In a further escalation of competition in the scheduled coach market, Megabus has entered the corridor between London and Stansted Airport by opening a partnership with Italian-owned Airport Bus Express (ABE).
Via its website, Megabus will initially offer tickets between the Essex transport hub and Stratford City Bus Station for travel on one of ABE’s existing routes. From the start of 2022, ABE’s services will be linked with the wider Megabus network. That “will put Stansted within even easier reach for millions,” says Megabus Managing Director Mark Venables.
Mr Venables adds that the Stagecoach subsidiary is seeing airport-based demand on its own services grow “each week.” He believes that such an acceleration is a strong indicator of increasing passenger confidence in overseas travel.
In addition, Megabus is selling tickets for ABE’s coach services between three airports serving Milan and the city’s central railway station. That, it says, will create “a one-stop shop for customers travelling between London and Italy to make travel as simple as possible.”
Adds Airport Bus Express MD Alberto Bartalozzi: “It is a pleasure to partner with Megabus. We hope that this agreement represents the first step of a long collaboration. Our goal is to ease the way of travelling to and from Stansted Airport.” ABE is part of the Milan-based Autostradale Group.
Single fares booked via the Megabus website for travel between Stansted and Stratford start at £7. Next-day single journeys were showing at no more than £14 at the time that the arrangement between the two companies was announced.
