Flixbus Discussion

[David M]

Re the 090 from Edinburgh to Glasgow and the NEC card - is it compulsory to book and pay what seems to be an obligatory £1.00 transaction fee on the basket price of £0.00 which seems to defeat the whole purpose behind the NEC card? Or can a passenger turn up and hope for the best?

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Re the 090 from Edinburgh to Glasgow and the NEC card - is it compulsory to book and pay what seems to be an obligatory £1.00 transaction fee on the basket price of £0.00 which seems to defeat the whole purpose behind the NEC card? Or can a passenger turn up and hope for the best?

You can just turn up but you get the odd finnichy driver claiming you have to book which is wrong and in turn just directs you to the competition, for a £1 it's not too bad either, the same to book a Citylink seat too.

 

[route101]

What if that is the price of the last ticket?

These are not the last tickets as there is still seats on the seat map. Normally tickets would be around £30. The prices don't die down until the 6th of January. Its like surge pricing. NX is the same but not as higher. I wonder if the prices will go down if no one is buying.

 

[Stan Drews]

These are not the last tickets as there is still seats on the seat map. Normally tickets would be around £30. The prices don't die down until the 6th of January. Its like surge pricing. NX is the same but not as higher. I wonder if the prices will go down if no one is buying.

Of course it’s surge pricing. The entire FlixBus business model is built upon it. They have very sophisticated software that adjusts prices according to demand - actual and predicted.

 

[Deerfold]

These are not the last tickets as there is still seats on the seat map. Normally tickets would be around £30. The prices don't die down until the 6th of January. Its like surge pricing. NX is the same but not as higher. I wonder if the prices will go down if no one is buying.

If you don't mind a slightly slower journey with a change at Birmingham, Flix are charging £55 for that on Christmas Day. National Express services are up to £76 for mostly slower services.

 

[markymark2000]

As previously reported Watts Coaches have officially started operating for Flixbus. They are using Temsas which were previously in a Megabus livery. There's a photo on the Watts Coaches Facebook and also one on Flickr of this bus now in Flixbus colours.

In unreported news, EuroCoaches, another former Megabus operator, have joined Flixbus, again using their former Megabus vehicles. A photo of BV22HDC at Victoria Coach Station operating a 041 service cancelled can be found here (links to a post on Flixbus UK Enthusiast group). I don't believe there are any photos on other sites yet of Eurocoaches on Flixbus work.

--edited link for Watts Coaches Facebook to make it easier for users to link to--

 

[route101]

If you don't mind a slightly slower journey with a change at Birmingham, Flix are charging £55 for that on Christmas Day. National Express services are up to £76 for mostly slower services.

I was looking at going after Christmas. Strangely enough a few services prices have come down, so must be a cookies thing. Looking at the XN10 service from Glasgow to London, not done that one yet.

 

[route101]

Regarding the XN10 service that runs non stop from Edinburgh to London, the app shows the route going via the A1 south of Doncaster. Does it usually go this way?

 

[JonathanH]

Regarding the XN10 service that runs non stop from Edinburgh to London, the app shows the route going via the A1 south of Doncaster. Does it usually go this way?

Are there overnight roadworks on the M1?

I took the overnight Megabus M20x from London to Edinburgh on 27 December and it went A1 to Scotland, with a somewhat slow journey through Finchley, Barnet and Potters Bar to join the M25, before leaving at the A1 junction. I don't recall going that way before.

There must be a relatively fine balance between the M1 and A1(M) routes as distance / time looks similar.

 

[route101]

Are there overnight roadworks on the M1?

I took the overnight Megabus M20x from London to Edinburgh on 27 December and it went A1 to Scotland, with a somewhat slow journey through Finchley, Barnet and Potters Bar to join the M25, before leaving at the A1 junction. I don't recall going that way before.

There must be a relatively fine balance between the M1 and A1(M) routes as distance / time looks similar.

So the M20X went up the A1(M)/A1 from London?

I took the XN10 from Glasgow to London on Friday night and we went via the M1 south of Leeds, the whole length of the M1. I looked at Google maps and there was a section of A1 shut at Grantham so not surprised we went via the M1.

Last time I went down the East side was on a National Express from Edinburgh and we used the M18 from Doncaster to the M1.

I would need to take the service a few times to see if they go via the A1 south of Doncaster. I am just wondering as the app showed the route via the A1.

 

[JonathanH]

So the M20X went up the A1(M)/A1 from London?

Yes, all the way A1(M)/A1 from the M25 junction, with a brief stop at Wetherby services. Somewhat took me by surprise when it didn't take the turning to Hendon Way, then went straight on at Golders Green and across the North Circular.

I've not done the Anglo-Scottish Flixbus.

 

[route101]

Yes, all the way A1(M)/A1 from the M25 junction, with a brief stop at Wetherby services. Somewhat took me by surprise when it didn't take the turning to Hendon Way, then went straight on at Golders Green and across the North Circular.

