How come Stagecoach's X78 is so much cheaper the Go North East's 74? 
Go North East's day ticket is worth more than Stagecoach's as Go North East operate across more of the North East, the single fare should be the same though? a cheaper day ticket for just between Newcastle and Ponteland would be useful too!

They're two completely different types of routes targeted at two completely different groups of people.

The X78 is an express service that only goes between Newcastle and Ponteland, whereas the 74 goes on the same distance again to Hexham. 
The X78 is half hourly, the 74 only runs 4 times a day.

While I haven't looked at the prices, going off other GNE services I'd guess there's not much difference in price between a single to Ponteland and a single to Hexham on the 74.

Having to get the bus to Springwell today as I need to get my stuff there for the week. I can cycle in for the rest of the week till my last day. I normally cycle all week but it's a hell of a climb into Springwell with all the luggage on the bike.

But yet again occasional users are penalised.
£6.70 for a return (to SoL) . Day ticket since I couldn't get two zones anymore was £7.

Having to get the bus to Springwell today as I need to get my stuff there for the week. I can cycle in for the rest of the week till my last day. I normally cycle all week but it's a hell of a climb into Springwell with all the luggage on the bike.

But yet again occasional users are penalised.
£6.70 for a return (to SoL) . Day ticket since I couldn't get two zones anymore was £7.

Springwell in Gateshead? Can't be Sunderland Springwell. Surely? 

I was unfortunate enough to need a purple Streetlite at the weekend.
£3.70 Houghton - Sunderland single.

Yes was Gateshead.

I cycled today and beat the bus timing by 14 mins. Boom!

Yes was Gateshead.

I cycled today and beat the bus timing by 14 mins. Boom!

I can achieve a similar timing to the bus when cycling from Rowlands Gill to Newcastle. Cycling back takes slightly longer though not by much.

When the bus can barely compete against a bike, it makes you wonder about how it can compete against bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, and whatnot in the future?

I can achieve a similar timing to the bus when cycling from Rowlands Gill to Newcastle. Cycling back takes slightly longer though not by much.

When the bus can barely compete against a bike, it makes you wonder about how it can compete against bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, and whatnot in the future?

For lazy sods like me, the bike could take half the time but I'd still take the bus. Plus, I'd rather not get killed!

For lazy sods like me, the bike could take half the time but I'd still take the bus. Plus, I'd rather not get killed!

Must be a lot of murderers targeting cyclists around Bishop Auckland and South West Durham I presume

Must be a lot of murderers targeting cyclists around Bishop Auckland and South West Durham I presume

Have you seen the driving standards down here?
You'd be lucky to last 5 minutes on a bike

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Can anybody tell me what tickets are valid on the GNE-operated Stagecoach dduplicates? They don't seem to be just scholars duplicate services.

Can anybody tell me what tickets are valid on the GNE-operated Stagecoach dduplicates? They don't seem to be just scholars duplicate services.

As they are Stagecoach duplicates I will presume you need a Stagecoach ticket.
Also didn’t you just ask this?

As they are Stagecoach duplicates I will presume you need a Stagecoach ticket.
Also didn’t you just ask this?

My apologies, I thought maybe this was a better thread for my question. I'm not sure if just anyone can board the duplicate services provided by GNE, but maybe a Stagecoach ticket would be valid for travel on them if so.

Can anybody tell me what tickets are valid on the GNE-operated Stagecoach dduplicates? They don't seem to be just scholars duplicate services.

The GNE operated Stagecoach duplicates are Students/Scholars only.  No other passengers allowed on board.

My apologies, I thought maybe this was a better thread for my question. I'm not sure if just anyone can board the duplicate services provided by GNE, but maybe a Stagecoach ticket would be valid for travel on them if so.

Wasn’t it mentioned at the beginning when the dupes started, you have to board the service bus and pay and if the bus is full the service bus driver will tell the passenger to board the duplicate behind, you cant walk straight on the duplicate bus though


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With regards to the dupes (that I'm aware of) they are for school kids and to board, the passenger needs to board the service bus and buy a ticket then get off and get on the dupe service.

On way home I beat the bus by 24 mins. Shame I have to get the bus on Thursday.

Yes was Gateshead.

I cycled today and beat the bus timing by 14 mins. Boom!

You following the same route or a different one?

Slightly different but not massively.

Stagecoach is now £4.70 for Tyne & Wear and £4.30 for Newcastle (including Wallsend and Metrocentre). Travelling across the rest of Tyne & Wear required a Day Rover. Durham and Northumberland requires an Explorer. Stagecoach haven't introduced any new tickets for years, and keep putting their fares up.

