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Original poster

Would this be allowed on a National Express coach?

34 replies

CatastrophicCat · 24/05/2023 18:23

DD(14) needs to travel from Birmingham to Manchester, she will be alone but being met off the coach the other end. It's the first time she will have done it on her own and she's a bit anxious about who she might end up sitting next to so I'm wondering whether we could book the seat next to her as well as her own so it stays unoccupied? Can't find anything on the website and also don't know whether this would be bad coach etiquette Blush

OP posts:
VampireNightclub · 24/05/2023 18:52

I've travelled on National express a few times over the past year, all with booked seat reservations. My experience has been a bit hit and miss: sometimes the driver has asked for those with seat reservations to get on first, others have just boarded from the front of the queue and it's up to you if you can get to your booked seat. I managed this by getting close to the front of the queue, but not sure what would have happened if my seat had been sat in by someone else before I got there.

Also, how confident would your daughter be in telling anyone who sat in her 'spare' seat that actually it was booked expressly to be empty?

Perhaps booking a seat reservation as close to the driver as possible may be a compromise, and accept that she will probably have someone sitting next to her?

WeAreTheHeroes · 24/05/2023 19:39

Book an aisle seat so she is "trapped" in by whoever seats next to her if it's busy.

WeAreTheHeroes · 24/05/2023 19:40

*isn't!

DingsBum · 24/05/2023 19:40

You'd have to pay for both seats.

And if there are people waiting without reservations, sometimes the driver will let them sit in the reserved seats that nobody has turned up for.

Geneticsbunny · 24/05/2023 19:44

Make sure she sits near the driver and isn't traveling late in the day. My adult brothers have had some terrible experiences with women being harassed on coaches but it was after dark so late.

SlipSlidinAway · 24/05/2023 19:48

Can you reserve a seat near the driver? Then - in the unlikely event someone bothers her - they would intervene. She might feel safer in an aisle seat.

You could also tell her to keep her earphones in as a deterrent to anyone trying to strike up a conversation with her.

Of course there is a strong possibility that someone perfectly pleasant/inoffensive will sit next to her!

But anyway, at 14 she ought to be able to cope with travelling on her own and interacting with strangers. At that age I was regularly doing a 2-3 hour train journey on my own.

Beautyhoard · 24/05/2023 20:45

She'd be much better off on the train - is that out the question?

NotDavidTennant · 24/05/2023 20:48

You don't book a specific seat on National Express (or at least not on any I've been on).

HairyFarnbarn · 24/05/2023 20:52

NotDavidTennant · 24/05/2023 20:48

You don't book a specific seat on National Express (or at least not on any I've been on).

Yes you definitely can I did it last week

Iliketulips · 24/05/2023 20:56

I'm not sure she'd be better off on a train. There could easily be a lot less people around and you can go nearly an hour before a ticket inspector or person serving drinks comes into carriage. An inside aisle seat would be perfect as she won't be boxed in. Also, lots of others will be around her if really needed.

BonnieBairn · 24/05/2023 21:06

I was sexually assaulted on a national express coach when I was about 19. It was an overnight from Edinburgh to Exeter. I was sleeping when the guy that had sat next to me started touching me up. I was too scared to say anything so I pretended to be asleep and hoped he'd stop. Before he got off at his stop he had the fucking cheek to apologise for his behaviour, tell me he just couldn't stop himself and then ask for my number. It was awful.

PurelyBelter · 24/05/2023 21:09

NotDavidTennant · 24/05/2023 20:48

You don't book a specific seat on National Express (or at least not on any I've been on).

It depends on the route if you can book it. I regularly travel on the coach and can’t reserve on my normal route but on one I took a few weeks ago you could. As a PP said it must be hit and miss because someone was sat in my reserved seat and the driver shrugged and didn’t seem to care tbh. I just sat elsewhere that had a socket luckily there was other spaces.

