Rail Strikes Drive a Surge in Passengers Switching to National Express
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Published: 30th April 2024
- 1.3 million customers travelled on rail strike days*, with 15% of rail users switching to National Express
- Coach operator adds 7,500 extra seats during upcoming rail strikes 7-9 May
National Express is to boost its capacity to meet demand during the upcoming rail strikes from 7-9 May with an additional 7,500 seats available on its most popular routes.
It comes as the company celebrates a year of passenger growth with over 19 million customers travelling on its coach network in 2023. The UK’s leading scheduled coach operator has seen a 25 per cent increase in passengers, up from 15 million in 2022.
The rise in rail fares and continuation of industrial action, now in its second year, are major contributing factors in the increase in passenger numbers. Since the rail strikes began in June 2022, National Express has recorded approximately 1.3 million new customers* travelling on its services during rail strike days, with 15 percent of rail users reportedly switching to National Express for better value and reliability of service.
It 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 over 550 destinations across the country.
John Boughton, Commercial Director for National Express UK & Ireland, said:
“The rail strikes have been a fantastic opportunity for us to highlight just how good our coach services are, especially to those who may not have considered travelling with us before. People are making the switch because we’re reliable, great value and they’re guaranteed a seat. That makes us very attractive compared to the train.
“With significant investment in our services and improvements to the customer experience, we are making it even easier for people to travel without having to worry about unaffordable fares or constantly wondering if the trains are running. National Express is the smart way to go!”
With tickets starting from as little as £4.90, passengers can expect a safe and comfortable experience on board, with leather reclining seats, free wi-fi, air conditioning, USB power sockets and a generous luggage allowance of up to 20kg. Visit www.nationalexpress.com to plan your journey.
* Indicates increase in passengers travelling on rail strike days (RMT Union and ASLEF) between 21 June 2022 and 14 April 2024.
Top 10 Busiest National Express routes:
- London Victoria Coach Station - Stansted Airport
- London (Stratford) - Stansted Airport
- London Liverpool St - Stansted Airport
- London - Luton Airport
- Bristol - London
- Brighton - London
- Manchester - London
- Bournemouth - London
- Nottingham - London
- Southampton - London
Press Office Contact
For all media enquiries and filming opportunities please contact the press office by email pressoffice@nationalexpress.com. For out-of-hours media queries please call 07768 557592 and speak to the on-call press officer.
National Express UK businesses:
National Express Coach, National Express West Midlands, National Express Coventry, Dublin Express, National Express Transport Solutions, National Express Accessible Transport.
Please note, there is a separate communications team for Mobico Group financial and corporate media enquiries.
The press office does not deal with marketing, advertising or sponsorship enquiries. Please email marketing@nationalexpress.com for assistance.
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