London-Frankfurt service starts in June
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• Details about the operation of National Travel (NBC) Ltd's pioneering service between London and Frankfurt emerged this week. The weekly service, which could be the forerunner of the National Bus Company subsidiary's large-scale involvement in European travel, will start on June 22 provided final agreement with British and German licensing authorities is reached. It will finish operation in September.
The service, which was revealed in CM on February 9, will leave London's Victoria coach station on Friday at 13.15 and call at Kings Cross, Chelmsford and Cologne en route. Using the Harwich-Ostend ferry the service will arrive at Franfurt-am-Main at 06.00 on Saturday. The return journey will leave Frankfurt at 00.01 on Sunday and arrive at Victoria at 19.40 the same day.
Proposed fares for the service are: London-Cologne, single £10.40, return £19.50; London-Frankfurt, £12.50 and £22. These fares do not include meals on the way or berths on the ship. The equivalent rail fare is about £24 return London-Frankfurt.
The 20-hour single journey will be operated by NBC vehicles on charter to National Travel. However, a National Travel spokesman was unable to tell CM this week which companies would be involved. But it is likely that vehicles from NBC's London companies will operate the service, though more than one company might be involved. Though NBC drivers will be employed throughout the trip, it is not yet known how many will accompany each vehicle. A changeover of drivers at Harwich is possible.
National Travel's London-Frankfurt service, provided final permission from the relevant authorities is forthcoming, could easily be the first in a series of express services operated by NBC, writes Martin Hayes. Though the fares of this route are almost the same as the rail service NBC evidently feels that coach passengers value the convenience and security that a door-todoor coach operates.