Isle of Wight coaches 

County advice overview

An easy way to travel to the Isle of Wight is via coach from almost anywhere in the UK. 

Coaches stop at The Hard Interchange Bus and Coach Station in Portsmouth, close to the harbour for passenger ferry services. Or you can travel by coach to Southampton Coach Station where the Isle of Wight ferry connections are located.

There are no coach operators running services exclusively within the Isle of Wight area.

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 Isle of Wight area.

National operators 

National Express

www.nationalexpress.com/en

Whilst National Express do not operate routes on the Island itself, they do work together with Southern Vectis buses and Hovertravel to make onward travel easier. 

This means you can buy one single ticket from various towns on the Isle of Wight through to your destination on the mainland, via Ryde and Hovertravel to Portsmouth. You can then connect with a National Express coach for your onward journey. 

From Portsmouth, you can travel to numerous destinations across the UK.

Tickets can be booked via National Express either online or by phoning 0871 781 8181.

Help with cost

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. 

They can be downloaded on the National Express website. 

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.

Assistance dogs

Are accepted on 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.