I think the best bet would be to reserve a seat as close to the driver as possible (you only can reserve the first 5 rows anyway) and an aisle seat so she’s not trapped in. But if she is travelling via public transport she does need to learn that others will sit near her. I’ve never had any bother on a coach. Most people just want to sleep. The worst I’ve seen was a couple in front of me who wouldn’t stop sucking each other’s faces for 6 hrs 🤮

CeliaNorth · 24/05/2023 21:20

Can you reserve a seat near the driver? Then - in the unlikely event someone bothers her - they would intervene.

How can the driver intervene? He'll be driving!

Im99912 · 24/05/2023 21:21

I’ve just booked seats on NE for July
however it’s double decker & only the top section of the bus could be reserved
you couldn’t book seats downstairs next to the driver

Needmorelego · 24/05/2023 21:39

Will they let her travel alone? I thought National Express had a age rule of 15.

Lcb123 · 24/05/2023 21:42

I didn’t know you could book a specific seat on National Express. You could try, obviously would mean paying for 2 tickets. But she should be prepared for someone to sit there. I used to do this when I was 14, no problems. And it is safer than train as only one entry / exit and most coaches don’t make a lot of stops.

amicissimma · 24/05/2023 22:00

When I was doing the round-America-by-bus thing someone advised me always to be among the last to board. That way you choose whom you sit next to.

It turned out to be very good advice on several occasions!

NorthORSouthThatsTheQN · 24/05/2023 22:14

Geneticsbunny · 24/05/2023 19:44

Make sure she sits near the driver and isn't traveling late in the day. My adult brothers have had some terrible experiences with women being harassed on coaches but it was after dark so late.

I second this.
I had a horrendous experience travelling alone near evening time on a coach from London once.

Danikm151 · 24/05/2023 22:24

If there is a no show then the driver will give the seat away if there are others wanting to pay to travel. They regularly get tickets booked that people don’t show up for.
14 year olds unaccompanied is allowed.

if you message on twitter whilst on board it’s picked up pretty quickly.

Advise her to sit close to the driver but the nature of coach travel is you may be sitting next to a stranger if it’s a busy time.

It’s easy to get in contact with staff who will flag issues to the network team.

SlipSlidinAway · 25/05/2023 08:28

CeliaNorth · 24/05/2023 21:20

Can you reserve a seat near the driver? Then - in the unlikely event someone bothers her - they would intervene.

How can the driver intervene? He'll be driving!

The driver can say something to make it clear if he sees/hears any unacceptable behaviour which would hopefully be enough of a deterrent.

sashh · 25/05/2023 09:05

CeliaNorth · 24/05/2023 21:20

Can you reserve a seat near the driver? Then - in the unlikely event someone bothers her - they would intervene.

How can the driver intervene? He'll be driving!

All NE express coaches have a phone, the driver can call the police and have them waiting at the next service station.

OP

If you book over the phone you can get them to add 'driver notes' - these are literally notes the driver reads before setting off. Each driver reads the notes so if they allow you to book two seats that needs to be put on the notes and if there is a change of driver it is all written down.

I assume she will have some luggage, so that can go on her second seat rather than the luggage compartment.

hedgehoglurker · 25/05/2023 09:26

Are there any stops in between? If so, I would book the other seat for the next stop. This way they are likely to leave it empty at Birmingham rather than class it as a no-show and give to another passenger.

SlipSlidinAway · 25/05/2023 09:31

hedgehoglurker · 25/05/2023 09:26

Are there any stops in between? If so, I would book the other seat for the next stop. This way they are likely to leave it empty at Birmingham rather than class it as a no-show and give to another passenger.

Surely you can't book a seat without buying an additional ticket?

CaloundraBlues · 25/05/2023 09:42

But what if it's busy, surely someone could still be placed in the empty seat even if you've paid and booked it?

SlipSlidinAway · 25/05/2023 09:52

CaloundraBlues · 25/05/2023 09:42

But what if it's busy, surely someone could still be placed in the empty seat even if you've paid and booked it?

You would think wouldn't you? And what's the op's dd going to say if someone asks to sit there? Sorry you can't - my mum paid for an empty seat so I didn't have anyone sitting next to me ...?