I've not done the Anglo-Scottish Flixbus.

Not many routes go up the A1, one of the Leeds Flixbus services I was on did to call at Peterborough.

 

[paul1609]

Not many routes go up the A1, one of the Leeds Flixbus services I was on did to call at Peterborough.

Its not really that surprising the A1 from the end of the Stevenage Section of the A1(M) up to Brampton Cross the A1/14 interchange isnt really up to long distance trunk road standards theres too many roundabouts and accesses. There really needs to be a new A1(M) alignment between Junction 10 and Brampton Cross.

 

[route101]

Its not really that surprising the A1 from the end of the Stevenage Section of the A1(M) up to Brampton Cross the A1/14 interchange isnt really up to long distance trunk road standards theres too many roundabouts and accesses. There really needs to be a new A1(M) alignment between Junction 10 and Brampton Cross.

Yes, its a classic old school A road dual carriageway. I think at night compared to the M1 with no road closures, I wouldn't imagine it would be slower than the M1.

 

[markymark2000]

From the 13th March, Flixbus will be launching a new '920' service from Birmingham to Heathrow (Central Bus Station & T5) and Gatwick Airport (Both terminals). Operating upto 6 times per day. Not sure for certain who the operator is yet.

No official press release or anything yet but it's bookable on the Flixbus site.

It's the first in a likely long line of announcements that will come about expansion this year. I do wonder whether Birmingham alone can generate enough demand for this service. Given Heathrow-Gatwick is completely flooded with buses, I'm not sure this service will generate much usage there and it may have to rely solely on demand to/from Birmingham.

 

[johncrossley]

Given Heathrow-Gatwick is completely flooded with buses

National Express fares on this section are really high, though.

 

[paul1609]

National Express fares on this section are really high, though.

Fares are the crux of the matter for me from Kent. Id certainly use a Gatwick to Birmingham service if it was reasonably priced, currently I use Finchley Road/ Golders Green to Birmingham as one of my "core" coach routes- Im doing a return day trip to West Bromwich on Saturday. Unfortunately I expect a premium fare to apply which will price me out. Its a shame as Gatwick South is a good rail/ coach interchange.

 

[johncrossley]

For Birmingham to Gatwick, it is usually cheaper to get the coach to Victoria then the train to Gatwick compared to coach the whole way.

 

[signed]

National Express fares on this section are really high, though.

Don't think that will change even with FlixBus.

The Airline from Heathrow to Gatwick is £15, £18 return every 30min all day and fares from NX haven't buldged as far as I can see.

 

[markymark2000]

National Express fares on this section are really high, though.

Don't think that will change even with FlixBus.

The Airline from Heathrow to Gatwick is £15, £18 return every 30min all day and fares from NX haven't buldged as far as I can see.

Flix already run on this area with the 940 with fares from £11.99 plus booking fee. Plus these new 920 trips will run at the same times between Heathrow and Gatwick, as the 940 services, and the current 940 trips aren't full between Heathrow and Gatwick.

For Birmingham to Gatwick, it is usually cheaper to get the coach to Victoria then the train to Gatwick compared to coach the whole way.

Depends how far ahead you book. Plenty of fares on NX for under £20. Flix seem to have set the starting price as £15.49 but we all know how much Flix prices can surge when they want to.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Flix has announced a partnership with Harrow-based Desi Coaches:

FlixBus has partnered with Harrow-based operator Desi Coaches to offer additional services between London and Leicester.

Daily operations will begin in March and be expanded in April ready for the summer peak.

Desi Coaches, which was founded in 2011 and presently offers home-to-school transport and coach hire, has taken on two new Yutong GT12 coaches for the partnership. This will take the number of FlixBus-branded vehicles on the UK roads to more than 200 by this summer.Managing Director of Desi Coaches, Nilesh Patel, says: “FlixBus has a highly impressive model, growing at a remarkable pace. We saw in FlixBus the opportunity to take our operations to the next level.

“Joining FlixBus will be a transformative opportunity for our business, allowing us to expand beyond our traditional audience and operate on a national scale, leveraging FlixBus’s innovative platform and popularity among travellers.”

FlixBus announces Desi Coaches as new operator partner

FlixBus has partnered with Harrow-based operator Desi Coaches to offer additional services between London and Leicester.

www.route-one.net

Does anyone know which routes Desi vehicles will be used on?

 

[WibbleWobble]

Flix has announced a partnership with Harrow-based Desi Coaches:

FlixBus announces Desi Coaches as new operator partner

FlixBus has partnered with Harrow-based operator Desi Coaches to offer additional services between London and Leicester.

www.route-one.net

Does anyone know which routes Desi vehicles will be used on?

As per the article, London to Leicester

 

[YorkRailFan]

As per the article, London to Leicester

That being the 005?

