Skybus services now listed in Travelport’s airport express app

SKYBUS, operator of Australasia’s premier airport transfer service, has announced its arrival on leading travel commerce platform, Travelport, joining the likes of the highly popular Heathrow Express among others. 

The addition of SkyBus means travel agents using Travelport’s award-winning Airport Express App will be notified of the operator’s options; and can instantly book electronic tickets for SkyBus’ airport express services when they plan Melbourne travel itineraries for their customers.

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Treasureland Tohoku

A new value-for-money bus ticket aims to make travel around the Tohoku region in northern Honshu even easier. The Treasureland Tohoku Highway Bus Ticket went on sale from October 21, 2016 and provides unlimited travel on 60 selected bus routes across 6 prefectures in Tohoku at one reasonable price for either 4 or 7 days.

The new ticket provides all the bus travel you could possibly need on selected highway and local bus routes across 6 prefectures in Tohoku: Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi, and Fukushima,.

As a tourist destination, #Tohoku sometimes has a reputation for being remote or inaccessible, but with the new bus ticket nothing could be further from the truth. Once you have the ticket you can start exploring the hidden gems of this undiscovered corner of #Japan.

The pass is easy and straightforward to buy and use. First, purchase a voucher for your chosen length of time (4 or 7 days) online at Japan Bus Online.

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Picture Credit: By Ippukucho - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40256045

On the buses . . .

TRANSPORT for London (TfL) is trialling a new battery-powered bus stop display screen which will for the first time provide real time travel information on other bus services as well as its own.

The first trial is being conducted at a bus stop at Northwood Station, Hillingdon and will give customers travelling to and from Mount Vernon Hospital all the latest travel information that they need.

The new screens can be quickly and easily attached to bus stop posts and display next bus arrival information to customers. The signs are battery-powered so they are not limited to bus stops with shelters and an electrical power supply.

Simon Reed, TfL's Head of Technical Services, said: 'We are continually exploring new ways to deliver information to our customers while they are on the move and to ensure we are at the forefront of new technology as it develops.

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Electric bus routes for central London

THE Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Transport for London (TfL) announced in September that the capital will own Europe's largest fleet of electric buses, as they revealed the first two all-electric bus routes for central #London.

The Mayor announced that routes 507 and 521 will exclusively run a 51-strong fleet of all-electric buses by the end of the year, as part of his ambitious campaign for a dramatic improvement in of air quality in the capital. The 507 bus route is between Victoria and Waterloo. The 521 is from Waterloo to London Bridge. After route 312, in Croydon, they are the second and third purely electric bus routes in the capital.

Combined with 22 all-electric buses already running in outer London, it will take the capital's entire fleet of electric buses up to 73 - the largest in Europe.

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National Express boosts Stansted connnections

NATIONAL EXPRESS is making it easier to travel to Stansted Airport with new routes adding almost 5,000 extra seats a day.

The new services will for the first time see the UK’s largest coach operator serve Stansted from new London stops at Paddington, Waterloo, and Southwark Additionally, stops at Golders Green, Marble Arch, Baker Street, and Victoria coach station will also all benefit from increased frequencies, with some journey times slashed by up to twenty minutes.

Fares start at £5 one-way.

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£1 ticket offer launches Plymouth-Bristol bus route

BUS company Stagecoach South West has launched Falcon, the first dedicated 24/7 coach service connecting major locations across the region.

Claimed as a cost-effective alternative to the train, the Falcon service will operate 19 journeys a day, seven days a week, between Plymouth, Exeter, Taunton, Bristol Airport, and Bristol city centre, both day and night.

To mark the launch, single and return journeys will initially cost £1 until February 27. From the end of February, normal fares will apply, which include £5 return journeys anywhere along the route for under 25’s and OAP’s and adult returns from £7.50.

Bob Dennison, managing director of Stagecoach South West, said: ‘Falcon is a bold step in making it easier for people to travel across the region. It’s a ’round the clock’ service between the main towns and cities across the South West, plus Bristol Airport.

‘I am confident this 24/7 connection will prove extremely popular with commuters, university students, shoppers, day trippers and, of course, holidaymakers flying from Bristol.’

Tickets, including weekly season tickets, can be bought in cash direct from the driver. A select number of tickets will also be available to pre-book via www.megabus.com.

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Gatwick bus link for Kent

NATIONAL EXPRESS is to start a 24-hour, straight-to-the-terminal Gatwick bus service from locations across Kent. 

Starting in December, the dedicated service will serve both terminals from locations throughout Kent eight times a day, with journey times taking as little as an hour.

Pick up and drop off points will include Canterbury, Chatham, Gillingham, Maidstone, Margate, Broadstairs, and Ramsgate. National Express claims travel times will be up to 45 minutes quicker than their rail alternatives, all of which involve at least one change.

Online fares start at £5 one-way.

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National Express: free tickets for disadvantaged families

NATIONAL EXPRESS is turning the wheels on a new charity partnership to help families across the UK. It has teamed up with the Family Holiday Association (FHA) to give hundreds of coach tickets to families that cannot afford a break. 

Commenting on the initiative, National Express UK Coach managing director Tom Stables said: ‘National Express is committed to supporting local communities and building strong families is a building block in that process.

‘That is why we have joined forces with the FHA to give families who can’t normally afford to do so the chance to take a break, relax, bond, and build happy memories.’

