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National Express bus tickets - Search & book deals

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Official National Express partner

Wanderu is an official partner of National Express

Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel in North America and Europe. We partner with more than 300 bus & train companies around the world to help you search, compare, and find the best travel deals all in one place.

About National Express

National Express is the largest inter-city bus operator in the United Kingdom with bus routes throughout the UK. National Express operates over 600 buses, daily serving 140 routes with scheduled service to 900 destinations. On board a National Express bus you will find reclining leather seats, air conditioning and on board bathrooms. National Express has also invested in your comfort, you will find most buses equipped with WiFi and an on board entertainment system they call VUER, which streams content directly to your phone, tablet or laptop to keep you entertained along your trip.

National Express Amenities

Air conditioningAir conditioning
RestroomRestroom
Power outletPower outlet
WiFiWiFi

Quickview

National Express bus coverage

Daily Trips11,619
stations370
cities273
countries2

What travelers are saying about National Express

Here’s what Wanderu users who have booked trips with National Express had to say about their travel experience.

Traveling During COVID-19

“They took COVID safety precautions seriously.”
based on 53 reviews

Onboard Experience

“The WiFi actually worked for the entire trip”
based on 40 reviews
“I’ll travel with them again just for the staff!”
based on 64 reviews
“Really cheap tickets and really good service.”
based on 69 reviews
“The bus got there on time.”
based on 73 reviews
“Seats were really comfy and spacious”
based on 71 reviews
“The bus was almost suspiciously clean”
based on 71 reviews

National Express reviews from Wanderu customers

Overall review score for National Express

(Based on 78 reviews)

4.5
Ratings (Out of 5)
Comfort

4.3

Timeliness

4.6

Staff

4.4

Value

3.9

Condition

4.5

National Express passenger reviews

5.0

Ban

10 September 2023- Visiting family

London to Manchester

Pros: Evry think was good. Cons: Nothing. Tips: No.

5.0

Roland

8 April 2023- Vacation

London to Liverpool

Pros: It was fast and easy. Cons: There was no one checking the tickets, so everyone could travel without a ticket. The WiFi didn't worked.

5.0

Samuel

22 January 2023- Vacation

London to Plymouth

Pros: I liked how the wifi worked, the kindness and courteousness of staff, and how the sink and soap worked. Cons: Nothing. Tips: National Express is a good coach service, but mainly if you book in advance cause otherwise it's expennnsive.

5.0

Martins

28 December 2022- Regular commuter

Middlesbrough to Manchester

Pros: The driving,very superb. Cons: Free wifi. Tips: The should join the amazing trip.

4.0

Penny

5 November 2022- Visiting family

London to Paignton

Pros: excellent driving ,very easy once I arrived at Victoria coach station it was a breeze. Cons: Victoria coach station is very well organised but it would be useful to add to all the information sent out in advance that the arrivals and departures leave from different buildings which are across from each other. Tips: Make sure that you know where and how to access Victoria coach stations.

National Express Routes & Network

National Express’s bus network features 17169 bus routes that connect 273 cities serving 370 stations. On average, National Express performs about 11619 bus trips every day. The top cities to which National Express offers the highest number of daily bus service include London and Birmingham.

Top Cities Served by National Express

CityRouteEarliest busLatest bus
London611:00 pm10:59 pm
Manchester611:10 pm10:55 pm
Birmingham311:03 pm10:59 pm
Liverpool511:10 pm10:45 pm
Edinburgh711:30 pm10:59 pm
Luton511:00 pm10:59 pm
Leeds611:25 pm9:55 pm
Glasgow511:45 pm10:47 pm
Southampton511:05 pm10:59 pm

Most popular National Express routes

The bus from London to Birmingham is National Express’s most popular route. Trips from Coventry to London and Glasgow to Edinburgh are also highly popular.

Top National Express routes

RouteDaily TripsDurationPrice
London to Birmingham814h 48m€6
Coventry to London694h 8m€9
Glasgow to Edinburgh21h 12m€4
London to Bath404h 31m€10
Nottingham to London414h 41m€5
London to Liverpool307h 12m€13
London to Manchester286h 46m€11
London to Edinburgh1212h 10m€19
London to Southampton623h 45m€8

National Express Bus Guide & FAQs

Yes, National Express offers WiFi on their buses. Although most trips with National Express will have WiFi as advertised, some buses might not come equipped with WiFi and onboard WiFi can lose its connection in rural areas. We recommend you bring a book or download a movie just to play it safe. National Express WiFi is generally best used for surfing the web, checking emails and chatting with friends; you shouldn’t count on the WiFi to binge watch your favorite show.

Yes, there are power outlets onboard National Express buses. You can generally find one or two sockets per row of seats, so be a good traveller and check if your seat neighbor might want to charge up their devices as well. With the onboard power outlets, you can charge both a computer and USB devices with a USB power adapter that typically comes with most phones and tablets.

Since National Express might sometimes use replacement bus vehicles, not all trips are guaranteed to have power points. We recommend to bring a power bank to charge your phone for all trips over 2 hours, just in case.

On a typical day, National Express has 11619 scheduled bus trips in total. However, the exact departure and arrival times vary depending on the day and route. The best way to find the exact schedule for your trip is to use the search tool on this page.

No, National Express does not offer will call tickets. You should purchase your tickets online and make sure you have everything you need to board before you arrive at the station.

Yes, National Express requires you to present an ID to an agent to be allowed to board the bus. Make sure you have identification issued by a government agency that meets the carrier’s requirements. Alternative IDs, such as a college ID, won’t work.

Visit our COVID-19 Travel Guide to view the most up-to-date information about National Express’s cleaning protocols and adjusted ticket change policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yes, there are bathrooms on National Express buses. The bathrooms are pretty basic and include a toilet, toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Most bathrooms don’t have running water. As you will be using a bathroom on a moving vehicle, please use caution and hold on to a rail at all times.

National Express does not offer meals or beverages onboard. We recommend you bring a drink and some snacks for your trip. We also suggest packing a reusable water bottle with you to reduce your impact on the environment. However, note that most buses do not allow you to bring your own alcoholic drinks.

Yes, National Express requires that all passengers have printed tickets to board the bus. When you book with Wanderu and activate your account, you will be able to easily find and download your tickets for most buses.

National Express focuses on delivering a great travel experience at a low price and currently does not offer premium features like extra legroom or onboard entertainment. But these days, between your laptop, tablet, smartphone and e-reader, you’re the master of your own entertainment even on longer journeys.

Cheap National Express tickets recently found on Wanderu

With 11,619 National Express trips per day, there are a lot of great deals to uncover for the bargain hunter and National Express tickets start at just €1.41. Check out some of the latest and greatest deals snatched up by Wanderu users.

How do I get the best deal on National Express tickets?

Wanderu is the best place to score cheap National Express tickets. Wanderu offers the lowest available fares every day and charges no extra booking fees. Plus, you can compare National Express prices with trips offered by other bus companies to be sure you’re getting the best deal on your tickets!

Pro travelers know that booking your ticket well in advance is key to finding the lowest price. Ticket prices normally go up the closer you get to the travel date, so don’t miss out on a good deal when you see one. If you can be flexible with your travel date, you can also get cheap tickets by traveling on weekdays instead of weekends.

When you’re ready to book, type your departure city and destination city in the search bar above, select your travel date, and let Wanderu work its magic to show you all of the best bus and train ticket prices available for your trip. Pick the ticket that’s best for your budget, schedule, and preferences, and complete the booking right on Wanderu to secure your great deal.

More transportation options

Top National Express Destinations

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