National Express
What it really means
The biggest coach company in Britain, with white coaches connecting most towns, cities and airports. Book online in advance for the cheapest fares. Coaches leave from coach stations, not train stations.
Context, tips & common mistakes
Long-distance coaches (National Express, Megabus and others) are Britain's budget intercity option: booked ahead, fares can be a fraction of walk-up rail prices, in exchange for longer journey times and motorway traffic risk. Book online for a specific departure, travel with the e-ticket, and note coaches are popular precisely when trains strike or surge in price.
Two practical details newcomers miss: in London, coaches leave from Victoria Coach Station, a separate building a few minutes' walk from Victoria rail station — allow time to find it; and luggage allowances are enforced more like airlines than trains, so check the limits before turning up with three suitcases. Overnight coaches to airports run when trains do not, which makes them the classic early-flight solution.
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