Clipper Cabriolet Open Top Buses return for 2022

Great Yarmouth’s popular open top buses will be back on the road for the 2022 season from Sunday 22nd May, with a bigger, better and more frequent service than ever.

Following a hugely successful first season in 2021, First Eastern Counties ‘Clipper Cabriolet’ buses will return in time for the school half-term holidays and the Platinum Jubilee weekend, ready to transport locals and holidaymakers around the key resorts and attractions of the East Norfolk coast.

And this year there will be more buses than ever before, with services running daily up to every 15 minutes along Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile, and up to every 30 minutes to Caister-on-Sea, Scratby & Hemsby making it even easier to experience the British seaside-tradition of a fun ride on an open top bus.   

The ‘Clipper Cabriolet’ buses are easily identified with their sleek, modern and eye-catching blue and yellow livery and have plenty of open air seating on the top deck. 

Contactless payments are accepted on-board and there are some great value fares available too, with unlimited all day travel for a group of up to 5 people (maximum 2 adults aged 20+) costing as little as £7 between Seashore Holiday Park and the Pleasure Beach and just £12 for travel on the full open top service, as well as all other First Eastern Counties buses anywhere along the east coast.

Passengers will also be able to purchase a new ‘Summer Special’ 5-day group ticket, allowing unlimited travel on both the open-toppers and all First Eastern Counties buses on the east coast for £40 over five consecutive days, which works out at just £1.60 per person, per day for a family of five.  Ideal for holidaymakers, this ticket can also be bought on board the bus, or on the free First Bus App.

Open-top services operate from around 9am every morning until around 6pm, apart from in the school summer holiday period where evening buses will continue running until around 10pm, ideal for a grandstand view of the seafront illuminations.

Having operated three ‘open-toppers’ for the first time last summer on the route running between Hemsby Beach and Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, this season will see a further three ‘cabriolet’ buses join the fleet; an investment that allows for double the number of buses to and from Hemsby, and four buses per hour along Great Yarmouth seafront.

David Jordan, Marketing Manager at First Eastern Counties said: “We are delighted that the popularity of our brand new open top service in 2021 has allowed us to enhance it even further this year, with more frequent buses, evening services in the peak summer holiday season and a great range of ticket deals for passengers.

“We are really looking forward to our ‘Clipper Cabriolet’ service returning on 22nd May, and with both Great Yarmouth town and other local resorts along the coast already well booked-up with holidaymakers, as well as plenty of day-trippers expected, the service is sure to be a real attraction and a fantastic, fun addition to the seaside experience for a second summer.

“For our local communities it will again provide a fun experience and convenient link to other locations along the coast where many people visit throughout the summer season.”

Full details of the Clipper Cabriolet service, including times, fares, maps and tickets can be found at firstbus.co.uk/cabriolet