For a mid-May Wales visit, I'm looking at a National Express bus from Heathrow to Gloucester to pick up the car rental. Then, reversing that at the end of the visit: Return car in Gloucester, bus to Heathrow, hotel overnight before a late morning flight.
Both bus trips will be on a Thursday morning.
I'll buy advance tickets, but first:
Are these buses crowded? Do I need to buy tickets in advance to be sure of a seat?
a) Are advance purchase tickets tied to a specific departure time? b) If they are, and my timing is off, can I take the next bus at no additional cost or c) would I need to buy a new ticket?
Are tickets purchased on the day of travel significantly more expensive?
Lots of padding in my schedule, so the timing issue isn't critical, but you never know.