Bath and North East Somerset coaches
County advice overview
National Express operate in Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) with services to a variety of local and UK destinations.
Operators provide wheelchair-accessible coach services. Wheelchair spaces can be found at the front of the coaches, whilst storage for manual wheelchairs and scooters can be booked in advance.
If passenger assistance is required at the coach stations, you should contact the coach operators to pre-arrange.
Key tips
Always allow yourself plenty of time to plan your journey. It may be worth considering:
- If you will need help to access the coach and will you be travelling with mobility equipment. Consider whether it is easier to take equipment with you or hire it at your destination from an outlet such as ShopMobility.
- Booking assistance in advance. Before you contact the coach operator to arrange, consider all aspects of your journey so you can obtain all the information in one call. For example, if travelling by coach are you able to access the onboard toilets? Will your destination stop be accessible?
- When booking transport assistance, you should be able to provide the size of a wheelchair or mobility scooter, including the total weight with or without the user.
- What local transport do you need once you arrive at your destination? Will you need to pre-book an accessible taxi?
- Will you be making this journey more than once a year? If so, it may be worth researching concessionary travel schemes.
Your local West of England Hubs Mobility Advice Service can provide further helpful advice and information.
Operators
National Express
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.
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 below, by phoning 03717 818181, 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 to hundreds of UK towns, cities and airports. For more information, please use the link below.
Special assistance
National Express
Have a dedicated Assisted Travel Team who you can contact on 03717 818181 to talk through your assistance needs. (Lines are 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.
National Express provide 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
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 on 03717 818181, although this is not essential. This will allow National Express to check:
- 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. This will ensure they are able to carry out 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 that can be dismantled and safely stowed in the luggage hold of the coach are accepted.
In order to check if your mobility scooter will be accepted, you will need to provide National Express with the size, make and model. 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.
Further passenger assistance information can be found on the National Express website.
Assistance dogs are accepted on National Express services.
Routes and timetable links
National Express
All routes and destinations can be found here.
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.
On the Traveline website, you can plan your journey door-to-door, see the different ways you can travel, view journey times and your route on a map.
If you need help to plan a journey, Traveline’s national call centre can be contacted on 0871 200 2233.
Bath and North East Somerset coaches
County advice overview
National Express operate in Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) with services to a variety of local and UK destinations.
Operators provide wheelchair-accessible coach services. Wheelchair spaces can be found at the front of the coaches, whilst storage for manual wheelchairs and scooters can be booked in advance.
If passenger assistance is required at the coach stations, you should contact the coach operators to pre-arrange.
Key tips
Always allow yourself plenty of time to plan your journey. It may be worth considering:
- If you will need help to access the coach and will you be travelling with mobility equipment. Consider whether it is easier to take equipment with you or hire it at your destination from an outlet such as ShopMobility.
- Booking assistance in advance. Before you contact the coach operator to arrange, consider all aspects of your journey so you can obtain all the information in one call. For example, if travelling by coach are you able to access the onboard toilets? Will your destination stop be accessible?
- When booking transport assistance, you should be able to provide the size of a wheelchair or mobility scooter, including the total weight with or without the user.
- What local transport do you need once you arrive at your destination? Will you need to pre-book an accessible taxi?
- Will you be making this journey more than once a year? If so, it may be worth researching concessionary travel schemes.
Your local West of England Hubs Mobility Advice Service can provide further helpful advice and information.
Operators
National Express
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.
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 03717 818181, 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 to hundreds of UK towns, cities and airports.
Special assistance
National Express
Have a dedicated Assisted Travel Team who you can contact on 03717 818181 to talk through your assistance needs. (Lines are 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.
National Express provide 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
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 on 03717 818181, although this is not essential. This will allow National Express to check:
- 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. This will ensure they are able to carry out 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 that can be dismantled and safely stowed in the luggage hold of the coach are accepted.
In order to check if your mobility scooter will be accepted, you will need to provide National Express with the size, make and model. 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.
Further passenger assistance information can be found on the National Express website.
Assistance dogs are accepted on National Express services.
Routes and timetable links
National Express
All routes and destinations can be found here.
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.
On the Traveline website, you can plan your journey door-to-door, see the different ways you can travel, view journey times and your route on a map.
If you need help to plan a journey, Traveline’s national call centre can be contacted on 0871 200 2233.
Disclaimer
Any advice or information given by the Hubs Mobility Advice Service is impartial and correct at the time it is provided. However, as operators may change their services or equipment prior to your journey or booking, you are strongly advised to check any details directly with them shortly before you expect to travel.
Contact your local Hub
Get in touch with the West of England Hub for personal mobility advice and accessible travel information. Your Hub can help with local, national and international accessible travel advice.