FHA director John McDonald said: ‘We are delighted to have teamed up with National Express and be able to help more families access an often vital break away from home. We know through our work, backed by extensive academic research, that spending quality together as a family results in stronger, healthier, and happier families and communities.’

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94418464@N08/9301493506">The National Express logo.</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)

Greyhound help for disabled travellers

THE 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been marked by the #Greyhound bus company, which says it programme to assist customers with special needs is comprehensive. 

Drivers, customer service staff, and other terminal employees are available to meet the needs of customers with disabilities. Greyhound provides assistance with boarding and de-boarding, and with the stowage and retrieval of luggage and mobility devices. Its staff can help customers travelling alone or with a personal care attendant.

‘Greyhound recognizes the importance of making travel easy and accessible for customers with #disabilities,’ says Dave Leach, president and CEO of Greyhound Lines. ‘We've always been committed to ensuring that customers with disabilities enjoy their entire travel experience from the time they book their trip to the time they reach their destination. We've made numerous improvements that make travel as convenient and hassle-free as possible.’

Improvements include:

• All Greyhound buses are wheelchair lift-equipped, and all drivers are trained on how to operate them 
• Greyhound partnered with eSSENTIAL Accessibility to provide easier access to online ticket purchasing and vital travel information for customers with physical, vision and age-related disabilities 
• Dedicated staff to assist customers with disabilities 
• All terminals have wheelchair-accessible parking spaces with ramped access to entrance doors 
• Ticket counters are fitted to meet the required height for customers in wheelchairs 
• Accommodations for customers with guide dogs

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Picture Credit: Greyhound bus company

National Express gears up for the Rugby World Cup

#NATIONALEXPRESS is preparing to add thousands of extra seats to services during the upcoming #RugbyWorldCup (September 18-October 31) in Britain after a surge of bookings from fans.  Year-on-year bookings have risen by almost a third on services in areas with large numbers of Rugby World Cup spectators, with tens of thousands of coach seats already booked.

The most popular Rugby World Cup match-hosting cities, listed in order of the number of bookings to travel there during the tournament, are:

London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Leicester, Leeds, Exeter, Milton Keynes, Brighton, Gloucester, and Newcastle.

In areas where Rugby World Cup ticket sales are highest, there has been a big knock-on effect on coach ticket sales, National Express said.

Cardiff to London is the most booked journey during the tournament with sales up 200 percent year-on-year as rugby fans in Wales book travel to key matches. This is followed by Bristol to London which has seen a 50 percent increase in bookings, and Leicester to London which has also seen a 50 percent year-on-year lift.

With three of the tournament’s venues, #London is the most popular match-hosting city to travel to by coach. Almost 40,000 people plan to travel there during the competition. This is followed by Birmingham, which is hosting World Cup matches at Villa Park; Cardiff which is hosting matches at the Millennium Stadium; and Manchester, with matches at Manchester City Stadium.

National Express is offering groups of four or more 25 percent off the cost of their coach tickets, provided the tickets are booked three days in advance.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94418464@N08/9442799744">Rear of National Express liveried LSK 510.</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)

Take the bus in France

TRAINS have long dominated travel in #France, but legislation to deregulate aspects of the country’s economy is opening up the long distance bus industry. GoEuro.co.uk, the search engine for comparing flights, coach and rail travel options across Europe, has created a comprehensive map of all the 250 new routes available across France and into Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium. 

France is expected to have more than five million additional coach passengers within the next year, resulting in 22,000 more jobs. The deregulation of the market is also expected to see a 10% to 70% drop in ticket prices over the next year as more operators come into the market.

British companies such as National Express and Megabus are expected to expand their services in France.

The most popular long distance bus journeys in France are those between Paris and other major French and European cities such as London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Barcelona, Lyon, and Marseille. Travellers might appreciate the services running through the south of France, including the A9 road to Barcelona and the A7 –Highway of the Sun – which has been deemed the most beautiful motorway in France.

www.GoEuro.co.uk

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GoEuro launches travel app

GOEURO has launched a free app – on android and ios – providing options for travel by train, bus, or air.

The app allows users to compare travel time and prices from more than 160 rail, bus, and airlines enabling them to compare travel time and prices for the full journey and book tickets in eight countries.

Naren Shaam, CEO of GoEuro said: ‘This app makes rail and coach travel as easy to search, compare and book as it is for air. It gives real-time transport information and booking options for every corner of the UK plus several European markets.

‘Travel search has traditionally been dominated by websites and apps that focus on air and accommodation bookings. However, the increased popularity of rail and coach transport within the UK and Europe has opened a huge gap in the market to combine all modes of transport in one place. We are offering a must-have product for anyone looking to book coaches, trains, and air travel domestically or within Europe.’

Covering 4,025 train stations, coach terminals, and airports across the UK and 33,000 unique destinations in Europe, the #GoEuro app offers the services of three apps in one, eliminating the need to download multiple travel apps.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/88964830@N08/10326046654">Euro Sign</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

Gatwick bus for early birds

GATWICK AIRPORT has partnered with Metrobus to provide two early morning bus services so that passengers and workers can get to the airport from the south coast before rail services have started.

The two new routes will run daily from Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Goring and Worthing to Gatwick, and from Hastings and Bexhill to Gatwick.

Both services are scheduled to arrive at the airport (North and South terminals) at 4am and 6am.

Gatwick has also negotiated a dual ticket arrangement which allows passengers to travel to the airport by bus and return by train.

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