Go North East is £5.30 for the Purple GoZone covering Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, Cramlington, Ashington etc (with local tickets being even cheaper), or £7 for all GoZones (Tyne & Wear, Durham and Northumberland). 5 to 25 tickets and Flexi 5 tickets on the app offer alternative, cheaper options. Now there is also the £1 evening fare, another new ticket from GNE after the 5 to 25, and then 24 Hour and Flexi 5 tickets were introduced.

I think Stagecoach's fares are extortionate.

Better fares are needed for Durham and Northumberland for Arriva customers, and multi-operator customers (bus companies, Metro, ferry etc.) but GNE offers good value for money across Tyne & Wear, Durham and Northumberland if customers have the option to use only GNE buses, like I do.

Stagecoach is now £4.70 for Tyne & Wear and £4.30 for Newcastle (including Wallsend and Metrocentre). Travelling across the rest of Tyne & Wear required a Day Rover. Durham and Northumberland requires an Explorer. Stagecoach haven't introduced any new tickets for years, and keep putting their fares up.

Go North East is £5.30 for the Purple GoZone covering Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, Cramlington, Ashington etc (with local tickets being even cheaper), or £7 for all GoZones (Tyne & Wear, Durham and Northumberland). 5 to 25 tickets and Flexi 5 tickets on the app offer alternative, cheaper options. Now there is also the £1 evening fare, another new ticket from GNE after the 5 to 25, and then 24 Hour and Flexi 5 tickets were introduced.

I think Stagecoach's fares are extortionate.   

Better fares are needed for Durham and Northumberland for Arriva customers, and multi-operator customers (bus companies, Metro, ferry etc.) but GNE offers good value for money across Tyne & Wear, Durham and Northumberland if customers have the option to use only GNE buses, like I do.

I live on the very edge of GNE's area in Bishop, right in the middle of Arriva's territory, unless I want to travel somewhere along the X21, I have to use Arriva.

Honestly, even if they didn't introduce multi-operator tickets, but instead just kept the mutual ticket acceptance on common routes (like the GNE X21 and Arriva 6 which are pretty much duplicates from Durham to West Auckland), I'd be fine with it.
If GNE can't be arsed to run the X21 to West Auckland on evenings and Sundays, then I should at least be able to use my GNE ticket on the Arriva service!

There's all this talk about the Durham Smartzone ticket, but if the other SmartZone tickets are anything to go by, it's not going to be any use for me.

What I really want is a ticket that I can use in Tyne and Wear and County Durham, on any operator. I know there's the Explorer, but then I'm also paying to be able to go to Northumberland, Carlisle, and Scarborough, places I have no need to go.

I live on the very edge of GNE's area in Bishop, right in the middle of Arriva's territory, unless I want to travel somewhere along the X21, I have to use Arriva.

Honestly, even if they didn't introduce multi-operator tickets, but instead just kept the mutual ticket acceptance on common routes (like the GNE X21 and Arriva 6 which are pretty much duplicates from Durham to West Auckland), I'd be fine with it.
If GNE can't be arsed to run the X21 to West Auckland on evenings and Sundays, then I should at least be able to use my GNE ticket on the Arriva service!

There's all this talk about the Durham Smartzone ticket, but if the other SmartZone tickets are anything to go by, it's not going to be any use for me.

What I really want is a ticket that I can use in Tyne and Wear and County Durham, on any operator. I know there's the Explorer, but then I'm also paying to be able to go to Northumberland, Carlisle, and Scarborough, places I have no need to go.

Well, I am fortunate to have a GNE service every day (albeit it further away on evenings and Sundays) to no longer require an expensive Stagecoach day ticket, or a multi-operator ticket. For a long time I was buying a multi-operator ticket, or before I knew better I was paying twice for two different tickets (Stagecoach and GNE). Even when I volunteer and get travel expenses back I get the cheapest ticket available, which is a GNE ticket! It was nearly two years ago I realised how bad value Stagecoach tickets are, likewise multi-operator tickets I realised I don't need by sticking with my favourite company, which by coincidence serves where I need and want to be! (Other than my street being Stagecoach, but hey walking is good exercise!).

Yes, the Smartzone isn't great. Fell into a trap getting a Newcastle SmartZone for the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018, ended up in Gateshead and then couldn't scan it to get back! They are only valid in one place, so Gateshead wasn't included, which I knew but stupidly forgot! 

