Drinks on National Express

[Chrisp1986]

Been going backwards and forwards with this but I THINK I have now decided on a National Express coach to get there, although still not booked. I usually take a large Coleman Xtreme box with beers and ciders but obviously this is not doable on a coach. Is there anyway around it? What generally do they allow in terms of luggage and how much can you take on as 'hand luggage'? I don't know anybody going in a car and I would usually get through about 35ish cans over the weekend.

[gfa]

1 hour ago, Chrisp1986 said:

Been going backwards and forwards with this but I THINK I have now decided on a National Express coach to get there, although still not booked. I usually take a large Coleman Xtreme box with beers and ciders but obviously this is not doable on a coach. Is there anyway around it? What generally do they allow in terms of luggage and how much can you take on as 'hand luggage'? I don't know anybody going in a car and I would usually get through about 35ish cans over the weekend.

You should be fine as long as your not mocking it with other stuff (ie a trolley)

[Callum Michael]

9 minutes ago, gfa said:

You should be fine as long as your not mocking it with other stuff (ie a trolley)

Last year I watched a bloke load up 100 cans of Fosters, others with trolleys etc get on leaving people unable to get luggage on the bus. Luckily driver gave the stranded passengers their tickets and they just got in their car and went but still….just don’t take the piss really 

[Punksnotdead]

1 hour ago, Chrisp1986 said:

Been going backwards and forwards with this but I THINK I have now decided on a National Express coach to get there, although still not booked. I usually take a large Coleman Xtreme box with beers and ciders but obviously this is not doable on a coach. Is there anyway around it? What generally do they allow in terms of luggage and how much can you take on as 'hand luggage'? I don't know anybody going in a car and I would usually get through about 35ish cans over the weekend.

Mate of mine usually takes about 36 cans on the coach - he's never had an issue.

[TravSC]

Related question - can you drink on the bus?

[Punksnotdead]

15 minutes ago, TravSC said:

Related question - can you drink on the bus?

You're not supposed to, but if you're discreet almost everyone does! 🙂

[Cherry Tree]

A jolly hostess will provide you with drinks and theatrical winks, for a sky-high fee, But it's hard to get by when your arse is the size of a small country.

[Chrisp1986]

1 hour ago, Punksnotdead said:

Mate of mine usually takes about 36 cans on the coach - he's never had an issue.

Is that in a coolbox or in original boxes?

[Punksnotdead]

18 minutes ago, Chrisp1986 said:

Is that in a coolbox or in original boxes?

Original boxes. It probably depends on how friendly your bus driver is, but like I say he never had a problem. I only used to take 4 cans for the Wednesday, 'cos I prefer a cold one from the bars. 

[goldfishboy]

17 hours ago, TravSC said:

Related question - can you drink on the bus?

i have seen people get chucked off for drinking so be discreet about it

[Barneym]

18 hours ago, TravSC said:

Related question - can you drink on the bus?

Our driver announced he was happy for people to drink last year, it was however 5.30am on the Wednesday so I didn’t take him up on the kind offer 

[MrSpaM]

National Express check all bags you take onto the bus now, not sure when this started but any unopened drink gets put into the hold until you reach your destination

You absolutely cannot drink on National Express coaches any more, I suppose it will be completely down to the driver, but I've known 2 people in the past 12 months get thrown off national express coaches for drinking

Not sure when this came into force but the last one we used were treating it like you were visiting somebody in prison the last time we went on one

Edited June 12, 2023 by MrSpaM

[Beerqueen]

2 hours ago, MrSpaM said:

National Express check all bags you take onto the bus now, not sure when this started but any unopened drink gets put into the hold until you reach your destination

You absolutely cannot drink on National Express coaches any more, I suppose it will be completely down to the driver, but I've known 2 people in the past 12 months get thrown off national express coaches for drinking

Not sure when this came into force but the last one we used were treating it like you were visiting somebody in prison the last time we went on one

I can understand this for standard NE busses but aren't Glasto ones treated a bit differently to standard?  When we travelled last year, nothing was said about not drinking and as far as I can remember a few people did have a couple.  Nothing outrageous though.

