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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2010 22:18:38 GMT
For a bit of amusement, try getting the Explorer on a non-Arriva bus, such as Regal, SM, etc. Then enjoy the expressions on the Arriva drivers faces as they eventually have to accept another operator's ticket as valid. Makes it worth the whole £7.
(NB this only applies on routes which involve Hertfordshire and the "Intalink Partners" whereas Arriva's own-brand one allows all Shires & Essex buses except as stated Maple Cross-Heathrow)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2010 12:07:38 GMT
when I use the 724 I get an explorer card so it works out cheaper Its £7 which isn't too bad, although to justify this, I usually go on loads of other buses to make sure I spend my £7 ;D Something I can't understand is getting rid of the Explorer from Maple Cross to Heathrow Airport. Stupid idea. when did they do that because i traveled to Heathrow and back back with a Explorer card quite a while ago.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2010 17:06:21 GMT
For a bit of amusement, try getting the Explorer on a non-Arriva bus, such as Regal, SM, etc. Then enjoy the expressions on the Arriva drivers faces as they eventually have to accept another operator's ticket as valid. Makes it worth the whole £7. (NB this only applies on routes which involve Hertfordshire and the "Intalink Partners" whereas Arriva's own-brand one allows all Shires & Essex buses except as stated Maple Cross-Heathrow) I tried it on Travel With Hunny route 392 during TWHs early days of operating the route - didn't have a clue what it was, but let me on anyway. Same thing has happend on SM Coaches route 524. BTW, if you buy an Explorer ticket off an Arriva bus, you essentially get both the Arriva Explorer and the Intalink Explorer, as they put it in the Intalink band thing. The Arriva and Intalink Explorers are exactly the same. And busboylondon, im not sure the exact date of the withdrawal of Explorer from Maple Cross to Heathrow, but i think it was early summer 2009.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2010 11:01:49 GMT
For a bit of amusement, try getting the Explorer on a non-Arriva bus, such as Regal, SM, etc. Then enjoy the expressions on the Arriva drivers faces as they eventually have to accept another operator's ticket as valid. Makes it worth the whole £7. (NB this only applies on routes which involve Hertfordshire and the "Intalink Partners" whereas Arriva's own-brand one allows all Shires & Essex buses except as stated Maple Cross-Heathrow) I tried it on Travel With Hunny route 392 during TWHs early days of operating the route - didn't have a clue what it was, but let me on anyway. Same thing has happend on SM Coaches route 524. BTW, if you buy an Explorer ticket off an Arriva bus, you essentially get both the Arriva Explorer and the Intalink Explorer, as they put it in the Intalink band thing. The Arriva and Intalink Explorers are exactly the same. And busboylondon, im not sure the exact date of the withdrawal of Explorer from Maple Cross to Heathrow, but i think it was early summer 2009. last time I traveled to Heathrow on 724 was in 2008.Thank you for the info
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2010 19:55:16 GMT
According to the Arriva web site a single from Harlow to Epping is £4, a return £6.20, and a saver ticket with no restrictions and can also be used on other buses is £2.20. Is that really correct?
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2010 20:11:04 GMT
Yes it is an astonishing £4 single, return £6.20 on the 500 and 501 services. The £2.20 ticket is the Harlow Zone ticket, only accepted on Arriva routes in Harlow and Epping. When I use the 500/501, I just get the Harlow Zone ticket. You can also buy the £7 Explorer ticket, which allows travel on all Hertfordshire bus services, as well as all Arriva Shires & Essex services
But not many people use the 500/501 service anymore, as the SM Coaches route 19 does it for just £1.50 single, £3 return! A HUGE difference!
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 0:31:59 GMT
Thanks.
It is a while since I last made that journey but I think the 19 did not run on Saturdays then so I had to pay the full Arriva fare. Just checked the timetable on the SM Coaches site though and the service seems to have the same frequency and operating hours now, so is a useful option for the future.
Those normal Arriva fares are crazy though, it always seemed weird that a tube from Tooting to Epping should cost less than the bus for the final few miles. Because of that it ended up being cheaper to get a train so good to have the option of this route again.
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Post by john on May 3, 2010 11:16:58 GMT
Yes it is an astonishing £4 single, return £6.20 on the 500 and 501 services. The £2.20 ticket is the Harlow Zone ticket, only accepted on Arriva routes in Harlow and Epping. When I use the 500/501, I just get the Harlow Zone ticket. You can also buy the £7 Explorer ticket, which allows travel on all Hertfordshire bus services, as well as all Arriva Shires & Essex services But not many people use the 500/501 service anymore, as the SM Coaches route 19 does it for just £1.50 single, £3 return! A HUGE difference! What a joke!!! I think it cost that much from Romford when the 500 came here. Unbelieveable!!
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 18:51:35 GMT
Yes it is an astonishing £4 single, return £6.20 on the 500 and 501 services. The £2.20 ticket is the Harlow Zone ticket, only accepted on Arriva routes in Harlow and Epping. When I use the 500/501, I just get the Harlow Zone ticket. You can also buy the £7 Explorer ticket, which allows travel on all Hertfordshire bus services, as well as all Arriva Shires & Essex services But not many people use the 500/501 service anymore, as the SM Coaches route 19 does it for just £1.50 single, £3 return! A HUGE difference! What a joke!!! I think it cost that much from Romford when the 500 came here. Unbelieveable!! Yeah, I think it was around that price. How times change! Seems weird now that an hourly service ran between Harlow and Romford! Changing the topic, the 555 which recently replaced the 55 is doing quite well. It operates Debden-Loughton-Waltham Abbey- Waltham Cross, in direct competition with the Arriva 250 service, then from Waltham Cross it operates back to Waltham Abbey then on to Harlow following a similar route to the 505. It seems to be picking up many of the 250 customers, and also offers a much quicker link between Waltham Cross and Harlow. It also gives a new link between Debden Estate and Waltham Abbey/Cross. BUT, it is quite an undirect route between Loughton and Harlow (but the 55 was not picking enough passengers up at North Weald/Epping because of the increased route 19/500 competition, which is why they replaced it with the 555), and they are operating a very strange variety of vehicles- From MPDs to open-top Leyland Olympians to Bristol VRs to Routemasters to ALX400s! Anyway, just thought I would give a bit of an update which is hopefully of interest.
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