Norfolk coaches

County advice overview

Norfolk offers both local and national coach services for journeys in and outside of the county. 

It is advisable to contact the coach provider directly for details regarding wheelchair accessibility and access as this can vary between providers and routes.  

Traveline can help you to plan and organise your travel and offers live updates.

Key tips

When planning a journey by coach, you may wish to plan ahead if you have reduced mobility by considering:

• Which mobility aids you will be travelling with. (Contact the provider if you are unsure whether you can travel with your scooter/wheelchair to check accessibility.)
• If the destination stop is accessible and what arrangements you may need to make for onward travel.

You may also wish to consider:

• Where the nearest coach pick-up point is
• What method of payment is accepted
• If the ticket must be bought online 
• Which destination stop you need. (The bus driver should be happy to help.)

Most toilets on coaches are not wheelchair accessible – If you have any concerns, speak to the coach provider or if you are travelling with National Express, contact the Assisted Travel Team prior to travel. You can ask the driver to make a stop at the next available accessible service station. 

Local Operators

Eastons Coaches

Eastons Coaches website

Coach and tour operator across Norfolk, Norwich, and other parts of East Anglia. They also operate eight-seater minibuses, available for hire. 

Telephone: 01603 754253 

Wrights Coaches

Wrights Coaches website

Coach hire across Norfolk (vehicle seat capacity from 19 to 91). Services include holiday and day-break programmes, home to school transport, airport and seaport transport. 

Telephone: 01603 672685

Sanders Coaches

Sanders Coaches website

Based in Norfolk and licenced to operate throughout Europe. (Vehicle seat capacity from 7-70) They have an accessible coach available with a lift which can accommodate 4 wheelchairs. 

Telephone: 01263 712800

Dolphin Travel

Dolphin Travel website

Based in Norwich, Dolphin Travel offer coaches, minibuses, people carriers and taxis. Provide hire for day and weekend trips, airport transfers, daily school runs and educational trips. 

Telephone: 01603 400400

Freestone Coaches  

Freestone Coaches website  

Private hire coach operator based in Norwich, Norfolk. Their fleet includes 16-seater minibuses to 63-seater coaches. UK wide requirements can be accommodated.

Telephone: 01603 570060 

National operators 

National Express

Provides a coach service from Great Yarmouth, Acle, Norwich and Thetford. 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).

Megabus

Provides a bus service from Norwich with connections to many other destinations countrywide. All coaches are wheelchair accessible and can safely carry one seated wheelchair user subject to size and weight limits.

Help with cost

Check my bus can help you find the cheapest fares for your journey.

National Express Senior Coachcard

If you’re 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, and you can travel on 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

You can apply for a card on the National Express website or by phoning 0871 781 8181. You can also apply at any National Express ticket outlet.

National Express Disabled Coachcard

If you have a disability, then a National Express Disabled Coachcard offers a great way to save 1/3 on Standard and Fully Flexible fares to hundreds of UK towns, cities and airports. 

Special Assistance

National Express have created a selection of Journey Assistance Cards for passengers. These explain to staff and drivers any need for assistance or exemptions from requirement. For example, if you have a hearing impairment. 

Journey Assistance Cards can be downloaded here.

Travelling with Mobility Equipment

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

National Express

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.

Wheelchair users are advised to book travel in advance (36 hours is recommended), 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

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

To check if your scooter will be accepted, you will need to provide 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 offers assistance to those with mobility difficulties or those who normally use a wheelchair.

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 coaches are wheelchair accessible and can carry one seated wheelchair user subject to size and weight limits. (Max weight 300kg, dimensions 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 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.

Assistance Dogs

Are accepted on both Megabus and National Express services.

Timetables and links

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. 

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