National Express bus

[ubsueg]

Can someone give me some advice on National Express Bus from the Dover Cruise terminal to Victoria Station. Where do we find the bus at the cruise terminal ? Is it as easy as taking a cruise ship bus at a fraction of the cost or is it a hassell to get to it with luggage. I looked at the timetable and it seems that they have a non stop at 0930. Can it really be that easy?

Thanks

[Giantfan13]

Can someone give me some advice on National Express Bus from the Dover Cruise terminal to Victoria Station. Where do we find the bus at the cruise terminal ? Is it as easy as taking a cruise ship bus at a fraction of the cost or is it a hassell to get to it with luggage. I looked at the timetable and it seems that they have a non stop at 0930. Can it really be that easy?

Thanks

 

It really can.

 

We did the National Express bus from London to Dover, and back. We got it for the fantastic fun fare of 5 pounds per person each way, for a total of 20 pounds, the best bargain you will find on the entire trip.

 

We opted for the bus over the train because from where we were staying, we would have had to transfer trains once. We had a fair amount of luggage and I was having some trouble with the old knees, and hauling luggage around, storing it and doing it again for the transfer, just want for me. We could not afford a private cab, or the cruise line transfers, so the bus was perfect for us.

 

We stayed around Tower Bridge, so we took a cab to Victoria Coach Station (not Victoria train station, but a block or so away). from there it is a very short walk to the door where we were to catch our bus. From there, the driver stows it for you and when you leave, you get it back. The bus says two suitcases per person, and we were at that level, plus we had some carry on's.

Now, the bus route takes you right into Dover. It does NOT go to the crusie terminal. From where the bus drops you off, you need to take a short taxi ride (about 10 minutes, about 7pounds) to the terminal. There is a chance that the bus will take you right to the terminal, as that is what happened to us. The only ones left on the bus where cruise passengers and the driver probably saw a chance to make a few pound on tips, so he drove us right to the terminal. That is the exception, not the norm.

After the cruise, you will definitely have to take a taxi back to Dover and the place to catch the bus. Again, it is the same short ride and there are many taxi's there. they know exactly where to go.

The bus ride was very pleasant, about 2 1/2 hours. Going, we made a few stops, but coming back it was non stop. It will again, take you back to Victoria Coach Station and from there you can get another bus to take you to Heathrow, or if you are staying in London, get a taxi to your hotel.

 

It is the longest way of getting to Dover from London, but we left at 8:30AM, and arrived at our cruise terminal at 11:30. We were on the ship by 12:00.

 

Hope this helps

 

Len

[handfordr]

Can someone give me some advice on National Express Bus from the Dover Cruise terminal to Victoria Station. Where do we find the bus at the cruise terminal ? Is it as easy as taking a cruise ship bus at a fraction of the cost or is it a hassell to get to it with luggage. I looked at the timetable and it seems that they have a non stop at 0930. Can it really be that easy?

Thanks

 

I would first double check that the National Express bus is indeed picking up at the cruise terminal and not from Dover Ferry Terminal or Town, very, very few each year are scheduled to stop by at the Cruise Terminals (there are two about 400 yards apart).

 

If it is scheduled to pickup from the cruise terminal I'd contact National Express to check out exactly which one. It will only be stopping for a minute or two to pickup passengers, so no good if you're not at the right place.

Only drawback otherwise is the luggage allowance (2 cases per person neither of which should weigh more than 20kg/44 1bs) which may well be well below your flight allowance

The only other inconvenience is timing. Most cruises disembark between about 07:00 and 08:45, so you'll have probably at least 45 minutes hanging around. Some of the Disney cruises are not disembarking until late morning this year at Dover.

With the cruise buses they load you up as you disembark, as one bus is filled and departs another takes its place. The porters will also take your luggage to the bus. With the National Express bus they'll dump your luggage with you as you exit the terminal.

[sddsddean]

Just answered all this on your other post!

 

Simon

[BULLOCK]

The fantastic fun fare rates, are they just specials put on by the bus company? Must you purchase round time transportation to get the great rates?

[Giantfan13]

The fantastic fun fare rates, are they just specials put on by the bus company? Must you purchase round time transportation to get the great rates?

 

I don't believe so. If memory holds, we had to purchase each leg separately.

[kruzseeka]

The fantastic fun fare rates, are they just specials put on by the bus company? Must you purchase round time transportation to get the great rates?

 

Fun fares are launched at intervals (I find about 2 months ahead of your travel date - they then cover about a month). You have to check everyday on the internet to 'catch' them as soon as they are released. There are a limited number of Funfares on each coach and once they're gone, other reduced price seats may be available - but the general rule of thumb is that the closer to departure, the lower the chance of getting Funfares. There may, however be other concessionary fares available e.g. route60 for those over a certain age!

 

National Express is an excellent service - we have just bought return Flight-link tickets to Gatwick for less than the petrol cost and of course no parking fee! For us it's much cheaper than the train and no changes involved. If the route you want is available and the times are convenient for you I'd definitely say it's good option (and may still be even if you can't get the bargain tickets).

