You are not logged in. (megabus.com goes upmarket with new luxury coaches for Scotland (Jan 31, 2005)
Passengers in Scotland using low-cost travel operator megabus.com are to benefit from the introduction of new luxury double-decker coaches on services to London from today (31 January).
· Scots passengers to benefit from major £6.5million investment
· Britain’s most modern double-decker coaches to run on service to London
· Seat prices still from £1 as low-cost network continues to grow
megabus.com services to London from Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth are the first to benefit from a £6.5million investment in 25 state-of-the-art vehicles.
The new coaches are the biggest and most modern of their kind in Britain – featuring air-conditioning, toilets, more comfortable seats and better legroom - and can carry up to 91 passengers.
Passengers will still be able to travel from Scotland to London from as low as £1 per seat.
Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: “megabus.com passengers now have the best of both worlds – they are already getting the best value inter-city travel in Britain and they will also benefit from the most modern coaches of their kind in the country.
“megabus.com has transformed inter-city travel in the UK and we are well on our way to carrying two million passengers since we launched less than 18 months ago.”
The new vehicles, built in Stuttgart by MAN, feature seatbelts, CCTV, dedicated luggage space, footrests, and coat hooks. Six of the new coaches, which at 45ft are longer than a traditional coach, are being introduced in Scotland. As well as increasing the quality of megabus.com services on long-distance routes to and from London, the new vehicles will be used for future expansion plans.
More than 1.3 million travellers have used megabus.com since the nationwide launch of the service in March last year and it now links around 30 towns and cities across the UK.
Passenger volumes have grown by well over 500% in just 10 months as new long-distance routes have been added to the megabus.com network, which is currently served by a fleet of around 60 double-decker buses, coaches and articulated vehicles.
megabus.com is based on the same yield management concept as the budget airlines, with cheaper fares for passengers the earlier they book. Seats are booked on a secure e-commerce website at www.megabus.com. Fares start from just £1, plus a 50p booking fee.
Research shows megabus.com is appealing to a wide customer base, including students, commuters, families and “silver surfers” - over 55s who use the internet. Many passengers have also switched from cars, as well as travelling by bus and coach for the first time.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Steve Stewart, Head of Media and Public Affairs, Stagecoach Group, tel 01738 442111
