05/03/2007

• Easy search facility covers 530 daily departures to 50 locations
• New retailing initiative provides strong platform for future growth
• Passengers attracted from car and airlines to “green” travel option

Stagecoach today (5 March 2007) launched the UK’s first integrated budget coach and rail online booking service.

Customers using the market-leading megabus.com and megatrain.com budget travel sites will now be able to access both coach and rail options in one easy search.

The online retailing system will give visitors to the new consolidated website access to a total of 530 daily departures to around 50 locations across the UK from just £1^.

Customers can now search the new site for travel to their destination and will be given both rail and coach options where they are available.

Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: “This latest innovation will make access to low-cost coach and rail travel even easier for millions of people every year.

“megabus.com and megatrain.com have transformed inter-city travel in the UK and we believe the new integrated online booking service can stimulate further growth in the future.

“We are all now far more conscious of the environmental impact of our transport choices and an increasing number of our passengers are choosing our services rather than the car or airlines because they know coaches and trains are the ‘greener’ way to travel.”

megabus.com connects more than 30 destinations across the UK and carries more than two million passengers a year.

Stagecoach Group’s innovative budget rail initiative, megatrain.com, has clocked up more than 200,000 passenger bookings. Around two million people have visited the megatrain.com website since the service went live in autumn 2005.

Up to 1,000 customers a day are taking advantage of the bargain off-peak fares on offer on the South West Trains and Virgin CrossCountry rail franchises, covering around 20 destinations across the UK.

Both megatrain.com and megabus.com have won a number of national awards for innovation.

ENDS

For media enquiries only, please contact:

Steve Stewart, Head of Media and Public Affairs, Stagecoach Group
Tel: 01738 442111 or 07764 774 680

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transportation group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. The company employs around 27,000 people, and operates bus, coach, rail, and tram services.
• To book or for further information go to www.megabus.com or www.megatrain.com
• Bookings are also accepted by phone on 09001 200 300. Lines are open 8am to 9pm & days a week. Calls cost 60p a minute from landlines. Mobile calls may vary.
• For customer services enquiries, please call 0901 331 0031. Calls cost 10p a minute from landlines. Mobile calls may vary.
• ^All megatrain.com and megabus.com reservations are subject to a 50p booking fee.