[MATHA531]

I've been researching this through.....according to the web site there is a bus at 0830 that arrives in Dover at about 1100...alll the literature sggests the bus goes to the ferry terminal and you need a taxi from there....I would suppose on the day of the cruise there will be passengers for the same cdruise as me and probably will easily be able to share a taxi with another couple (I'm travelling solo)..,..

 

According to the web site the one way fare is £6.70 for seniors (in Britain that means 60 and above)...about the only question I have to resolve is if I should buy the ticket way in advance or can go over to Victoria Coach station the day before (my cruise is on 09 June and I will be arriving in London via Eurstar from Paris on 07 June) and book in advance. For those of you who have done this, any thoughts.

 

Frankly I would prefer the train, it's much quicker but they don't seem to have concession fares and from what I read, the cheapest fare is around £30 and I would have to keep my luggage with me whereas with the coacfh, the driver puts it in the boot.

[Giantfan13]

I've been researching this through.....according to the web site there is a bus at 0830 that arrives in Dover at about 1100...alll the literature sggests the bus goes to the ferry terminal and you need a taxi from there....I would suppose on the day of the cruise there will be passengers for the same cdruise as me and probably will easily be able to share a taxi with another couple (I'm travelling solo)..,..

 

According to the web site the one way fare is £6.70 for seniors (in Britain that means 60 and above)...about the only question I have to resolve is if I should buy the ticket way in advance or can go over to Victoria Coach station the day before (my cruise is on 09 June and I will be arriving in London via Eurstar from Paris on 07 June) and book in advance. For those of you who have done this, any thoughts.

 

Frankly I would prefer the train, it's much quicker but they don't seem to have concession fares and from what I read, the cheapest fare is around £30 and I would have to keep my luggage with me whereas with the coacfh, the driver puts it in the boot.

 

Matha

 

One of the reasons why we opted for the bus over the train, was exactly what you said. We just didn't want to haul our luggage from here to there and then stow it. With the bus, the driver does most of the work. yes, you are limited to size and weight, but unless you have a super huge suitcase, they are pretty lenient about that.

 

As for the taxi, you would have to do a taxi even if you took the train. I didn't look back on this thread, but I had mentioned it before, the bus is scheduled to let the last passengers off in Dover. As you said, the last of the passengers ALL where going to the cruise ship terminal,so the driver of the bus, took us all there. It WAS NOT a route stop, he just did it on his own, I guess, for a few extra tips, as we all generously gave him. I would not go as far as to say it was a common thing, as they seemed to know the bus and driver at the terminal, but they do this every so often.

 

The fare you mentioned, was it regular fare or one of any promotions that the bus runs??. We did this 'fun fare' which was 5 pounds. I am also a senior, but the fun fare was the best we could find. I would book it in advance if possible. If it does come down to a 5 pound fun fare, you are only out a pound or so, no big deal.

[MATHA531]

Matha

 

One of the reasons why we opted for the bus over the train, was exactly what you said. We just didn't want to haul our luggage from here to there and then stow it. With the bus, the driver does most of the work. yes, you are limited to size and weight, but unless you have a super huge suitcase, they are pretty lenient about that.

 

As for the taxi, you would have to do a taxi even if you took the train. I didn't look back on this thread, but I had mentioned it before, the bus is scheduled to let the last passengers off in Dover. As you said, the last of the passengers ALL where going to the cruise ship terminal,so the driver of the bus, took us all there. It WAS NOT a route stop, he just did it on his own, I guess, for a few extra tips, as we all generously gave him. I would not go as far as to say it was a common thing, as they seemed to know the bus and driver at the terminal, but they do this every so often.

 

The fare you mentioned, was it regular fare or one of any promotions that the bus runs??. We did this 'fun fare' which was 5 pounds. I am also a senior, but the fun fare was the best we could find. I would book it in advance if possible. If it does come down to a 5 pound fun fare, you are only out a pound or so, no big deal.

The fare is apparently not a special fare; it is a concession fare as they say in Great Britain for senior citizens (60 and above there).

 

My question still remains for anybody who has done it....how ncecessary is it to book in advance...my current plan as noted, sorry to repeat, is to stop by Victoria Coach Station the day before to make the reservation although apparently for £1 you can book further in advance but just how necessary is it....was the coach all that crowded? I know, although I haven't done it for years, when I was younger and took Greyhound, no advancfe booking was necessary. If too many people showed up, they simply rollked out another bus.

[doodlefan]

The fare is apparently not a special fare; it is a concession fare as they say in Great Britain for senior citizens (60 and above there).

 

My question still remains for anybody who has done it....how ncecessary is it to book in advance...my current plan as noted, sorry to repeat, is to stop by Victoria Coach Station the day before to make the reservation although apparently for £1 you can book further in advance but just how necessary is it....was the coach all that crowded? I know, although I haven't done it for years, when I was younger and took Greyhound, no advancfe booking was necessary. If too many people showed up, they simply rollked out another bus.

