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National Express: cheap coach fares, airport runs and Coachcard savings

National Express routes and fares worth knowing, from £7 London to Stansted to the £2 Luton offer, plus Coachcards, student and group discounts.

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Photo: James Buxton on Unsplash

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National Express runs scheduled coach services between hundreds of UK towns, cities and airports. It suits travellers who'd rather book cheap advance fares than pay walk-up rail prices: students heading home, families on a budget and anyone who wants to get to the airport without paying for parking. Every booking includes a guaranteed seat, and the company says most of its coaches have Wi-Fi and charging points.

What's worth a look

  • London to Manchester: fares are currently shown from £9.90 one way (prices can change and depend on date and time). The site lists up to 27 coaches a day between about 7am and 11:30pm, with a fastest journey of around 4 hours 15 minutes from Golders Green.
  • London to Stansted Airport: currently from £7 one way (prices can change). National Express lists more than 150 services a day from over 20 pick-up points across London, with journeys from about 45 minutes. Its standard tickets also let you take a similar service up to three hours either side of your booked time, subject to availability, which is useful if a flight gets moved.
  • London to Luton Airport for £2: a promotion with London Luton Airport covering 10,000 one-way tickets. You need to book at least seven days ahead, travel by 10 December 2026 and use code LUTON2. Up to four passengers can travel per booking, and you can add a return leg for £10.
  • Autumn Internationals at Twickenham: direct coaches to the Allianz Stadium for England's November matches against Australia, Japan and New Zealand, from more than 25 UK departure points. The page quotes adult returns from £39 in one place and from £36 in its FAQs, so check the actual fare when you search.
  • Popular routes: also covers Bristol, Leicester, Nottingham and Bournemouth to and from London, plus Edinburgh and Dublin.

Current offers

  • £2 coach from London to Luton Airport with code LUTON2 (terms above).
  • Coachcards (Senior, Young Persons and Disabled) give a third off Standard and Fully Flexible fares.
  • Student discount: 20% off Monday to Thursday and 10% off Friday to Sunday.
  • Refer a friend: 20% off for you and the friend you refer.
  • Groups of three or more adults pay £20 each one way between London airports. You have to book online at least three days ahead.
  • One infant aged 0 to 2 travels free with a paying adult.

How to save more

  • Book ahead. The cheapest headline fares above are advance prices, and the site says booking early locks in its lower fares.
  • Do the maths on a Coachcard. If you're 60 or over, aged 16 to 26, a full-time student or disabled, a third off Standard and Fully Flexible fares adds up quickly over a year of trips.
  • Students should compare their discount with a Young Persons Coachcard. The student saving is 20% midweek, while the Coachcard takes a third off Standard and Fully Flexible fares.

Products, prices and offers checked on the store's own website on 3 Oct 2026. Prices and stock can change.

Shop National Express

National Express codes & deals today

£2one way

£2 coach from London to Luton Airport

Used 1 time · Ends 31 Oct ·
30%forces
Armed Forces

30% off coach travel for serving Armed Forces

Used 2 times ·
£15day return
Members

£15 midweek day returns with a Senior Coachcard

Used 2 times ·

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