National Express coach tracker and UK coach punctuality
The UK has two national coach networks: National Express, the incumbent with its hub at London Victoria Coach Station, and FlixBus UK, which has grown quickly since 2021 on the London–Manchester, London–Birmingham and Scottish corridors. Megabus is not covered yet.
National Express publishes its vehicle positions through the government's Bus Open Data Service (BODS), which is how we track it; FlixBus UK comes through the Flix feed. The combination gives, for the first time, a like-for-like punctuality comparison of the two networks on the same corridors.
Operators and how we track them
- National Express: positions and timetables from the DfT Bus Open Data Service (SIRI-VM feed). Coverage depends on the vehicle reporting; coaches without a working ticket machine link show no live position.
- FlixBus UK: Flix "Track my bus" feed, same as on the continent.
- Airport coaches (National Express to Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) are included; they are the busiest UK routes in our archive.
National Express's own Coach Tracker needs a booking reference; the live map shows every tracked coach without one. Search "Victoria" or the route number (for example 420 or 777).
The most and least punctual lines right now
Most punctual
| Line | Name | On time | Avg delay | Rides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK905 | Leeds - Heathrow - Gatwick | 100% | 0.5 min | 14 |
| UK083 | Norwich - Birmingham | 100% | 1.5 min | 10 |
| UK008 | London - Leicester - Leeds | 92.9% | 2.3 min | 14 |
| UK920 | Birmingham - Heathrow - Gatwick | 90.9% | 3.4 min | 55 |
| UK075 | Birmingham - Bradford | 90% | 2.5 min | 10 |
Least punctual
| Line | Name | On time | Avg delay | Rides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK072 | Liverpool - Leeds | 40% | 12.3 min | 10 |
| UK025 | London - Oxford - Birmingham | 40% | 9.2 min | 10 |
| UK094 | Inverness - Edinburgh | 42.9% | 10 min | 14 |
| UK070 | Bristol - Leeds | 45% | 8.3 min | 20 |
| UK023 | London - Manchester | 51.8% | 11.4 min | 56 |
Lines with at least ten measured rides. Month-to-date rankings for the whole network are in the monthly report.
Busiest routes
Busiest stations
London Victoria Coach Station · Glasgow (Buchanan Bus Station) · London Heathrow Airport (Central Bus Station T2 and T3) · London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 · Glasgow Airport Terminal 1 (Stand 10) · London Finchley Road (Stop CL) · Gatwick Airport South Terminal · Gatwick Airport (North Terminal) · Glasgow Queen St Station - N Hanover Street · London Stansted Airport Coach Station · Bristol Bus Station · Birmingham - Jennens Road
City pages with live departures: London · Glasgow · Glasgow Airport · London Gatwick Airport · London Stansted Airport · Oxford · Edinburgh · Birmingham · London Heathrow Airport · Manchester · Luton · Aberdeen · Bristol · Leeds · Swansea.
When to travel
Departures around 04:00 had the best on-time record in United Kingdom (90%); around 12:00 the worst (59.8%). The M25 and M6 decide most UK coach delays: airport runs in the morning peak and anything passing Birmingham between 15:00 and 19:00 are the risky ones. Overnight services to Scotland leave on time and arrive early more often than late.
Passenger rights
Regulation (EU) 181/2011 applies in the UK as retained law: on services of 250 km or more, a cancellation or a departure delay over 120 minutes gives you the choice between a refund and re-routing, plus 50% of the fare if that choice is not offered. Details, thresholds and a complaint template are in the compensation guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track a National Express coach without a booking reference?
Open the Bustempo live map and search the route number or the departure station; every coach that reports a position through the Bus Open Data Service is shown with its delay.
Does EU 181/2011 apply to National Express?
Yes, as retained law after Brexit: on services of 250 km or more a departure delay over 120 minutes or a cancellation gives the refund/re-routing choice and 50% compensation if the choice is not offered. National Express also has its own delay-repay style goodwill scheme for long delays.
Is FlixBus or National Express more punctual in the UK?
It changes month to month; the country page and the monthly report rank both from the same measured data.
Where is your bus right now? Every tracked vehicle, live, with its delay.
Open the live map →More guides
FlixBus delay compensation: your rights under EU Regulation 181/2011
When a FlixBus is late or cancelled you may be owed a refund, re-routing, 50% of the fare, meals or a hotel. The thresholds (120 minutes, 250 km), how to claim, deadlines and what evidence to keep.
How to track your FlixBus live (with or without a booking number)
Three ways to see where a FlixBus is right now: the official Track my bus page, the app, and the Bustempo live map that shows every vehicle on the network with its delay, no booking number needed.
Most and least punctual FlixBus lines in October 2026
European bus punctuality report for October 2026: 59.6% of 9583 measured rides on time, the ten most and least punctual lines, and a country ranking. Updated daily from the Bustempo archive.
What to do if your coach is late for a connection
A late FlixBus and a train, flight or second bus to catch: what the operator owes you, what it does not, how to decide whether to wait or rebook, and how to document the delay so you can claim costs.