How do I get from GLASGOW to HARLOW, ESSEX, by BUS?

[thedaveformula]

Train's too dear. Travelling late January. Thanks.

[VHG]

As Harlow is in North London I would say look for something like National coaches from Glasgow to Central London.

Then get local London buses from Central London to Harlow

[mxyzptlk]

http://www.nationalexpress.com

[dzug2]

Try http://www.greyhounduk.com/ - they are just starting up and will have special offers for a bit. Megabus may also be worth a look - both go to London from Glasgow.

Getting from London to Harlow will be the problem - it doesn't have buses to/from London and so you are stuck with a commuter rail service without special fares.

One possibility would be to get the tube to the end of the Central Line (Epping) and the bus from there. The 500 runs every 15 mins and takes roughly half an hour

[Buenchico]

(Two part post):

It might be best, when researching your possible routes, to start by getting to Stansted Airport (which is served by lots of buses and coaches, from many parts of the country).

Then you can take an Arriva service 510 bus to Harlow. (It runs every 20 minutes for most of the day, with a 53 minute journey time. Fare = £4.50).

It might be easiest to use an overnight service from Glasgow. The 2230 National Express coach (Service NX588) arrives at London Victoria at 0650. The connection (Service ABA6) leaves at 0735, arriving at Stansted at 0923. Those times are based upon travel departing on Friday 28 January, with a (single) fare of £45.30.

The 0935 bus gets to Harlow at 1028. Timetable:
http://www.intalink.o...bles/tt/510_A_ATG.PDF

[Buenchico]

However the Glasgow to London section of the journey might be far cheaper with Megabus. They've got 4 departures per day from Glasgow. Single fares (based upon travel on Friday 28 Jan) are currently being offered at either £1 or £5, depending upon the time of travel:
http://uk.megabus.com/default.aspx

For the London to Stansted section of the journey it might be cheapest to use easyBus. Most of their services on my sample date of 28 Jan are offered at just £2 but some services cost up to £8.25. NB: easyBus services leave from Baker Street, not Victoria Coach Station. You'd have to take a No 2 bus, from Victoria Rail station to Marylebone Road, to get between the two. (£2.20).
http://www.easybus.co.uk

On my specimen date of 28 Jan, here's how it might work out:
Depart Glasgow 0830, arrive Victoria Coach Station 1730 (£1)
Bus to Baker Street (£2.20)
easyBus at 1930 (which allows plenty of time to get across central London and possibly to find something to eat), arriving Stansted 2055 (£2)
Service 510 at 2108, arriving in Harlow at 2155 (£4.50).

TOTAL FARE = £9.70

Chris

[jamesnan]

What about flying Ryanair or Easyjet from Glasgow to Stansted, and then getting the bus which runs into Harlow.
We got a train down from Glasgow to Harlow, changing at London for £15. Check out the different train ticket websites, but we got ours from Virgin Trains

[Buenchico]

I'm glad that Jamesnan is thinking laterally tonight! (I saw the word 'bus' in the question and completely forgot about the possibility of getting a cheap flight. Given that I started my post by suggesting travel via Stansted Airport, I'm now kicking myself extremely hard!).

On my sample date (Friday 28 Jan) AND ON ALL OTHER DATES IN LATE JANUARY, Ryanair are currently offering a £6 fare from Prestwick to Stansted, INCLUDING all taxes and charges. So you could get to Harlow quickly for not much more than a tenner, plus the fare from Glasgow to Prestwick Airport. (Air passengers get half price rail travel to the airport from anywhere in Scotland, or you could use the X77 coach service to get there).

Alternatively, easyJet have flights from Glasgow International to Stansted at £16.99 or £19.99 (including taxes & charges) on all days at the end of January.

Chris