Buses and Coaches

About Bus and Coach Travel

"Bus" is usually the term used for city public transportation and "Coach" is more for city-to-city transportation. For long distance trips, often the cheapest option is a coach, especially if you book some weeks in advance. If you do not want to travel alone, your Student Union or International Students Office will probably have organized coach tours to famous places like Stonehenge, Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Edinburgh, Brighton and York. Ask for information on planned activities for international students when you arrive.

If you are travelling within the UK by coach, you have a few options. Be sure to book in advance for better deals and discounted tickets.

University Bus Travel

Chances are you may have to catch a bus between your accommodation and your university at some point during your studies. Most UK campus universities offer guaranteed campus accommodation for the first year, but then often you will have to live in a nearby town for the rest of your course.

The cheapest way to travel is by getting a long term bus pass. Simply pay a flat fee for travel for the year and then catch the bus as much as you want, without having to pay every time you get on. In the UK there is a special deal set up for students where you can get huge discounts.

Coach Travel between the UK & Europe

Travelling to Europe and within Europe by coach is a cheap option, though it requires much more travel time. However, you can chose to travel overnight and get to enjoy the scenic route on the way and often travel through small villages and towns.

In some European regions, such as Eastern Europe, coach travel is the preferred option to travel between neighbouring countries, so coach journeys are available quite frequently during the day. In most other regions of Europe, the most readily available service is overnight coach travel. If you have a comfortable travel pillow and some chamomile tea, it should not be too bad...and it is an extra night that you will not have to pay for accommodation!

Save Money on Coach Tickets

• Eurolines Discount Card – gives you 25% off your journey price and you can buy a card valid for either 3 months (£19) or 6 months (£29). You do not have to be a full time student and there are no age or nationality restrictions associated with this card.
• Eurolines Pass – allows you to have unlimited travel between 45 European cities. You can either buy a 15 day pass or a 30 day pass. You must pre-book your first travel date and then book as you travel. There are no restrictions on age, nationality or student status on this card.
• Funfares – are only available online to customers who book their travels in advance. They are limited and available on a first come, first serve basis. So, the earlier you start looking, the better your chances of finding fares for as low as £15 each way!
• National Express Connection – If you want to travel to Europe from anywhere in the UK, you have to travel by National Express to London Victoria and then transfer to Eurolines. If you book your travels through our ticket search (must be a Eurolines white label), a fee of £15 will be added to your journey if you are travelling one way or return.
• National Express Youth Card – offers a 30% discounted fare for full time students or people between the ages of 16 and 26. This young person's coach card is available for £10 a year or £25 3 years. NB: This card is not the same as the Young Person's Railcard.
• National Express Brit Xplorer – is a coach travel pass for non-UK residents. In order to purchase a Brit Xplorer pass, you must show that you have a passport from a foreign country. This pass allows you to travel stand-by on all National Express coach services for limited amount of time. If you need to reserve a seat in a particular journey, you will be able to do so at an additional fee. You can choose the duration of your pass: 7 days (£79), 14 days (£139), or 28 days (£219).