Travelling With National Express and Other Coach Companys

If I'm going somewhere new in the UK I'll always check National Express and Virgin Trains for prices and times to see which way is better for where I'm going in the UK. Recently I did a trip to Birmingham and decided to book by coach instead of going by the train and I was yet to be convinced or wowed by the service.

Booking online was smooth and straight forward giving me times and prices also letting me know how long it will be getting there so over all it was a great service and really easy to use. I picked the 9.45 coach to get me to Birmingham for 11 a nice easy 1 hour and 15 minutes journey, nothing could go wrong really. Well at the bus station I waited and waited and then I waited a bit more 9.45 came and passed but then a coach pulled in at around 10 which was the right number and going to Birmingham so I jumped up and went to board when I got 'no your on the next coach to Digbeth this is for the airport' and then he closed the door in my face. So I immediately went onto Twitter and ranted at the company who informed me my coach has a 50 minute delay!

In the end my coach arrived 50 minutes late but not only that instead of taking 1 hour 15 minutes it actually took 1 hour 30 minutes. Coming home ran a lot smoother but again the journey was a lot longer then before and I only had a delay of 15 minutes. So when it came to booking a future journey I noticed I had a change and I also noticed that it only gave me 30 minutes for my coach to arrive and my new coach the leave, well I thought back to the 50 minute and 15 minute delay and thought no chance, I am now booked on a train instead.

So that leads me onto travelling abroad by coach, I used a company who I've forgotten the name off as my mum booked it so I can't name and shame unfortunately. But we had a 16 hour journey which was running smoothly and nicely until the evening when it came to sleeping, as the driver smoked and a few passengers did we stopped quite a lot for smoke breaks which wasn't to bad in the day time but when you get woken up by an overweight coach driver turning the lights on and opening the door before speaking over the loud speakers informing everyone we are stopping for a fag break at 4 in the morning it's quite bad.

So as I've not had any luck with travelling over the UK and abroad with coaches I want to know if anyone has ever had a good experience?

Jess XoXoXo