 

[markymark2000]

That being the 005?

There is nothing available for booking yet but I presume it will be the 005.

Here is the list of upcoming changes to Flixbus services that are currently known about. This is information partly from Flixbus open data (which is then shown in a user friendly way on Bustimes.org) and generally going through the Flix site intensively to find the changes.

Date	Route	Change
27th Feb	023 Manchester - London	2 additional fast round trips per day operated by Belle Vue (08:00/12:00 from Manchester, 15:00/19:00 from London). Plus minor retiming's.
27th Feb	071 Manchester - Bristol	Additional round trip daily operated by Belle Vue (11:40 from Manchester, 17:10 from Bristol)
27th Feb	073 Manchester - Newcastle	Minor retimings
7th March	020 Birmingham - London	Boudens trips running roughly 30 minutes later throughout
7th March	024 Coventry - London	New service running 2 trips daily Coventry to London via Northampton (first trip starts and last trip ends at Birmingham). Operator unknown
13th March	005 Leicester - London	4 additional round trips daily operated by Desi Coaches
13th March	023 Manchester - London	3 additional fast trips each way (operator unknown). Plus retimings on some other trips
13th March	920 Birmingham - Gatwick	New service starting linking Birmingham to Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. Running 6 times per day. Operator unknown

I will say, this is only the start, there is a LOT to come in April/May including confirmed new links from Derby, Nottingham and Leicester to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, Weston Super Mare journeys starting and quite big boosts to Liverpool services.

 

[nick291]

There is nothing available for booking yet but I presume it will be the 005.

Here is the list of upcoming changes to Flixbus services that are currently known about. This is information partly from Flixbus open data (which is then shown in a user friendly way on Bustimes.org) and generally going through the Flix site intensively to find the changes.

Date	Route	Change
27th Feb	023 Manchester - London	2 additional fast round trips per day operated by Belle Vue (08:00/12:00 from Manchester, 15:00/19:00 from London). Plus minor retiming's.
27th Feb	071 Manchester - Bristol	Additional round trip daily operated by Belle Vue (11:40 from Manchester, 17:10 from Bristol)
27th Feb	073 Manchester - Newcastle	Minor retimings
7th March	020 Birmingham - London	Boudens trips running roughly 30 minutes later throughout
7th March	024 Coventry - London	New service running 2 trips daily Coventry to London via Northampton (first trip starts and last trip ends at Birmingham). Operator unknown
13th March	005 Leicester - London	4 additional round trips daily operated by Desi Coaches
13th March	023 Manchester - London	3 additional fast trips each way (operator unknown). Plus retimings on some other trips
13th March	920 Birmingham - Gatwick	New service starting linking Birmingham to Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. Running 6 times per day. Operator unknown

I will say, this is only the start, there is a LOT to come in April/May including confirmed new links from Derby, Nottingham and Leicester to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, Weston Super Mare journeys starting and quite big boosts to Liverpool services.

Weston will be covered by First West Of England. Looking forward to seeing what First use on it. Yutong also announced the TC14 diesel a while back, so I wonder if any operators will opt for those to boost capacity and luggage space a bit.

 

[markymark2000]

Weston will be covered by First West Of England. Looking forward to seeing what First use on it. Yutong also announced the TC14 diesel a while back, so I wonder if any operators will opt for those to boost capacity and luggage space a bit.

First West Of England will be doing quite a bit as mentioned previously in post 1576 https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/flixbus-discussion.191981/page-53#post-7020159

According to Route One, First has ordered 21 Yutong GT12s

First Bus to become FlixBus partner operator in early 2025 - routeone

First Bus will commence the delivery of FlixBus scheduled coaching services in early 2025, for which it has ordered 21 Yutong GT12s.

www.route-one.net

First Bus is the latest operator to sign up as a FlixBus partner. It will put 21 new Yutong GT12 coaches onto eight scheduled routes over the coming 12 months via a five-year partnership that the operator says will create 65 driver jobs.

 

[nick291]

I might be doing a trip on the full route of the 078 from Bristol up to Newcastle soon, who operates this service?

 

[markymark2000]

I might be doing a trip on the full route of the 078 from Bristol up to Newcastle soon, who operates this service?

Currently 1 trip is operated by Watts Coaches (07:10 from Bristol) and the other trip is operated by Berrys Coaches (12:05/12:15 from Bristol)

 

[nick291]

Currently 1 trip is operated by Watts Coaches (07:10 from Bristol) and the other trip is operated by Berrys Coaches (12:05/12:15 from Bristol)

The morning trip is the one I'm looking at, thankyou.

 

[185]

Not sure if it's worth mentioning, but today happened across a sizeable group of passengers abandoned by Flixbus, travelling Manchester - London - Paris, the Manchester leg didn't turn up so they were told to buy train tickets and they'll be refunded... wouldn't have taken them seriously, except for the large number of them.