[The Staxxman]

The last time I took the NE coach was in 2017, and I would say at least half the people had cracked open a cold one, me included. Fully intend to do so again this year 😁.

As Beerqueen said, these aren't the normal NE coaches. It will depend on the driver though, so hoping for another one who looks the other way.

[Crazyfool01]

Take the lead from driver and be respectful of his answer .... it might delay things slightly but you will have a much smoother arrival and when you get there you can party to your hearts content 

[uscore]

I've got a National Express to the festival for the last couple of years and both times I had a coupla cans on the way.  I was not the only one, nor did the driver check anyone's bags.

[FloorFiller]

As far as being able to bring booze on, as long as you aren’t absolutely taking the piss, e.g. crates and crates of beer on a separate trolley, then most drivers are pretty cool and won’t raise an eyelid.

As far as drinking on the coach, same again really - most drivers will just turn a blind eye as long as you’re not absolutely taking the piss and acting shitfaced and waving your drink around.

[JA_Watts]

22 hours ago, TravSC said:

Related question - can you drink on the bus?

Appreciate this will sound a bit ’lads, lads, lads’ - and it’s hardly impressive - but one of my favourite Glasto travel memories was a friend and I unintentionally polishing an entire crate of lager on the coach from London in 2015. We only wanted a few to whet the appetite but ended up smashing through the entire. Silly really as it was one less crate to last the weekend…

Edited June 12, 2023 by JA_Watts

[Chrisp1986]

Thanks guys, I am not sure whether to just drive now as don't want to turn up with the coolbox to find they say it can't go on and I have to dump all the drink and a £100 coolbox!

[Chrisp1986]

On 6/12/2023 at 6:55 PM, FloorFiller said:

As far as being able to bring booze on, as long as you aren’t absolutely taking the piss, e.g. crates and crates of beer on a separate trolley, then most drivers are pretty cool and won’t raise an eyelid.

As far as drinking on the coach, same again really - most drivers will just turn a blind eye as long as you’re not absolutely taking the piss and acting shitfaced and waving your drink around.

What do you reckon they would think to a 47 litre coolbox on wheels?

On 6/11/2023 at 8:27 PM, Punksnotdead said:

Mate of mine usually takes about 36 

 

[Masterluke]

These coaches are usually fully sold, and everyone is bringing their own 20kg with tents and sleeping bags etc etc. If everyone brought crates of beer than it just wouldn't fit. Don't take advantage of the kindness of other passengers who choose not to bring crates onboard out of consideration for the luggage needs of everyone. If you must, then hang back to the end and make sure there's room for the real essentials for everyone before very big quantities of your beer goes on.

[uscore]

the coaches I've got from Bristol in the last couple of years were just glorified double deckers, and all the luggage got put on an accompanying van.

[Fred Zepplin]

One year our bus broke down at the services on the way so one of the buses that had just dropped off at site came back for us. The first bus driver was a hard no on drinking, no music, nothing. When we got onto the new bus before we set off the driver stood at the front and said 'I've got a special announcement to make. The is the Glastonbury bus so everyone get your drinks out and I will blast out the music' Cheered everyone right up since we were all thinking we were going to be there for ages.

[uscore]

I wonder if the stricter ones are regular National Express drivers who might get in trouble if they are found to allow alcohol etc, whereas temporary drivers drafted in to help with the extra numbers might not care so much

Edited June 18, 2023 by uscore

[Alvoram]

On 6/17/2023 at 9:55 AM, Fred Zepplin said:

One year our bus broke down at the services on the way so one of the buses that had just dropped off at site came back for us. The first bus driver was a hard no on drinking, no music, nothing. When we got onto the new bus before we set off the driver stood at the front and said 'I've got a special announcement to make. The is the Glastonbury bus so everyone get your drinks out and I will blast out the music' Cheered everyone right up since we were all thinking we were going to be there for ages.

There's a time and place for rules, and there's a time and place to break them... This driver knew that all too well, well done them!