National Express to change name to Mobico

National Express is to change its name to Mobico as the UK transport group synonymous with long-distance coach journeys seeks to establish itself as “the world’s premier shared mobility operator”.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said Mobico “better reflects the group’s international nature and its diverse range of mobility services”. The group, which floated as National Express in 1992, operates public transport businesses in Europe, North America and Africa.

The National Express name has been used on UK long-distance coaches since 1972 and will continue to be used as a customer-facing brand. It will retain other brands including Alsa, WeDriveU, Peterman and Durham School Services.

“Whilst National Express is a highly valued consumer brand, Mobico better represents our multi-modal operations, global reach and future ambitions,” said chief executive Ignacio Garat, adding that he wanted Mobico to become “the world’s premier shared mobility operator”.

The corporate name change will take place next month, when the stock market ticker will change from NEX to MCG.

National Express said the move would “not involve any operational or structural changes to the group or any of its subsidiaries and will be implemented in a cost effective way”.