Category Archives: Coach hire

poster of brighton city

Adventures to Brighton and Sussex!

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Hi everyone!

Those of us living in the Bucks/Berks/West London areas are lucky to be in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. We have stunning scenery , green countryside, quaint little villages and some great historic buildings. Furthermore, we are right on the doorstep to London, one of the world’s best capitals, every day and night there are fun and interesting things to do. 

But! Sometimes it would be nice to be closer to the sea! Especially in the summertime! If you, like me, are a big fan of trips to the seaside but don’t get to go as often as you’d like, here are some tips on where to go and how to get there!

Let’s start with Brighton. One of my favourite places! Not only does it have beautiful beaches but it’s always so lively and full of art, music and colour. It’s about a  two hour trip from Maidenhead – High Wycombe – Marlow – Slough – Windsor – Reading, traffic dependent. A train ride is around 3 hours so personally I think visiting by minibus is the perfect solution to getting there comfortably, efficiently and in a green fashion. Working out cheaper per person than the train , and going door-to-door, a 16 seater or 19 seater minibus also gives us the opportunity to take all our beach stuff like games, deckchairs, a change of clothes, picnic stuff etc.  

This is a fantastic idea for a family day trip, kids absolutely love days at the beach and you are guaranteed to get a bunch of photos full of big smiles that you’ll treasure forever!

Of course, there is so much more to Sussex than just Brighton. The whole county is full of picturesque little villages as well as an awesome coastline. Here are some highlights:

  • Bolney Wine Estate, Haywards Heath.
  • Royal Pavilion, Brighton.
  • Drusillas Park, Wealden.
  • 1066 Battle Abbey and Battlefield, Battle.
  • Kew’s Wakehurst, Haywards Heath.
  • Fishers Adventure Farm Park, Billingshurst.
  • Arundel Castle, Arundel.
  • Petworth House & Park, West Sussex

Once again, minibus hire offers the best way to get to the more out of the way, hidden spots without spending too much time changing trains and public buses, this could end up taking the whole day and can be quite exhausting. 

Furthermore, now that holidays abroad  have opened up again, you may be in need of a trip to Gatwick Airport. Once again, on consideration, a minibus may offer the easiest way to get to and from the airport, leaving you holiday as stress-free as possible. 

If you are considering a trip to Sussex and you are looking for group travel providers, CityWise Travel serves the Bucks/Berks/West London areas and is experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to days out in Sussex. Or, if you need a minibus to take you to and pick you up from the airport, nothing combines value for money with flexibility like minibuses, especially if you have an early flight or a late night return!

Woman on beach trip

Minibus and Driver Day Trips to the Beach

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Spring has sprung so lets talk beaches! You may well remember that when Covid-19 first hit us and we were approaching lockdowns in April, it was glorious sunshine! So this blog on some lovely local beaches might not be as early as you think. We cannot think of a more lovely and affordable way to spend time with the family than at the seaside! If there are more than eight of you travelling, then minibus with driver is the best way! Not only can everybody relax, there is space for your beach gear (and surfboards!) but the beauty of the minibus is that everyone can be dropped off home. Last year we picked up families in our minibuses (and coaches) from High Wycombe, Marlow, Maidenhead, Reading, Windsor, Slough as well as London!

Whitstable, Kent

Whitstable is a firm favourite in my household. On the east coast of Kent, this little fishing town has a pretty high street with quirky independent shops and whitewash buildings. You can buy oysters along the beachfront and enjoy them whilst looking out to sea. For those who enjoy water sports, you can hire a Stand-up Paddle Board or kayak and those who like eating out will enjoy the wide range of eateries. I love the fact that it’s a stone beach so sand doesn’t go everywhere but its worth wearing your flipflops or wetsuit shoes! It’s about a 2 hour journey from High Wycombe/Marlow/Maidenhead to Whitstable so you might even want to stay overnight! There are plenty of Airbnb opportunities as well as hotels and a couple of camping and caravan sites. For more on Whitstable visit: https://www.canterbury.co.uk/info/37/whitstable.

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New Generation Luxury Minibuses

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The Transformation of Minibuses to Luxury Minibuses

Minibuses have come along way since having to climb through the side door of the Ford Transit and sitting amongst your luggage. The new wave of luxury minibuses, more akin to minicoaches are practically unrecognisable. Typically conversions from extra-long wheelbased Mercedes-Benz or VW vans, often stripped down to the chassis, the minicoaches are built up in the style of a coach. Luxury leather reclining seating and the 2 x 1 seating plan with no passengers up front with the drivers are just for starters. The built-in boots at the rear have enough space to take significant luggage, while the overhead storage space within the vehicle is perfect for smaller pieces of luggage without taking up leg space. Air conditioning and heating units are significantly more advanced with passengers having the benefit of plane-style air blowing units above their seats.

