• Month-long RMT strikes on South Western Railways have resulted in more travellers choosing coach

• Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Southampton are in the top five most popular destinations for travel  

• National Express has increased capacity on its services over the festive period adding an additional 30,000 seats to meet demand 

National Express is saving the day for thousands of travellers in the South East as they need to get around this Christmas.

With RMT strikes on South Western Railway services ongoing for the remainder of the year, the UK’s largest coach operator is reporting a 22% and 34% increase in passengers travelling in the affected areas in the last two weeks of 2019. 

Plus, Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton are all included in the top five most popular destinations for travel over the festive period (20th December - 2nd January).

To cope with demand, National Express has increased the capacity on its services across its unrivalled UK network, adding an additional 30,000 seats.

John Boughton, commercial director for National Express UK Coach, said: “We are the reliable choice for travellers and are always ready to step in when rail lets people down.

“As the only national public transport network running on Christmas Day, we recognise it is an important time of year and are doing all we can to get people where they want to be.”

National Express customers benefit from a guaranteed seat (no standing), air conditioning, access to films, TV and magazines through a complimentary onboard entertainment app, as well as power sockets and free WiFi.

For more information visit www.nationalexpress.com.