Description
Megabus is a long distance coach (Intercity bus service) operator founded by Stagecoach, it commenced operating in August 2003, initially in the United Kingdom, and later expanding into continental Europe. Some services link with Megatrain services, also operated by Stagecoach. Fares use a yield management model, formerly starting at £1. In June 2016, Stagecoach Group sold all operations in the European mainland, as well as those services linking London with Europe, to German competitor Flixbus. Megabus serves as a contractor, so the sale resulted in no route changes for passengers.
Other services
Megatrain
Megatrain offers low-cost intercity train travel on some East Midlands Railway. Services are available Monday to Saturday only, with no service on Sundays or public holidays.
Megabusplus
Megabusplus services combine Megabus and Megatrain for through journeys. It was launched on 30 March 2009.
North of England
As at August 2019, Megabusplus services use coaches to East Midlands Parkway station, then Megatrain (East Midlands Railway) services to London St Pancras. Even though Stagecoach ceased operating rail services in August 2019, when East Midlands Trains was superseded by East Midlands Railway, as at May 2021, services continue to operate.
As at August 2019, services operated were:
- Bradford via Huddersfield
- Hull Paragon Interchange via Doncaster
- Scunthorpe
Services previously operated from York, but ceased in 2017 when Megabus entered a through ticketing agreement with Yorkshire Coastliner.
South West England
Megabusplus services also used coaches to Southampton Airport Parkway station, then Megatrain (South West Trains) to Bournemouth.
In 2014, further Megabusplus services were launched using South West Trains services between London Waterloo and Honiton, then the following four coach routes from Honiton:
- Honiton – Okehampton – Bude
- Honiton – Collumpton – Tiverton – Barnstaple
- Honiton – Exeter Airport – Newton Abbot – Torquay – Paignton – Totnes – Plymouth
- Honiton – Launceston – Bodmin – St Austell – Truro – Penzance
Sleeper and Gold services
Overnight sleeper services were introduced on the London to Glasgow route in 2011 using Jonckheere Mistral articulated coaches with a flat bunk bed as well as a seat for each passenger.
Luxury Megabus Gold coaches were introduced from 8 July 2013 on selected sleeper services between London and Edinburgh/Aberdeen, as well as some day services. This sub-brand is in line with the upmarket Stagecoach Gold and Citylink Gold brands already used by Stagecoach subsidiaries. This service ended in May 2017, due to it being consistently loss-making, and the coaches are now only used on daytime services.
Megasightseeing
On 23 April 2018, Megabus, along with Stagecoach London, started operating three non-stop open top bus sight seeing routes in London under the Megasightseeing brand. Each trip on the route was approximately two hours long, and used a GPS activated pre-recorded 'guide'. The three circular routes, which ran hourly on the hour started from Tower of London, The London Eye, and Park Lane. Tickets for the service were pre-booked from the Megabus website, and cash was not accepted at the roadside, however, bookings could be made for a particular journey right up to the time of departure, subject to availability. Megasightseeing was the only non-stop sightseeing service in London.
Each sightseeing trip on the service carried up to 44 passengers. By reducing the number of bookings per trip, a top deck seat could be guaranteed, something other sightseeing operators in London are unable to offer at the present time.
Megasightseeing followed the same yield pricing model of traditional Megabus routes, where fares can start from as little as £1 plus booking fee.
The buses initially used on the service were former East London and Selkent 2005/06 Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Tridents. These vehicles were refurbished and converted to open and part open top by Alexander Dennis. They were housed at Bow bus garage. To comply with the London low emission zone, all were replaced by Alexander Dennis Enviro400s in 2019.
For the first time since Megabus was founded, 'Sid' the Megabus mascot, was given a voice - which could be heard in the automatic commentary on the vehicles whilst they were in motion on the tour.
On 9 June 2018, a Megasightseeing bus strayed in to a demonstration in Trafalgar Square in support of far right leader Tommy Robinson. The bus was overtaken by protesters and a significant amount of damage occurred to the vehicle, resulting in it needing to be towed away.
In May 2021, Megasightseeing services were withdrawn and replaced by City Sightseeing services jointly operated by Stagecoach and Julià Travel on behalf of the company using the same Alexander Dennis Enviro400 vehicles used on the Megasightseeing service repainted into the City Sightseeing livery.
