Milton Keynes Day Out - Bus and Rail Guide

Going out for the day?

Why not leave the car at home occasionally and try public transport? You might be pleasantly surprised to find that not all bus and rail services are dire.

These pages look at the possibilities for inexpensive days out from Milton Keynes using public transport. Some of the fares described here are not advertised and in a few cases the transport companies would probably prefer that you did not know about them.

Why not take the train?

If you regularly commute by train or use the railway for business travel then you may have concluded that most rail services are over-crowded or over-priced or both.

However, after the morning rush is over it can be a very different story. In an effort to avoid trains running round empty in the off-peak, the rail companies offer cheaper fares - very much cheaper in some cases. And once the commuter crush is over, trains are much more comfortable.

Details of rail bargains

Off-Peak Means Cheap

The difference between peak & off-peak rail fares can be dramatic. Take the fare from Milton Keynes to Crystal Palace in south London. Depart Milton Keynes at 08:00 on a weekday and the adult return fare is £37.70. But travel after 10:00 using a Network Card (anyone can have a Network Card) and you can make the same journey for only £12.40 (ask for a Silverlink Travelcard). A massive 67% saving.

What about the bus?

If you normally use a car it is possible you have never considered using the bus. The popular view that buses are uncomfortable, indirect, slow and infrequent has been reinforced over the years by the shortcomings of some local buses.

However, Stagecoach has shown that it is possible to run a bus service where none of these apply. Their Oxford to Cambridge via Milton Keynes service is excellent and in conjunction with other bus and rail services offers many travel possibilities.

There are also some good fare deals by bus for the bargain seeker. Another plus for the bus is that bargain fares are often available throughout the day and not restricted to off-peak times. E.g. an outing to the Avebury stone circle in Wiltshire costs £15 for an entire family (2 adults & 3 children)

Details of days out by bus

For East to West, Bus is Best

While the railway provides Milton Keynes with good connections in the north-south direction and may be considered the first choice for day trips to London, the south coast, Birmingham and further north; it does not offer much for the east-west traveller apart from a local branch line between Bletchley and Bedford.

No doubt recognising this shortcoming, Stagecoach stepped in a few years ago with the X5. The X5 is a high quality, fast, frequent bus service between Oxford, Milton Keynes & Cambridge. The service runs every 30 minutes, 7 days a week. The last bus back from Oxford bus station departs at 22:05 (23:05 on Sundays).

	Days Out by Bus	including routes, leisure services & details of cheap unlimited travel tickets

	Days Out by Train	big savings on normal fares

	Days Out in London	the cheapest way to travel and get around in the capital

	Rail Routes & Fares	diagram showing direct rail services from Milton Keynes and table of fares to popular destinations

	Airlinks	bus and rail connections to Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and other regional airports

	Ferries	trips from Milton Keynes involving ferry links including Calais and the Isle of Wight

	Railcards	save on rail fares with these discount cards

	Explorer	details of cheap unlimited travel bus tickets available from Milton Keynes

	East Midlands Rover	unadvertised rail ticket giving unlimited travel from MK to Cleethorpes

	Bristol & Bath	a cheap day out to Bath, Bristol & other destinations via the Oxford Link

	East	cheap days out in East Anglia via Cambridge

	South Coast	Brighton, South Downs & Beachy Head by public transport

	Visiting Milton Keynes?	how to visit MK by public transport & get about without a car - includes directions to the National Bowl

	Route 50	bus routes 20 & 50 link Oxford, Blenheim Palace, the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon

	Route 66	bus times for route 66 between Oxford & Swindon

	Route 8	new fast bus linking Westcroft, Shenley Brook End, Shenley Church End, Shenley Lodge, City Centre, Willen Lake and Kingston

	Avebury by Bus	details of cheap fares and bus routes to the ancient stone circle at Avebury

	Ridgeway Bus	details of bus routes giving access to this historic path - including connections from Milton Keynes

	Links	where to find timetables and information

	Notes	Miscellaneous news and information

Going out for the day?

Why not take the train?

Off-Peak Means Cheap

What about the bus?

For East to West, Bus is Best

Full Contents

NOTICE