Where we take the Luxury Minibuses

Our luxury minibuses have the flexibility to be suitable for a range of events. With our base in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire we are centrally located to cover a range of areas including Reading, London, Maidenhead, Windsor, Henley and Slough to name but a few. Over the summer, the vehicles are frequently booked to attend the big events such as Royal Ascot, Henley Royal Regatta and Goodwood Festival of Speed. Meanwhile, those travelling abroad find the large bootspace perfect for airport runs for families and groups – our drivers can drop you off you at the departures gate and pick you up in the dedicated coach pick up bays. Frequent airports we go to are London Heathrow, Luton, Stanstead, Gatwick and Birmingham as well as ports for cruises such as Southampton.

Corporate Travel

Our luxury vehicles are frequently booked by corporate clients looking to transport their staff and clients to events in comfort and style. Be it shuttle runs to hotels, work nights out or team training days, these minibuses are perfect for transporting business clientele.

Our Company Ethos

Our corporate mission is for the safe and comfortable transport of our passengers. We run a modern fleet, well-trained drivers and have a thorough and regular maintenance programme for vehicles. We use state of the art coach software to plan our journeys so that we know exactly where our vehicles are.

Standard Coaches

If you require a regular minibus, we also have excellent standard vehicles in our fleet which are perfect for schools and sports teams working on a budget but who still require clean, safe travel.

Booking Coaches

Chat to our team by phone or email so you can choose a vehicle to your specification. We provide competitive prices for all our vehicles and are more than happy to accommodate your needs.

Picture of Stratford-upon-avon

Minibus Day Trips to Stratford-upon-Avon

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Only one and a half hours away from High Wycombe is the beautiful town of Stratford-upon-Avon. The birthplace of England’s best and most famous playwright is of course William Shakespeare.

Our 16, 19 and 22 seater minibuses are an ideal way for school groups, reading groups, friends and families to visit this beautiful city in a day or for the weekend. We can take you from any location including High Wycombe, Marlow, Maidenhead, Windsor, Slough, Reading, London to name a few. Our coach drivers can drop you off and pick you up at your chosen destination and be on call throughout your trip.

Places to visit in Stratford-upon-Avon

  • Shakespeare’s Birthplace (closed for refurbishment, opens 5th February)

Visit the birthplace of Shakespeare to walk in the footsteps of Shakespeare and explore his childhood world. Hear tales of his family life and get up close to rare objects from the world class collections as you discover how the extraordinary William Shakespeare continues to shape our lives today.

  • Hall’s Croft (home to William’s daughter)

The house that we call Hall’s Croft was the home of William Shakespeare’s daughter, Susanna Hall, and her husband, physician John Hall, from 1613-1616. The building stands in Old Stratford-upon-Avon, positioned on the corner between Church Street and Old Town. The oldest part of the existing house was constructed in 1613, and therefore would have been newly built when the Hall’s took up residence.

  •  Shakespeare’s New Place (the last chapter in his life – opens 26th March)

Be inspired at the site that was William Shakespeare’s family home for 19 years. Uncover the fascinating story of the house that isn’t there and discover beautiful gardens and specially-commissioned artworks.

Shakespeare’s New Place was his family home from 1597 until he died in the house in 1616. The house was demolished in 1759, and a registered garden has been designed on the site where New Place once stood to commemorate the importance of the site and allow visitors to make their own personal connection with Shakespeare.

  • Anne Hathaway’s cottage (opens 26th March)

Visit Anne Hathaway Cottage, the beautiful 500 year old cottage where Shakespeare courted his bride to be. See original furniture including the Hathaway bed and uncover five centuries of stories in this picturesque cottage and 13 generations of the family who lived there.

  • Mary Arden’s Farm (the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother)

Discover the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother. Experience the sights, sounds and smells of a working Tudor farm on a fantastic family day out at Mary Arden’s Farm. Meet the Tudors who run the farm just as Shakespeare’s mother would have done, watch craft and falconry demonstrations and explore the farmyard, playground and historic buildings.

You can also see shows with The Royal Shakespeare Company

Originally titled The First Part of the Contention betwixt the two famous houses of York and Lancaster and labelled Henry VI: Part 2 when first published, our Henry VI: Rebellion asks if the people can ever really decide their own future.

With more battles than any other Shakespeare play, Wars of the Roses is a thrilling climax to Shakespeare’s three-part Henry VI saga of nationhood and power: who will emerge victorious?