Definitely, a ticket you can use in Tyne & Wear and County Durham is what is needed, and GNE offers that, plus Northumberland like the Expolorer, but GNE is cheaper than an Explorer. GNE is expensive in some ways, like just for Newcastle and Gateshead, Stagecoach is cheaper, to go to Wallsend or Sunderland, it's cheaper on Stagecoach. Just GNE offers freedom to go anywhere, for £5 a day with Flexi 5. £4.70 on Stagecoach gets you to Sunderland and Ponteland, Wallsend, South Tyneside, Metrocentre and Newcastle.

Never use Arriva, so not sure of their fares. Use Nexus services to avoid Stagecoach, not always the best value. Permanently staying away from Stagecoach, there is no way I'll board a Stagecoach bus again!

Stagecoach is now £4.70 for Tyne & Wear and £4.30 for Newcastle (including Wallsend and Metrocentre). Travelling across the rest of Tyne & Wear required a Day Rover. Durham and Northumberland requires an Explorer. Stagecoach haven't introduced any new tickets for years, and keep putting their fares up.

Go North East is £5.30 for the Purple GoZone covering Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, Cramlington, Ashington etc (with local tickets being even cheaper), or £7 for all GoZones (Tyne & Wear, Durham and Northumberland). 5 to 25 tickets and Flexi 5 tickets on the app offer alternative, cheaper options. Now there is also the £1 evening fare, another new ticket from GNE after the 5 to 25, and then 24 Hour and Flexi 5 tickets were introduced.

I think Stagecoach's fares are extortionate.   

Better fares are needed for Durham and Northumberland for Arriva customers, and multi-operator customers (bus companies, Metro, ferry etc.) but GNE offers good value for money across Tyne & Wear, Durham and Northumberland if customers have the option to use only GNE buses, like I do.

Depends on where you live really.  I'm in GNE red zone and quite close to a border. I can go to Sunderland for cheap but to get to Newcastle it is 2 zones vs Stagecoach £4.70 day rider. So my area SNE os the value for money.

Depends on where you live really.  I'm in GNE red zone and quite close to a border. I can go to Sunderland for cheap but to get to Newcastle it is 2 zones vs Stagecoach £4.70 day rider. So my area SNE os the value for money.

For me, it depends on where I'm wanting to go.
If I'm just going a few stops, Arriva are usually cheaper. For me to get into Bishop it's £1.40 with Arriva and I believe £1.50 with GNE. But if I'm going further afield like Durham, GNE are cheaper because of the 5-25 day ticket only being £4.50.
It's the main reason I still spend a lot of time up in Newcastle, it's actually cheaper for me than going to Darlington, which is half the distance and a third of the time!

It's also cheaper for me to visit a friend in Hexham (37 miles) than it is for me to visit my mother in Crook (7 miles), once again, it only costs me £4.50 to get to Hexham and back, but it'd be £4.90 to Crook with Arriva

My car has been off the road for the past month (brake failure and mechanic says he can't get the part) and live in a village with 1 bus route - Arriva 24. Being forced to use their pathetic app, I took a glance at Arriva North West ticket prices for comparison and found equivalent North East prices substantially higher!

While I did manage to get about a bit - Whitley Bay, Saltburn, Barnard Castle, Richmond, Loftus.... The big problem I repeatedly stumbled on is that I can only use Arriva's tickets on their services. The travel apps out there are fine for telling me what buses I need for travel to my destination and how long it will take. But not a single one that I'm aware of will tell me what operator runs the journeys. That's fine if I have a concessionary pass ore a bottomless pocket of change. As I had neither, I was limited to Arriva routes.

The alternative is sites like Connect Tees Valley or Durham Interactive map. But they are web sites and a bit fiddly on a phone when desperately trying not to get stuck all night in far flung places. Arriva's app would be fine if it didn't tell me to change buses significantly more times than necessary.

Better competition would be ideal, which as I understand was one of the goals of privatisation but the three major operators generally stick to their own little areas without any comprehensive multi operator ticketing available beyond the Explorer day ticket which would be rather pricey if buying almost daily. Dishing out most of the contracts to Scarlet Band and Gateshead Taxis doesn't to help the situation either.

So after 2 weeks of buses I borrowed my dad's car. I don't have to check, cross reference and check again what buses I can and can't use, I'm not freezing because of either waiting long periods for a connecting bus or all the windows are open with this Coronavirus stuff, nor I'm trying to peer over the top of an ad for drivers which Arriva have stuck to the bottom of a window in every bus (why they can't stick them to the top of the window, still very visible from outside but well away from natural eye shot of passengers trying to look at the passing scenery is beyond me) but I guess that's a different discussion.