 

 

Hi

 

We did this, going from Victoria Coach to Dover. I did book our tickets in advance and was glad I did so. Our coach was full. It was all cruise ship passengers. Just to ease my own mind, I would book. That way you know you have a seat. I think we paid 7 Pounds each, we're not seniors. It was a direct ride and we got off in Dover and my DH and myself had chatted with some of the other people on the coach so we asked if anybody wanted to split a taxi. We all shared a van, I think there was 6 of us and it was only 5 pounds or so for both of us for the taxi to the ship.

 

We saved LOTS of $$ taking the bus vs the train and were very happy with our choice.

 

As others have mentioned we just wheeled our suitcases to the coach (they were each 50 lbs) and the driver did the rest, no lifting them up onto a train like we had to in Italy.

 

We printed our ticket confirmations for the trip and had no problems at all.

 

I hope this helped. good luck

[PennyAgain]

It is much easier for me to climb up on to a coach than a train. On the train I would have my bag and on the coach the bag is stowed by the driver.

 

I keep my small carry on bag with me.

 

I have found the coach drivers to be very kind and helpful. There is no one to help you with the trains.

[Giantfan13]

I agree with the prior poster, as to purchasing your tickets in advance. For a pound, why worry about if they have a full bus, will they roll out another.

Personally, since they have plenty of buses on their schedule, I just do not see them 'rolling out' another bus if the first one is full. I would assume you would have to wait for the next one.

If it is no big deal to book in advance, why not do so??. You should be able to cancel if a better offer comes along.

[handfordr]

I agree with the prior poster, as to purchasing your tickets in advance. For a pound, why worry about if they have a full bus, will they roll out another.

Personally, since they have plenty of buses on their schedule, I just do not see them 'rolling out' another bus if the first one is full. I would assume you would have to wait for the next one.

If it is no big deal to book in advance, why not do so??. You should be able to cancel if a better offer comes along.

 

National Express certainly do not have reserve buses for when a bus is full. I agree with Giantfan if you're going to use this bus, book it in advance

 

The only downside with booking in advance is that except for departures from airports if you miss the bus schedule printed on your ticket its not valid for another bus.

[iltu]

When booking your ticket from London to Dover what Dover station do you use. Thanks.

[tdtanc]

How's the ride from Victoria coach station to southampton?

 

TD

[MATHA531]

Although they list several Dover locations on their web site, I think you can only actually book one of them......

[sddsddean]

When booking your ticket from London to Dover what Dover station do you use. Thanks.

 

If you mean train station, its Dover Priory.

 

Simon

[sddsddean]

How's the ride from Victoria coach station to southampton?

 

TD

 

Its fine.They use modern coaches with aircon and a toilet on board. Depending on which actual service you get, you will have a couple of stops on the way. Usually Heathrow and sometimes a couple of places on the way down. Its no problem at all and as good a way to go as any.

 

Simon

[tdtanc]

Bought my coach tickets today. 3 months in Advance. From London to Southampton on a saturday morning. Leaves 10am arrives 12. Total of 25 pounds. Good price? 1/2 as much as the train fare. Quite simple process. Was able to print the tickets right on line.

 

Can anyone tell me how far the southampton coach terminal (Harbour Parade, Hampshire??) is from the celebrity cruise terminal there?

 

Thank you

 

TD

[MrsTW]

From the Southampton cruise ship schedule it appears Celebrity will be using Berth 101 The City Cruise Terminal.

 

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/cruise_ship.asp

 

This is only a mile from the coach station.

 

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/files/city%20cruise%20terminal.pdf

[sddsddean]

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Harbour+Parade&daddr=Herbert+Walker+Ave&geocode=FZbCCAMdZ3_q_w%3BFTGuCAMdQGzq_w&gl=uk&hl=en&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=50.903141,-1.413352&sspn=0.007849,0.018153&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16

 

shows the bus station at 'A' and the cruise terminal at 'B'. You could actually walk south down Harbour Parade, cross West Quay Rd and walk through the Holiday Inn car park and come in from Gate 8, by Mayflower Park. If you want to walk, its about 15-20 mins. If you have too much luggage (I know you are going on a cruise!!), its about a £5-£7 cab ride.

 

Simon

[tdtanc]

Thanks so much guys. You think leaving London at 10am and getting to southampton at 1215 for a 445 departure is adequate enough time right? Always worried about transportation issues. (Bus breaks down, traffic accidents, strikes, ect.)

 

TD

[sddsddean]

Thanks so much guys. You think leaving London at 10am and getting to southampton at 1215 for a 445 departure is adequate enough time right? Always worried about transportation issues. (Bus breaks down, traffic accidents, strikes, ect.)

 

TD

 

Should be no problem at all.

 

Simon

[DorneyBoy]

Thanks so much guys. You think leaving London at 10am and getting to southampton at 1215 for a 445 departure is adequate enough time right? Always worried about transportation issues. (Bus breaks down, traffic accidents, strikes, ect.)

 

TD

 

Normally the 10:00 bus would give you ample time.

Only exception I would think twice about is if you're going down on a Saturday between June and early September when half of London seems to be rushing down the M3 to the coast at the same time and gridlock seems to happen every other weekend until early afternoon after somebody has a smash.

 

On Saturdays, train might be a less stressful option.