If you fancy a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon contact us and we can help you with your travel needs.

 

 

 

Plan your group travel now!

Your Travel Plans for 2022

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Christmas and New Years Day are now behind us, we can relax and think about our plans for the rest of 2022!

You might have been isolating over Christmas and keeping party plans low key but now you’re feeling ready to socialise. As 2022 kicks off, there’s plenty to be thinking about this year and here at CityWise Travel Ltd we’ve created a shortlist of some of the highlights for the next three months!

January: Theatre – The Life of Pie – This play is based on Yann Martel’s Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. Here’s a rundown of the storyline: ‘After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, a sixteen year-old boy named Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?

For tickets check out: https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/19234-life-of-pi

February: Music – The Fugees – One of America’s best hip hop groups formed in the early 1990s is back! Featuring Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel, this trio are back at the o2 in London in February. We are very excited to hear they are back!

Tickets can be bought here https://www.axs.com/uk/events/412601/fugees-the-score-25th-anniversary-tour-rescheduled-tickets?skin=theo2

March: Football – Arsenal vs. Watford – If you’re bored of watching matches on the television, is it time to get back to the stadium? See the starting line-ups and subs for Watford vs Arsenal match on 05 March, 2022. More information can be found at https://www.mykhel.com/football/premier-league-watford-vs-arsenal-lineup-2210549/.

These are just a few events that are great to go with friends, family and colleagues. What better way to travel than in our luxury minibuses? Our minibuses can take up to 22 passengers, perfect for medium size groups. Our drivers can drop you off at the door and pick you up at the same place – and what’s more we can drop off your passengers at their homes for their safety and convenience.

For those planning staycations, our vehicles are also perfect for UK based holidays. The large boots on our luxury minibuses are perfect for accommodating large pieces of luggage and for the sporty among you, stand up paddle boards, boogie boards and even inflatable kayaks. We can take your groups to Cornwall, Devon, Wales, the Lake District and Scotland. And of course, closer journeys for day trips to Poole, Whitstable and Broadstairs to name a few are a great way to spend the day enjoying the seaside and fish and chips.

Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic is on all our minds, and we keep vehicles and drivers safe through hygiene, face masks and regular testing practices. We also encourage passengers to test before journeys and to maintain hygiene protocols when on-board and at the events they attend.

Whatever your travel needs, our team are happy to discuss your requirements so that we can provide the perfect journey for your groups. You can use our online quotation form or speak to one of our team for an obligation-free price.

 

School Rugby Team ready for Travel

Buckinghamshire School Trips

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Our drivers have been busy these past few months running school trips for schools across High Wycombe, Marlow, Amersham and Aylesbury.

Buckinghamshire School Trips CityWise TravelFrom swimming lessons at Handy Cross Leisure Centre and Court Gardens swimming pools during class-time to afternoon sports matches across the county, our larger minibuses with the larger boot space have been perfect. Whether it’s a 16 person hockey teams with all their luggage and equipment or ski teams going to the airport, we’ll always provide the most suitable vehicle to suit your needs. Our vehicles with full size boots and overhead racking are particularly useful for sports teams with significant accessories.

You can rest in the knowledge that our vehicles are fully insured and that we have DBS checked professional drivers to give you piece of mind. We can provide risk assessments for journeys to support your school’s travel procedures. All vehicles come with seatbelts as a standard and many of the vehicles have an AV system allowing team leaders to communicate with passengers. Our schedulers follow government legislation on drivers hours so that we can provide safe journeys, while traffic alerts are monitored so that we can find the fastest route for your journey. A further advantage of our 16 – 22 seater vehicles is that they can access and be parked easily in most venues!

Booking our coaches and minibuses with drivers is very simple, either complete the quotation form or contact us directly for a no-obligation quote.

Welcome to our new website

Welcome to our new website!

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We are very excited to introduce CityWise Travel’s new website!

In addition to our website, we’ve jut bought a lovely new 16 seater executive Sprinter minibus which compliments our fleet of standard minibuses, 19 and 22 seater luxury minibuses as well as our larger coaches. Over time we’ll be updating you with some great shots of our minibuses and coaches so you know exactly what vehicle you’re getting when you book.

Rest assured, here at CityWise Travel we have highly qualified CPC coach drivers and our vehicles are maintained to the highest standards. Whether you have a requirement for a school or a wedding and everything in between, we can always meet your needs.

As summer closes and we approach autumn, we’re looking forward to preparing for even more UK ‘staycations’ in October half-term, trips to the theatre as they slowly open up and more family get togethers!

You can also now follow us on social media!

Take care everyone and see you soon!

The CityWise Travel team!