Travel to the capital and back up North can sometimes be a real slog, however National Express has announced a faster coach service between Manchester and London, with journey times reduced by up to 30 minutes. National Express provides frequent journeys throughout the day on the 540 service between Manchester and London, with fares starting from as little as £15.90 – which is less than half the cost of a train ticket.
Weekend fares for the National Express service from Manchester to London start from £18.90. With the speedier service between Manchester and London, it means passengers can arrive at their destination in a little over four hours.
Plus, ahead of the summer holidays, the UK’s largest scheduled coach operator is also enhancing its Trans Pennine coach network with services to and from central Manchester and Manchester Airport. From May 17, an enhanced 170 service between Manchester, Manchester Airport, Liverpool and Leeds will begin, while also introducing Warrington (Hulme) to the network. Plus, from the same date, the 171 service between Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford and Leeds will also see the same enhancements.
National Express is also amending other services during May. These services include:
- 131: increased daily services between Birmingham and Yorkshire – with new early morning journey from Birmingham and new early evening journey from Yorkshire. Starting from May 17.
- 460: revised daily services between Rugby, Coventry, Heathrow Airport and London – with more journeys to and from Heathrow Airport, while also reintroducing Leamington Spa and Banbury to the network. Starting from May 24.
- 465: revised daily overnight service between Yorkshire, East Midlands and London – also introducing Loughborough. Starting from May 31.
These updated services come as National Express saw a surge during 2023 as travellers looked for more budget-friendly options for travel. More than 19 million customers travelled on its coach network in 2023 – a 25% increase in passengers, up from 15 million in 2022.
National Express also continues to invest in its fleet, with 150 brand new vehicles expected to hit the roads this year, meaning customers will be able to enjoy a comfortable and relaxing journey to hundreds of destinations across the country. Passengers can expect a comfortable experience on board, with leather reclining seats, free Wi-Fi, USB power sockets and a generous baggage allowance of up to 20kg.
Tickets are available to purchase from the National Express website here.