Megatrain

Last updated

MegaTrain.svg
222017 EMT livery.jpg
Franchise(s)Integrated into
East Midlands Trains
South West Trains
Virgin CrossCountry
Virgin Trains West Coast
Main Town(s) Sheffield, Nottingham
Other Town(s) London, Chesterfield, Leicester, Loughborough
Parent company Stagecoach Group
Other
Website uk.megabus.com/products/megatrain

Megatrain was a provider of low-cost train travel in the United Kingdom. A subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group, its operations have been associated with its parent's East Midlands Trains, South West Trains, Virgin CrossCountry and Virgin Trains West Coast train operating companies. Even though Stagecoach ceased operating train franchises in its own right in August 2019, Megatrain services continued to operate on East Midlands Railway services. In May 2024 Megabus confirmed they were no longer offering the Megatrain service. [1]

Contents

Service overview

Megatrain tickets were available on specific services operated by East Midlands Railway. The available services are those that are generally not busy with tickets priced using the yield management model employed by low-cost airlines and sister company Megabus, where the lowest fares were offered to those who book early or on less popular journeys. [2]

In addition to the point-to-point rail fares of Megatrain, Megabusplus provided combined rail and coach journeys between London and Yorkshire. East Midlands Railway services from London St Pancras connect with Stagecoach in Lincolnshire coach services to Huddersfield and Hull at East Midlands Parkway. [3]

Prices were advertised as starting at £1, with a 50p booking fee. Tickets must be purchased in advance, via the Megabus website or by telephone. Megatrain tickets are available Monday to Saturday only, and not on Sundays or public holidays.

History

Megatrain was launched by Stagecoach on 14 November 2005, being piloted on two South West Trains routes, from London Waterloo to Portsmouth and Southampton from 14 November 2005 with ticket prices ranging from £1 to £19. [4] Standard timetabled services by South West Trains initially had designated areas for Megatrain customers. [5] [6] [7]

On 20 April 2006, Megatrain was extended to Bournemouth and Weymouth followed on 28 April 2006 by London Waterloo to Salisbury, Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Yeovil Junction, Exeter Central and Exeter St Davids. [8] [9] From 3 July 2006, Megatrain tickets were available on Virgin CrossCountry services from Birmingham New Street to Bournemouth, Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance, Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central, Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh Waverley and Morpeth to Edinburgh Waverley. [10]

On 6 March 2007, The Times reported that only 1 in 900 of the passengers carried by either South West Trains or Virgin CrossCountry bought a Megatrain low-fare ticket. [11] The CrossCountry routes were withdrawn on 10 November 2007 when the CrossCountry franchise passed to Arriva CrossCountry.

On 2 January 2008, the Megatrain concept was extended to certain rail services on the East Midlands Trains franchise, with the introduction of Megatrain between London St Pancras and Sheffield and Nottingham. [12] On 14 July 2008, Megatrain tickets were made available on certain Virgin Trains West Coast services from Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley. [13] [14]

On 5 January 2009 Megatrain was introduced between Sheffield and Norwich. [15] On 20 March 2009 Megabusplus tickets offering for combined coach and train journeys from London via East Midlands Parkway railway station were introduced. Three feeder coach routes were provided to Halifax, Hull and York operated by Stagecoach in Lincolnshire with Volvo B10Ms. [16] [17] [18]

Operation of the South West Trains services ceased on 4 August 2017 coinciding with a closure at London Waterloo and reduction in service levels. The South Western franchise was taken over by South Western Railway a few weeks later. However, after the East Midlands franchise passed to East Midlands Railway in August 2019, Megatrain tickets continued to be available from London to Nottingham although this had ceased by May 2024. [19]

Routes

Former (EMR)

RouteStart date Train operating company Notes
London St Pancras - Leicester - Loughborough - Derby - Chesterfield - Sheffield 2 January 2008 East Midlands Railway

East Midlands Parkway (with connecting Megabusplus services to Yorkshire) added 20 March 2009

London St Pancras - Leicester - Loughborough - Nottingham 2 January 2008 East Midlands Railway Replacement for Megabus route M13

