espress1.htm).

Both have services 24 hours a day, running as frequently as every 10 minutes. There are several stops in Central Oxford, and in Central London. The service is more expensive than the Megabus, BUT it is extremely flexible - you do not need to book the outbound or return trip in advance. These two companies also offer services from London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports to and from Oxford (Oxford Bus Co's service is called called "the Airline"(www.theairline.info)) - much cheaper than going via Central London and again no need to reserve in advance.

Both of the above services offer a student diiscount if you can show a student photo-ID (ideally an ISIC card which you should be able to get from STA Travel, Council Travel or other on-campus travel agents before you leave).

Ironically, the same company owns both the Oxford Tube and the Megabus!

More generally, National Express (www.nationalexpress.com) run special offers very frequently that are as good if not better than Megabus (one recent promotion offered to take you anywhere in the UK for £10 return!). The National Express buses are much more comfortable (reclining seats and air conditioning).

Between London and Oxford you can forget the train - expensive and sometimes slower than the coach!!

More generally, Virgin Trains do offer services from Oxford up to Birmingham, Northern England and Scotland - they offer cheap fares online if you book a three weeks to one month or so in advance. You can collect the tickets from ATM-style machines at the rail station.

Finally, for going to Scotland and Ireland (or even further afield) then the plane is a viable option. Both Birmingham and the 3 London airports are within easy distance and are linked to Oxford by bus (Birmingham is also linked by train). The cheapest airlines only accept bookings directly, but to give you an idea of what is available, try www.ryanair.com and www.easyjet.com - you can get flights to France, Italy, Spain and even Scandinavia for less than $60 round trip, including taxes. Best airport for this is Stansted (Gatwick is also doable but a longer journey).

Enjoy Oxford - I had a great time living there and summer (apart from the crowds) is one of the best times to be there!

More generally, National Express (www.nationalexpress.com) run special offers very frequently that are as good if not better than Megabus (one recent promotion offered to take you anywhere in the UK for £10 return!). The National Express buses are much more comfortable (reclining seats and air conditioning).
Good advice. I got a o/w ticket from Birmingham to London for GBP1 in Dec. online with National Express although these promos tend to be more common during the winter months.

Thanks so much! Also, I'll be bringing two large suitcases when I move in to Oxford. Is it safe to assume that any of these bus services can accomodate luggage?

National Express have luggage compartments. Haven't travelled on the rest.