Frequently asked questions

1. Can I book?
Usually no. We normally only accept payment on the day which keeps our administrative costs down enabling us to offer such low fares. For a few trips booking is necessary to take advantage of discounts at the attractions. You can download a booking form here.

2. What happens if the bus is full?
We will always endeavour to put on a second bus. We have even used a third double decker in the past!

3. Can you explain your fares structure?
Fares depend on the distance travelled. We have separate fares for adults, concessions (senior citizens/disabled) and children (5-16 or under 5 if occupying a seat). We have family fares which offer substantial discounts. For some long distance trips we have reduced the already discounted family fare to give exceptional bargains for a family at attractions such as wildlife parks.

4. What constitutes a family?
A group of up to four people, no more two of whom are adults or senior citizens. We won't ask for proof of kinship!

5. Do you offer discounts on admissions, etc?
We always try to obtain discounts for our passengers. We can’t always do this in advance because we do not know the numbers travelling, but, for example, we have been able to obtain substantial discounts at Colchester Zoo and Legoland. We have also provided voucher books giving discounts for a range of attractions and cafes/restaurants in Southend; obtained discounts for attractions in Oxford, Canterbury and Beckonscot Model Village and 10% off at a fantastic tearoom in the Cotswolds. We have arranged discounts for some spring trips. For example children getting in free with an adult at Port Lympne Zoo and the main museum in Bury St Edmunds. We also have discounts for various attractions in Eastbourne. Provided we have a sufficient number of passengers we should also get a substantial discount at Paradise Wildlife Park and a group discount at Thriplow Daffodil Weekend. We hope to arrange many more discounts and where these are known we will include details in future Days Out brochures.

6. Can I use my own discount vouchers?
Yes, but you may find we can obtain a better deal. If your deal is the same as ours we would prefer you to use ours as this could enable all our passengers to get a discount.

7. Where and when can I get more details of the trips?
We can take your address and send you a brochure or you may be able to pick up one on our buses. Brochures should also be available at Potters Bar Library, Elm Court Centre and the Well End shop. You will also find a list of trips with times and fares at many bus stops on the pick up route. Alternatively, download a brochure from our website.

8. How long is your pick up route?
It takes an hour in total, which is shorter than many other companies’ pick-up routes. For many passengers it is much less than that, but much depends on the number of passengers. If we need two buses regularly we will be able to split the route and when we do have two buses everyone benefits as we can do two different drop off routes so passengers get home earlier. So please bring your friends and help us make the programme bigger and better for everyone!

9. If you are first on the bus are you always last off?
No. We try to vary the drop-off route so that everyone gets a chance of being one of the first to be dropped off. But the destination visited will be important in determining the actual drop-off route.

10. What time will we leave the destination?
This varies, but will usually be between 16.30 and 17.30. Our driver will give you clear instructions so you know where and when you have to return to the bus.

11. What time will I get home?
This depends on the destination visited, traffic on the way back and where you get off the bus. In recent years (except when we had a couple of later evening trips) we dropped off passengers between 18.15 and 20.45, with just one trip being delayed by traffic to later in the evening.

12. We have heard "horror stories" about coaches being delayed in traffic and spoiling the day out. How often does this occur?
Traffic problems can always affect journey times for cars, buses and coaches, but we do our best to reduce their effect. We use "Trafficmaster" - a satellite system which can identify hold ups, and so our drivers are able to take quicker routes when practicable.

13. Do you have a toilet on board?
Sorry, no. On long distance trips we have comfort breaks and we will always do our best to find a toilet if one is required.

14. You use a double decker. Is it safe? Isn’t it slow and uncomfortable?
Coaches are limited to 62.5 mph. The double deckers we normally use on our trips do 60 mph so are only very slightly slower than a coach. The types of bus we use all have an excellent safety record. The main bus is fitted with coach style seats and full three-point seatbelts. Many of our passengers say it is more comfortable than a coach and the view from the upper deck, especially when we are travelling through scenic areas such as the Chilterns or Cotswolds, is far superior!

15. Can you accommodate wheelchairs?
The double deckers we normally use are wheelchair accessible and have a dedicated wheelchair space. Very occasionally, we may have to use a non-low floor vehicle. We advise wheelchair users to give us a phone call a day or two before to guarantee their space.

16. Do you carry dogs or other pets?
Unfortunately no. Journeys are much longer than a normal bus route's and pets can become restless. We have to consider the majority of passengers. We will accommodate guide dogs but please phone a day or two beforehand as we will need to limit the number carried on each bus.

17. Are the trips suitable for single people?
Most definitely !!! New friendships have been formed on our trips and many of our regular passengers are single people.

18. Most of your trips are on Sundays. Why is this?
Sundays have proved the most popular day. We will be running trips on Saturdays at least once a month as well as weekday trips during school holidays.

19. Aren’t some of your trips full of noisy children?
No. Even our school holiday trips have large numbers of senior citizens. We ask that children are accompanied by an adult. In fact the majority of children are very well behaved and our driver will deal with any excessively noisy behaviour. This is also an advantage of having the two floors of a double decker!

20. Why is your pick up route so long? Why don’t you just pick up at a few key places?
We have shortened our pick up route slightly and now it is no longer than many of our competitors. The idea of the route is to pick up and drop off passengers near their homes saving the expense and worry of having to use cars, taxis or other buses or a lengthy walk. In all probability if you added the time you would need to get to a central pick up point and say to park your car or to ensure you got there in plenty of time our route will
actually work out quicker for you. Moreover, on Sundays there are few local buses around and remember you don’t have to worry about drinking and driving!

21. What changes have you made to your pick up route?
We no longer go into Borehamwood Station – the nearest stop now is in Shenley Road near Drayton Road just two or three minutes walk from the station. We no longer serve Blanche Lane or the White Hart in South Mimms village. However, we will now stop in St Albans Road, South Mimms by the church layby. As very few passengers used these stops we have inconvenienced very few whilst shortening the pick-up route for the majority. As a result most pick up times are a few minutes earlier than before, so please check your times carefully. We hope to shorten the pick up route further still for our busiest trips.

22. Aren’t your trips just for old people?
No. The destinations have been carefully chosen to appeal to a wide range of ages and interests. Although many of our passengers are senior citizens, most of our trips are very popular with families. On any trip we have passengers from all age groups.

23. I have some specific questions about the trips such as where I will be picked up and dropped off as I am meeting friends. Can you give me details?
The driver will be able to offer advice on this. Sometimes it is necessary to take account of local conditions (such as road closures, events, full coach parks) on the day. We suggest you ring him a couple of days before the trip on our Days Out Hotline 07982 234698.