Again,  the Explorer is brilliant for what it is and I did used to have a bus day out once per week with one. I eventually tired of the constant aguments with Arriva drivers reluctant to accept a Go-Ahead Explorer because they wont scan through thier machines. Go-Ahead drivers (especially Deptford for some reason) didn't like Arriva tickets because they didn't scan through their ticket machines. Stagecoach drivers were generally okay, but the odd one were not happy because it wasn't a Stagecoach ticket. And I never even dared attempt to use one on a Scarlet Band contracted route, which I'm led to believe is possible but not exactly well advertised. Only Metro and Ferry consistantly accepted it without a challenge.

And that's ultimately what generally stops me from being a regular bus user.

Again,  the Explorer is brilliant for what it is and I did used to have a bus day out once per week with one. I eventually tired of the constant aguments with Arriva drivers reluctant to accept a Go-Ahead Explorer because they wont scan through thier machines. Go-Ahead drivers (especially Deptford for some reason) didn't like Arriva tickets because they didn't scan through their ticket machines. Stagecoach drivers were generally okay, but the odd one were not happy because it wasn't a Stagecoach ticket. And I never even dared attempt to use one on a Scarlet Band contracted route, which I'm led to believe is possible but not exactly well advertised. Only Metro and Ferry consistantly accepted it without a challenge.

And that's ultimately what generally stops me from being a regular bus user.

Surprised at the issues you seem to have had with Explorer acceptance - I've travelled widely across the North-east, invariably using the Explorer as I want to have freedom to use any services of the three main operators, and I don't think there have been any cross-operator issues at all.  Sure, the drivers peer fairly closely at it, then moan because the critical information is printed in a different place by their rivals to where their version would have it, but never a problem with validity.

Depends on where you live really.  I'm in GNE red zone and quite close to a border. I can go to Sunderland for cheap but to get to Newcastle it is 2 zones vs Stagecoach £4.70 day rider. So my area SNE os the value for money.

I think Stagecoach is the cheapest wherever they serve if you are only using them. Like in my example, if only travelling as far as Wallsend or Sunderland (£4.30 or £4.70 on Stagecoach, £5.30 on GNE, unless a 5 to 25 or Flexi 5 ticket is used). GNE is always the value for money as they have the biggest network, serving more of the region and offer alternative tickets like 24 Hours and £1 evening fares to offer better evening value unlike Stagecoach who still charge £4.30 for a day ticket at 7pm! and local savers, and 5 to 25 tickets all to save money. Personally I don't like how Stagecoach charge 40p extra for Gateshead High Street, Sunderland, South Shields and Ponteland on a plus ticket, as having two prices often makes customers buy the more expensive one just in case they might want to go somewhere they haven't planned, or don't fully understand the difference, like Wallsend being included in the Newcastle dayrider could be confusing when it's actually in North Tyneside, and yet Cobalt Business Park would require the plus ticket! For me Sunderland requiring all GoZones when all the way to Cramlington, Ashington, Blyth etc in Northumberland is all in the same GoZone as Newcastle/Gateshead/North Tyneside seems ridiculous and bad value.

Stagecoach is expensive for such a comparively small network. You can't go really far and make use of the fare like you can on GNE. Definitely think GNE need to improve ticket prices for short distances, but you're paying for all of the zone and free to explore that zone, which for Purple is good value really unless you only want to go into Newcastle. Gosforth being included on the North Tyne Saver means I can travel within the North Tyne boundary for £4, much cheaper and better value than Stagecoach within Newcastle and North Tyneside.

Happily, I don't use Stagecoach anymore, they pushed away my custom with their high fares, unreliable service and small network. Go North East gained my custom, and have secured it forever, with value for money fares, reliable services and their large network which theh invest heavily in and constantly improve unlike Stagecoach. Yes, I have to walk a bit, which is good exercise anyway, but once I've got a ticket I can go out and explore far and wide.

Surprised at the issues you seem to have had with Explorer acceptance - I've travelled widely across the North-east, invariably using the Explorer as I want to have freedom to use any services of the three main operators, and I don't think there have been any cross-operator issues at all.  Sure, the drivers peer fairly closely at it, then moan because the critical information is printed in a different place by their rivals to where their version would have it, but never a problem with validity.

