In the first of a two part feature, Jonathan Welch looks at the combined operations of Citylink and megabus in Scotland
The inter-city coaching sector in Scotland is somewhat different to that which exists south of the border, in that the density and frequency of routes is much greater, and the coach can offer a genuinely viable alternative to its main competitor, rail, on many city to city journeys. By far the most well-known name is of course Scottish Citylink, which has been a player for many years, though is seeing increasing competition in the growing marketplace from FlixBus and Ember as well as Xplore Dundee’s ‘Fly’ airport service. Interestingly, National Express has a very limited presence north of the border, limited to cross-border services to the south from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
There are three distinct parts to the combined Citylink/megabus network; Central Belt services along the M8 corridor between Edinburgh and Glasgow, of which the most frequent is the 900, supplemented by ‘AIR’ and the recently-introduced 902, both serving Edinburgh Airport. Secondly, the frequent ‘Saltire Cross’ group of routes, heading north from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Aberdeen and Inverness, with journeys connecting at Perth to form an X-shaped network. And thirdly, the less frequent daily services which serve the west coast of Scotland, serving Fort William, Oban, Mallaig, Skye, Kyle of Lochalsh and Campbeltown, along with routes via Ayr to Belfast and from Inverness northwards to Ullapool.
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