Our luggage policy

We will carry your luggage on and subject to these General Conditions of Carriage (and any Special Conditions that apply):

• You may take one or two medium sized suitcases/rucksacks onto a service (weighing no more than 20kg each) free of charge, and one small piece of soft hand luggage. Hand luggage means something that can be stored in the overhead rack or beneath your seat. Luggage items significantly in excess of 20kg may be charged. 
• We have no obligation to carry luggage in excess of the permitted amount, but additional pieces of hold luggage or ‘outsized’ items will be allowed, subject to space and at extra charge. These charges are: £10.00 per item on a single journey (one journey can be multi-leg), and £15.00 per item on a return journey. Up to three chargeable items can be taken in the hold. 
• Height, width or depth of these extra items must not be bigger than 85cm, and priority will be given to customers travelling with luggage within the free limits. 
• We shall have no obligation to carry luggage in excess of the permitted amount, but we will endeavour to do so, where space permits. 
• Customers travelling in a group or family are allowed to ‘pool’ their individual luggage allowances, but they must be travelling on the same ticket. 
• If the customer pre-purchases excess luggage and there isn’t sufficient room to take it, then he/she will have to wait for the next service, where boarding priority will be given. 
• Collapsible manual wheelchairs and folding pushchairs/buggies will be carried for free in the hold. Special arrangements apply for battery powered wheelchairs/disabled scooters, and reference should be made to our Code of Practice for Disabled Customers. 
• Customers must travel with their luggage. All non-luggage items will only be carried if boxed or packaged securely, and are carried at the owner’s risk. Suitable insurance is advised. 
• Excluded from the excess luggage charge are: Hotel Hoppa, RailAir, Non-National Express services sold by National Express and Events services. 
• If a customer is connecting to/from an Event, the luggage charge can be waived on the connecting scheduled service (if the customer provides evidence of travel on an Event service). 
• We may agree, subject to available room, to carry additional luggage such as: skis, surfboards, folding/dismantled bicycles, provided that they are in suitable protective packaging. Agreeing to carry particular luggage on any journey does not mean that we have agreed to carry it on your subsequent journeys. 
• If the total number of items placed in the hold is no more than two, folded bicycles, skis and surfboards etc will be exempt from the excess luggage charge for ‘outsized’ items. If carrying any of these items causes your number of items in the hold to exceed two, then the third item is chargeable. 
• Fragile items will only be carried if they are securely packaged and of reasonable size, e.g., smaller electrical goods. 

Drivers will load your luggage on or off coaches, and may request the customer’s assistance to load items of luggage over 20kg.

We are not obliged to carry any of the following items, and you may not bring them onto a coach without our permission:

• Any weapons 
• Explosives 
• Drugs or solvents (other than medicines) 
• Oversized sports equipment 
• Bicycles which are not folded or dismantled/wrapped 
• Any item which we deem to be unsafe, or that may cause injury, offence or damage to property, or is not properly secured or sealed, or items which are considered by us to be unsuitable for carriage, due to weight, size, shape, character or any item over 20kg that cannot be folded down or packaged to comply with Clause 7.1. 

(b) If you take prohibited luggage on board: You will be advised and we will remove it immediately and leave it outside the coach, wherever that may be situated. If you are unsure whether we will carry an item, you should obtain written confirmation before purchasing your ticket(s). We are not liable for the loss/damage of any prohibited items on the coach under any circumstances or for any reason whatsoever.

7.3 - Packing and identification of luggage

Your luggage must be packed, fastened and locked safely and securely, with a view to protecting it from loss, damage or interference, and also to protect other customer’s property from being damaged by your luggage.

All luggage given to us should be labelled clearly and appropriately, and include a contact telephone number where possible. We are not obliged to carry luggage which has not been properly packed/labelled. We reserve the right to involve police if we feel there are any security/safety issues. 

7.4 - Inspection of luggage

We shall be entitled to inspect your entire luggage for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the requirements in point 7.3. We shall not be obliged to carry you or your luggage on board, and shall be entitled to remove you from any coach if you refuse to submit to a search. 

7.5 - Storage of luggage

All luggage other than hand luggage will be stored in any hold or other storage compartment on the coach, and not in the passenger compartment of the coach. 

7.6 - Getting the luggage onto a service

Drivers will load and unload luggage (except as described in 7.1), but it is your responsibility to see your luggage put on/taken off a coach, or checked in at any station where check-in arrangements apply.

Except for luggage in the hold of the coach, you must look after your luggage (and your hand luggage when on a coach) at all times, including at any station. 

7.7 - Restricted stops

At some stops, for safety reasons, we are unable to load and unload luggage. These stops are shown on our published timetable leaflets. At these stops, only hand luggage is permitted.

7.8 - Small valuables and important items

Small, valuable items should not be stored in the luggage hold but should be taken on board as hand luggage. This refers to: money, medication, jewellery, precious metals, laptops, personal electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities, business documents, passports, visas, tickets and identification documents. These items should be placed in the overhead racks or under your seat, but should not be left unattended by you. Where possible, they should be carried on your person.