GDPR / Cookie acceptance [about our cookies] • • • Cookies expire in a week!
Marketing the express coach - lies, damned lies and statistics
 
Re: Marketing the express coach - lies, damned lies and statistics
Posted by Mark A at 13:07, 15th November 2026
 
With promotions, is knocking the competition the best approach? Probably not.

However, I'm fine with GWR's one time strapline to the effect 'We intend to empty the M4' ...

Marketing the express coach - lies, damned lies and statistics
Posted by grahame at 12:35, 15th November 2026
 
National Express Advert

Paying £65 for a train to sit on the floor by a stinky toilet? Absolutely not. Grab a guaranteed seat with direct travel to London from £6.50.

One-way fare. Save £1.50 with MyAccount. T&Cs apply.

Hmmm ...

Not sure where that's from, but you are quoting £35 for a return journey on 21st December from my home town of Melksham, versus £47 I would pay on the train, where it would be highly unusual to have to sit on the floor near the toilet. The bus round trip is 8 hours, the train round trip is 3 - so of course value per travelling hour you are better value - just over £4 per hour rather than almost £16 per hour.

Personal preference is train. 5 hours less travel, the freedom to move around and to choose from multiple return times.  Leaving home at 06:30 and back at 22:45 is a very long day.  Buses and coaches DO have their place, but as a day trip to the centre of London this is not the mode I would choose.


 
The Coffee Shop forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western). The views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit https://www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site at admin@railcustomer.info if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules. Our full legal statment is at https://www.greatwesternrailway.info/legal.html

Although we are planning ahead, we don't know what the future will bring here in the Coffee Shop. We have domains "firstgreatwestern.info" for w-a-y back and also "greatwesternrailway.info"; we can also answer to "greatbritishrailways.info" too. For the future, information about Great Brisish Railways, by customers and for customers.
 
Current Running
GWR trains from JourneyCheck
 
 
Code Updated 11th January 2025