Berkshire coaches

County advice overview

National Express and Megabus operate from major towns in Berkshire and can connect you with many other destinations countrywide, including major airports. 

Your operator can provide you with up-to-date information if you wish to travel with mobility equipment.

Key tips

Always allow yourself plenty of time to plan your journey by coach. You may wish to consider the following key tips:

• Wear comfortable footwear which can be slackened off or removed if required. Try and move your feet and legs from time to time. Point and flex your toes and circle your ankles.
• Wear comfortable clothing. Layering your clothing will enable you to take layers off or add more to make yourself more comfortable in the temperature of the coach. You may even want to take a blanket just in case.
• If possible, leave the coach at comfort stops, even if you do not need to use the facilities, so that you can stretch your limbs and help maintain your circulation.
• Bring a travel pillow to help maintain your body in the right posture and prevent your head and neck from hurting.
• If you need to take medication, ensure that you have a little more than you expect to need in case of a delay in the journey.
• Bring snacks in case of a delay in the journey. This is especially important if you suffer from any condition that may lower your blood sugar level. However, check with your coach company first if they allow eating on the coach.
• Pack ear plugs, muffs or noise cancelling headphones. These can help filter out background noise, such as loud conversation.

Operators

Regional operators

There are no coach operators running services exclusively within the Berkshire area.

National operators 

National Express

Provides a coach service from Reading and Slough to London Victoria and Heathrow Airport. They also provide services to many other major cities countrywide, such as Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Southampton and Plymouth.

Megabus

Provide an extensive coach service from Reading, connecting with many other destinations countrywide.

Help with cost

Check my Bus

Check my Bus will help you find the cheapest fares for your journey.

National Express Senior Coachcard

If you are 60 or over, you can apply for a National Express Senior Coachcard. It offers a 1/3 saving on Standard and Fully Flexible fares to hundreds of towns, cities and airports across the UK.

There are no restrictions on peak and off-peak travel times, so you can travel when it suits you and your plans. This includes public holidays, bank holidays and weekends. Benefits include:

• Save 1/3 on Standard and Fully Flexible fares, even at peak times.
• £15 day-return on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to anywhere in the UK (excluding airports), just book 3 days in advance of your travel.
• Free journey if your coach is delayed for over an hour.

Apply for a card on the National Express website, by phoning 0871 781 8181, or at any National Express ticket outlet.

National Express Disabled Coachcard

A Disabled Coachcard offers a 1/3 saving on Standard and Fully Flexible fares. For more information, please use the link below: 

Special assistance

Journey Assistance Cards

National Express have created a selection of Journey Assistance Cards for passengers.

These explain to staff and drivers of any need for assistance or exemptions from requirements. For example, if you have a hearing impediment. 

Travelling with mobility equipment

National Express

Have a dedicated Assisted Travel Team who you can contact on 03717 818181 to talk through your needs (lines open 9.00am – 5.00pm, 7 days a week). It is not a requirement to book your assistance in advance but it will help National Express to provide your assistance if you do so.

Coaches are equipped with a wheelchair lift. However, it cannot be deployed at all stops, so it is best to check in advance if your stop is accessible.

Wheelchair users are advised to book travel in advance, although this is not essential. This will allow National Express to carry out the following checks:

• that the wheelchair is compatible with the space on the coach
• that the combined weight of the customer and the wheelchair do not exceed the maximum weight capacity of being lifted by the wheelchair lift
• that the locations at which the customer plans to board and alight the coach from are accessible stops at which the wheelchair lift can be deployed
• that the specific coach on which the customer plans to travel is not already fully booked

It is recommended that you contact National Express 36 hours in advance of travel on the telephone number above. This will ensure they are able to carry out these checks. If you book same-day travel, National Express will make all reasonable efforts to carry out checks on the day. 

Customers cannot travel in their mobility scooters; however, small lightweight mobility scooters which can be dismantled and safely stowed in the luggage hold of the coach are accepted.

In order to check if your scooter will be accepted, you will need to give details of the size, make and model of the mobility scooter you will be travelling with. You will be advised

either at the time of booking or by National Express calling you back, about the suitability of your mobility scooter for carriage in the luggage hold.

Megabus

Megabus offer assistance to those with walking difficulties or those who normally use wheelchairs.

They recommend that all wheelchair users contact them before purchasing their tickets (preferably at least 36 hours before their intended journey), to book the wheelchair space.

All Megabus coaches are wheelchair accessible and can carry one seated wheelchair user subject to size and weight limits. (Max weight 300kg, length 1200mm x width 700mm x height 1350mm including the seated passenger.)

They are unable to accommodate passengers seated in mobility scooters. However, if you use a wheelchair (max weight 20kg) or a mobility scooter and are able to climb the few steps into the bus, your mobility device can be stored in the luggage bay and the driver will help you to your seat.

In order to be accepted for transit, your mobility scooter must break down into separate parts, each weighing no more than 20kg. You or a companion must be able to dismantle and reassemble the mobility scooter for carriage in the luggage hold.

Passengers departing from London Victoria Coach Station may use the Mobility Assistance Lounge before departure. To pre-book, call 0207 126 2716. Assistance to departing coaches is available if required.

Assistance dogs

Are accepted on both Megabus and National Express services.

Routes and timetable links

National Express coaches are equipped with a wheelchair lift. However, it cannot be deployed at all stops, so it is best to check in advance if your stop is accessible. You can ring the Assisted Travel Team on 03717 818181 to check.

Traveline

Traveline is a partnership of transport companies, local authorities and passenger groups which have come together to bring routes and times for all travel in Great Britain by bus, rail, coach and ferry. They can help you find the way that best suits you for making your journey using the most up to date information. From their homepage, you can plan your journey from door to door, see the different ways you could travel, how long the journey will take and view your route on a map.

Help by phone

If you need help to plan a journey, Traveline’s national call centre can be contacted on 0871 200 2233.