After Arriva got the new machines it escalated to every single week I'd have an argument with at least one driver. I usually tried to alternate which of the three companies I bought the ticket from to vary the arguments a bit. Maybe your just luckier than I am, or maybe my face invites confruntation. Either way, I stopped buying the ticket shortly after the Arriva machine upgrade about 2 years ago and subsequently stopped using buses unless I absolutely have to because of that and the other reasons listed above. From my experience of buses they are far from being a customer friendly environment and have steadily worsened in the nearly 40 years I've been using them. Forgot to mention how uncomfortable the seating is these days compared to the bench seats of my youth. I've made a couple of trips to Torquay and back in the car, if you don't stop (which unless I have passengers, I don't) it's a six hour trip one way. I get out of the car at the other end and I'm absolutely fine. half a hour of Arriva's rock hard "Saphire" seats and my back and arse are killing me.

Ulitmately, if I stick to one operator, which in my case would have to be Arriva. The bus is cheaper once you factor in tax, insurance, maintenance and diesel. But my car runs at the times convenient to me, it's warm, comfortable, I can see through all the windows and I don't have to go through every housing estate when I'm busting for a pee.

Maybe if I lived in central Newcastle, I'd probably consider giving up the car. The ticketing options are pretty good provided you don't want to go too far away from T&W, better competition and generally decent level of service. Even with the higher cost, the car was more convenient and less stressful when I lived in Hartlepool and that's definitely the case since I moved to Ludworth last year.

For me, it depends on where I'm wanting to go.
If I'm just going a few stops, Arriva are usually cheaper. For me to get into Bishop it's £1.40 with Arriva and I believe £1.50 with GNE. But if I'm going further afield like Durham, GNE are cheaper because of the 5-25 day ticket only being £4.50.
It's the main reason I still spend a lot of time up in Newcastle, it's actually cheaper for me than going to Darlington, which is half the distance and a third of the time!

It's also cheaper for me to visit a friend in Hexham (37 miles) than it is for me to visit my mother in Crook (7 miles), once again, it only costs me £4.50 to get to Hexham and back, but it'd be £4.90 to Crook with Arriva

In 2015 a Stagecoach driver in Sunderland saw my Explorer purchased on an Arriva bus and immediately said my ticket was not valid.  I mentioned it was an Explorer then he was ok.

In Leeds just over a year ago I purchased a West Yorkshire Bus Daysaver - successor to MetroDay - valid on all companies' buses.  I started my day on a Transdev Keighley bus but all other companies' scanners declined it. The drivers looked at it and were fine about it.  It just means their scanners are not fully accurately programmed as yet.

There is one stagecoach driver in particular who isn't very nice imo. I once had a Go North East issued day rover and he immediately said its not valid where u going? I simply said yes it is and he said no it isn't. I then stated it was a day rover. No apology but let me on.

A few year before that, the same said driver took my bus pass (teen travel at the time) because my bank card was also in there. It was indented off it and give it a good examination. He was seemed disappointed it was a genuine pass!

There is one stagecoach driver in particular who isn't very nice imo. I once had a Go North East issued day rover and he immediately said its not valid where u going? I simply said yes it is and he said no it isn't. I then stated it was a day rover. No apology but let me on.

Aha I'm gonna admit this. I've had that on tons of drivers. Especially when I used to get the 53 to Palmersvill then the metro to town then the 25 to Eighton Banks. The 25 driver would always say that I couldn't get on.

Another case being using a day rover on the 308 to Whitly Bay and then the 42 from Benton Asda to Wallsend. Yea I've had a few times the driver have said its not valid. All because of the "who issued" the ticket

Aha I'm gonna admit this. I've had that on tons of drivers. Especially when I used to get the 53 to Palmersvill then the metro to town then the 25 to Eighton Banks. The 25 driver would always say that I couldn't get on.

Another case being using a day rover on the 308 to Whitly Bay and then the 42 from Benton Asda to Wallsend. Yea I've had a few times the driver have said its not valid. All because of the "who issued" the ticket

All of this would be easily solved by having an ‘Explorer’ logo (or whatever other ticket it is) rather than the operator logo at the top of such tickets. That would cut out 90% of these misunderstandings with drivers.

As a driver myself half of the problem is simply the amount of tickets they have to sell and accept, all with differing rules over times, zones and whatever else you can find to add in!

When I was at Arriva Stockton for example I worked out we sold 27 different weekly tickets on our network. It’s simply impossible to remember all of the different rules for each one!

A simple conversation with most will point out that it’s not an operator specific ticket though. Even better would be to remove the paper ticket completely which is what they have done in West Yorkshire where you can get a day ticket on smartcard which instantly scans on all operators machines with no problem (so far!).


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