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train or bus?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
Hey, right my boyfriend lives in cardiff and im going down to see him in a few weeks but i cant decide whether to get the train or the bus. The train takes 3 and a half hours and the bus takes 4 and a half hours but my friends say that trains are comfier. Anyone got past experience with both trains and buses? What would you suggest?

Personally i like the idea of a train but they do cost a lot more than the bus, i can drive but dont feel comfortable driving all that way (180 miles).
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Train. Much better.

    Buses are good for getting from the suburbs to town centre, and sod all else.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've heard that National Express are god for long distance coach trips at the moment they have a special offer on return trips from about £15 untilthe March sometime, but I would watch it as I had a look on their website and not all the coaches have toliets on them, so be carful when you book as I don't know about you but 4.5 hours without a toliet is just wrong.

    Personally I have only used trains for long distance travel London to Bradford, while they are more expensive you normally have a a carriage with a bar/cafe in it toliets and you can get up and have a walk about if you need to.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    National Express are comfortable, but not as comfortable as a train. All NX coaches have toilets on board now, apart from some short-distance shuttle services (such as the Leeds-Bradford shuttle).

    It depends on what you want. When I'm short on money and long on time I get the coach. When I'm long on money and short on time I get the train.

    You won't be uncomfortable on NX or Megabus, but you'll be more comfortable on a train.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I use National Express to go to Derby from Dundee. Takes over 10 hours but you are gauranteed to get your connections whereas with trains you aren't. The buses are comfy and have loos in them and things. They also stop at service stations so you can get something to eat and stretch yours legs.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    By bus, I am assuming you mean coach and not some First bus with wooden seats and thousands of pensioners standing up wanting your seat ;)

    I'd have to say Bus as it saves alot of money and is only an hour longer. unless your rich and can afford the train ;)

    Best one I find is Stage coach / megabus, I book my tickets to get to scotland from london - 8 hour journey 5 weeks in advance, i pay 2pound there and 2 pound back, not bad i think.

    I prefer Bus as Train is ALOT more expensive, for me any way where as bus is £5 return for the train from my house its about £100 and thats traveling off peak,

    Try these links, see if megabus runs from you to near cardiff/cardiff

    http://megabus.com/ - megabus do go to cardiff, as it doesn't say where your from i can't say if it runs from where you live.
    http://www.stagecoachbus.com/
    Stagecoach should do it aswell.

    book in advance and save mega money :)

    I prefer both these companies to TX, you still get the same with TX on mega bus, Toilets and good seats, you even get quite alot of leg room
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hellfire i've checked out both stagecoach and mega bus but they don't go to Cardiff from Stoke-On-Trent (my nearest city) but thanks all the same.
    The national express are very cheap but i remember travelling to london with them which took 5 hours and i was pretty fed up by the end. Train might be the better option but i don't really know how much room you get as i've never travelled anywhere on a train before. Still can't decide lol
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hmmm... Trains you get alot of room or no room depending how busy it is but it shouldn't be too bad so you get quite a bit of room but bewarned train will cost about £45 for a savers return,

    Try http://www.nationalexpress.com since Megabus/stagecoach doesn't do it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    it depends how much the price difference is and whether it's worth sitting on a bus for another hour. personally i'd go for the train as buses bore me.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Trains Ive always found to be better than busses and much prefer them comfort wise. Seats are just a bit better and often on a journey like that they will have a food cart so you have a reason to go for a walk down the train.

    The other reason I prefer trains is they 99% of the time go to the station they say rather than like with busses wander off on detours and confuse the hell out of me!

    Alot of my mates used National Express Coaches to get to Blackpool once, they said that was sheer hell! Too cramped, especially if you are tall like my boyfriend whos well over 6ft.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if you can afford the train, go by train. but try and book yourself a seat just to be on the safe side. you really dont want to have to stand up for hours! also, if you dont have one and you're entitled to one, id get a young persons rail card.
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    littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Train. By a long shot :yes:
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    JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    Train, depends on the cost though.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks everyone,all your advice has been taken on board and i think i will go by train. I am getting a young persons rail card so with that it works out between £30-£40 return which isn't bad. I'm not rich by a long shot (what student is) but i think i can stretch to that every now and again. It works out a lot cheaper then driving anyway.

    Thanks again
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd say a train too.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hellfire wrote:
    I prefer Bus as Train is ALOT more expensive, for me any way where as bus is £5 return for the train from my house its about £100 and thats traveling off peak

    If you have a railcard and book the train seats two months in advance you can get seats for about £15 each way. And it takes 3 hours to Edinburgh, not 10.

    Megabus are only any good if you are travelling to or from London. They aren't a national network of coaches, Stagecoach (who are the operator of Megabus, not a different coach company) have callously milked the profitable routes.

    kaz, connections with trains are guaranteed as much as coach connections are. If you miss the last train, and its a valid connection, the train company has to pay for a taxi or coach to get you to your destination station. Coach timetables tend to be a lot slacker though.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Umm... Bus to scotland, GLASGOW from LONDON, which i get is 8 hours by bus, glasgow i think is bout 4/5 by train from euston

    I still prefer bus though, although at this rate it could turn out to be cheaper flying, i've seen some super cheap flights.
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