Stagecoach Group-owned coach operator to serve Germany for the first time, along with Lille, Ghent, Rotterdam and Antwerp
megabus has announced today that it is expanding its network of budget coach services to include new European destinations. The operator, part of Stagecoach Group, is to run services in Germany for the first time, with a new link between London and Cologne to be launched on October 21.
In addition, megabus.com will also now serve Lille, Ghent, Rotterdam and Antwerp for the first time.
The new London to Cologne service, which will also serve Ghent and Brussels in Belgium, will operate twice a day in each direction, with a total journey time of 10 hours 30 minutes. Also from October 21, customers can travel on twice daily services between London, Lille, Ghent, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, with journeys between London and Lille taking less than six hours.
Prices on all megabus Europe services range from £1 or €1 up to £40 or €40. Tickets for the new services were available to buy on www.megabus.com from Monday, October 7.
megabus launched its European network in April 2012, offering journeys between the UK and Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Boulogne. The services have proved very popular with families, students and tourists looking to bag a bargain ticket to Europe.
Figures have shown that 27% more passengers used megabus.com Europe services during the most recent four-week period, compared to the same period in 2012.
megabus.com has also recently introduced a ????leet of 10 new left-hand-drive 72-seat Van Hool coaches to operate on its network in Europe. All vehicles are equipped with WiFi, air conditioning and a toilet on board.
All locations are served daily, with routes to and from the UK operating during the day and overnight. An interchange at Victoria Coach Station also offers through services to and from locations in Scotland, England and Wales.
megabus.com has launched French and Dutch language websites to make it easier for European customers to book their tickets and the company is also due to launch a German language website.
The new European services are part of a series of network improvements being made. The megabus.com UK network will also see the below timetable improvements from Monday (7 October):
- A new link to Ireland with megabus.com services operating from London and Manchester to Holyhead where passengers can link with the ferry service to Dublin;
- More services every day between London and Swansea;
- A new link from Swansea to Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham Airport and Birmingham;
- Frequency between Norwich and London doubled to four services every day; and
- A new link from Worcester to London, Swindon, Gloucester and Cheltenham.
Managing Director of Stagecoach’s UK Coach division, Elizabeth Esnouf said: “These new links are great news for our customers and we’re delighted to be entering the German market for the ????irst time. With more locations added to our European network, our low-cost, highquality coach services will allow customers to travel even more extensively at very affordable prices, helping to make their money go further.
“We believe megabus.com has the scope to grow even further, in the UK and Europe, and we look forward to attracting more and more people on to our greener, smarter coach services.”