Former

RouteStart dateEnd date Train operating company Notes
London Waterloo - Portsmouth & Southsea - Portsmouth Harbour 14 November 20054 August 2017 South West Trains
London Waterloo - Southampton Central - Bournemouth - Poole - Weymouth 14 November 20054 August 2017 South West Trains Extended to Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth 20 April 2006
London Waterloo- Salisbury - Yeovil Junction - Axminster - Honiton - Exeter Central - Exeter St Davids 28 April 2006August 2017 South West Trains Axminster and Honiton included 29 October 2007
London Waterloo - Salisbury - Bath Spa - Bristol Temple Meads 28 April 2006August 2017 South West Trains
Bristol Temple Meads - Penzance 3 July 200610 November 2007 Virgin CrossCountry
Birmingham New Street - Southampton Central - Bournemouth 3 July 200610 November 2007 Virgin CrossCountry
Manchester Piccadilly - Edinburgh Waverley 3 July 200610 November 2007 Virgin CrossCountry
Manchester Piccadilly - Glasgow Central 3 July 200610 November 2007 Virgin CrossCountry Partially reinstated in 2008 by Virgin Trains West Coast with one early morning journey and one late evening journey, which have since stopped running
Morpeth - Edinburgh Waverley 3 July 200610 November 2007 Virgin CrossCountry
Manchester Piccadilly - Glasgow Central January 2008January 2009 Virgin Trains West Coast One journey each direction
Birmingham New Street - Edinburgh Waverley 14 July 2008 Virgin Trains West Coast
Birmingham New Street - Glasgow Central 14 July 2008 Virgin Trains West Coast
London Euston - Coventry - Birmingham New Street 2009 Virgin Trains West Coast
Sheffield - Chesterfield - Nottingham - Peterborough - Norwich 5 January 2009 East Midlands Trains

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References

  1. ↑ https://twitter.com/megabusuk/status/1788963638054711398?s=61&t=-YnljhYOJvG8xDbqQPt7UA
  2. ↑ Megatrain National Rail Enquiries
  3. ↑ Megabusplus journeys from Yorkshire to London Megabus
  4. ↑ "The £1 train ticket is arriving now". On Stage. No. 61. January 2006. p. 5.
  5. ↑ Bargain rail fares from £1 as Stagecoach launches megatrain.com Stagecoach Group 31 October 2005
  6. ↑ Low-fare travellers hemmed in to stop envy rage The Times 15 November 2005
  7. ↑ "South West Trains launch MegaTrain.com". Railways Illustrated . No. 35. January 2006. p. 17.
  8. ↑ "More budget tickets set to drive growth". On Stage. No. 62. April 2006. p. 15.
  9. ↑ "Stagecoach expands its Megatrain service route". Rail Magazine . No. 537. 12 April 2006. p. 12.
  10. ↑ Megatrain Expands £1 Rail Fares to Virgin Trains Stagecoach 22 May 2006
  11. ↑ Plane beats train on cost and speed as discount fares prove elusive The Times 6 March 2007
  12. ↑ Stagecoach Extends Budget Rail Service Megatraims.com to East Midlands Trains Stagecoach 10 December 2007
  13. ↑ It's quids in as Birmingham - Scotland route gets cheaper Bucks Free Press 2 July 2008
  14. ↑ Megatrain route cheapest UK long distance fare TransportXtra 7 July 2008
  15. ↑ From the New Year passengers can visit more destinations with East Midlands Trains for a crazy credit crunching price of just £1 East Midlands Trains 4 December 2008
  16. ↑ Stagecoach Beats Credit Crunch With £1 Fares on Britain's First Budget Coach-Rail Service Stagecoach 26 Match 2009
  17. ↑ Rivals do not fear £1 London service Hull Daily Mail
  18. ↑ Defeating the Credit Crunch with £1 Fares On Stage issue 74 April 2009 page 3
  19. ↑ https://twitter.com/megabusuk/status/1788963638054711398?s=61&t=-YnljhYOJvG8xDbqQPt7UA
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