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Flixbus Discussion

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johncrossley

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I can only see Flixbus being top dog if they buy out either National Express or Megabus. There surely is no room for three coach networks. Germany used to be very competitive a few years ago but now it is not far off a Flixbus monopoly.
 

Starmill

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Trips between Cardiff and Swansea in 55 - 65 min is very competitive with rail. The number of Flix trips is low, but not materially slower.
 

GusB

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I can only see Flixbus being top dog if they buy out either National Express or Megabus. There surely is no room for three coach networks. Germany used to be very competitive a few years ago but now it is not far off a Flixbus monopoly.
Foreign travel is still going to be quite awkward this year, and we've already seen an uptick in domestic holiday bookings since the lifting of Covid restrictions in England. Once travel restrictions are further relaxed in other parts of the UK, there may be some pent-up demand from students/young people.

On some routes there may well be enough custom to sustain three operators, the A9 south of Inverness being one. There have been a few occasions where three operators have been in competition.
 

Flange Squeal

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PSVAR complainant coaches this time round... That's a good start. :lol:
Looks like Thandi are using Van Hool EXs. Unsure if they’re the same ones that were used before, and if so have been converted or not, as this video only shows the offsides and no reg plates. If they are the same ones though, then the destination displays are now white rather than orange so a possible sign of changes made.

 

Jordan Adam

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Looks like Thandi are using Van Hool EXs. Unsure if they’re the same ones that were used before, and if so have been converted or not, as this video only shows the offsides and no reg plates. If they are the same ones though, then the destination displays are now white rather than orange so a possible sign of changes made.

Thandi have operated non-PSVAR compliant VanHool EXs for Flixbus before and BusListsOnTheWeb doesn't show any new EXs built recently, so we can probably assume these are the same ones...
 

Martin2012

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Pictured below is the vehicle working the first journey on Service 041 from Bristol to London.
 

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JRT

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New bus connection from Bradford to other UK cities by another company


Whippet Coaches are running this route from today. The 0700 ex BRADFORD and 1000 ex London don't run on Thursdays.
 
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Mr Manager

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Thandi have operated non-PSVAR compliant VanHool EXs for Flixbus before and BusListsOnTheWeb doesn't show any new EXs built recently, so we can probably assume these are the same ones...
The van Hools are brand new. On Thandi's facebook page they have a video of them being collected. The reg plates are for some reason in the Window but can clearly be seen as 21 plates.
 

cnjb8

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The van Hools are brand new. On Thandi's facebook page they have a video of them being collected. The reg plates are for some reason in the Window but can clearly be seen as 21 plates.
They have a YJ67 too.
The dealership that sells the Van Hools, Arriva Bus & Coach, was recently shut down with all of its stock sold. I'd imagine that Thandi purchased some of them
 

Flange Squeal

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The reg plates are for some reason in the Window but can clearly be seen as 21 plates.
Oh yes... Not immediately obvious on the first couple of vehicles on a small phone screen, but not sure how I missed that one on the fourth vehicle! :oops:
 

sk688

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I'm catching the Bristol - London service today thanks to GWR Engineering works , and was wondering where the service picks up in Bristol?
 

Martin2012

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It picks up on the opposite side of Bond Street to Megabus in the layby outside the hotel. I had the job of preparing the flag for that bus stop when Flixbis launched last year.
 

swifty

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It picks up on the opposite side of Bond Street to Megabus in the layby outside the hotel. I had the job of preparing the flag for that bus stop when Flixbis launched last year.
Slightly off topic, but why isn’t the much larger stop behind Cabot Circus on Bond Street South used, rather than Megabus sharing (and often blocking) the Metrobus stop and Flixbus using a layover bay?
 

sk688

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Has anyone observed various services and the loadings ? .
I travelled Bristol to London , going on Saturday afternoon on the 1200 departure from Bristol , and returning from London at 8am on the Sunday

On the way to London, there were 4 people on board , and on the way back from London there were 6
 

Class 33

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I'm on the 0600 Bristol Bond Street-London Victoria service. Only one other passenger onboard! And what a bargain at just 99p too!
 

Martin2012

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Slightly off topic, but why isn’t the much larger stop behind Cabot Circus on Bond Street South used, rather than Megabus sharing (and often blocking) the Metrobus stop and Flixbus using a layover bay?
I feel bad for saying this but I don't feel I'm in a position to be able to share the likely reason. I hope you'll understand why.
 

Class 33

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I'm on the 0600 Bristol Bond Street-London Victoria service. Only one other passenger onboard! And what a bargain at just 99p too!

The 1800 service back again was a fair bit busier. FIVE passengers!

On the journey back the service overtook the National Express 1800 service to Bristol. Appeared to be only ONE passenger on there! Then just a few minutes later passed another National Express to Bristol. This one being a double decker. No idea how many people were on there, due to the very tinted windows! Was surprised though to see two NX services to Bristol within a few minutes of each other. Either the 1700 service was running very late, or they were running two 1800 services to Bristol!

Never seen Victoria Coach Station so deserted!

Coach services seems to be picking up very slowly compared to train services. Plus I think maybe not many people know yet that FlixBus run services between Bristol and London.
 
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GatwickDepress

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I’m currently on the 1700 departure from London to Manchester via Birmingham. It’s myself and a gaggle of teenage lads (seven) who are all off to Brum.

It’s also the first time I’ve ever ventured as high as gates 19 at VCS.
 

Jordan Adam

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There's photos going round on social media showing Flixbus branded Vanhool EX TT21NDY stranded at the side of the motorway with what appears to be wheel loss. Quite worrying for such a new vehicle!
 

extendedpaul

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Travelled London to Cardiff and back with Flixbus.

Yesterday there were six other passengers on the 14.30 to Swansea, three travelling together left at Bristol UWE where we arrived about 17.00 - Hammersmith pick up stop wasn't needed so bypassed, which would have gained some time. Passengers were invited to leave the coach at UWE while awaiting a new driver. Departed 17.15 and arrived Cardiff 20 minutes early at 18.05. I think the other three passengers also alighted there. Operated by Turners Coaches. Uneventful journey, well driven, very clean interior, good legroom. Allocated seats spread throughout coach. No safety/COVID message, driver just announced Bristol and Cardiff arrivals

Today the 17.45 back to London arrived from Swansea at 17.47 and I was the only passenger booked from Cardiff. Five people were already on board. Driver greeted me by my first name and did not ask to see my ticket. There were some issues with the vehicle. mainly that it soon felt uncomfortably warm. The heat was becoming unbearable and the air vents were blowing literally hot air. I approached the driver who said he could not change it himself but invited me to open the compartment with the control and reduce the temperature from 23 to 21 degrees. I did that but it made no difference and it was still way above 23. Eventually after about an hour of this the heating switched itself off completely and the temperature was then comfortable. As we approached London it became quite chilly but the heating remained off so maybe the system overheated. The other minor irritations were a loud vibrating sound from where a hammer for emergency use was fixed to a side panel, and the toilet which kept flushing by itself ! There was a driver change at a Transdev depot just off the M4 towards Uxbridge. I heard the first driver advise the second about the heating, saying it was so bad he was aware of it himself. The other passengers all alighted at Hammersmith and I was the only one for Victoria. Arrival there was 21.10, again 20 minutes earlier than the scheduled 21.30. I advised the second driver about the noise issue and also the toilet and he commented that explained why the tank was showing as full ! He thanked me and said he was returning to the depot and would report all three issues. I assume this was a Whippet coach. Both vehicles were in smart Flixbus livery.

The Cardiff departure point does not yet have any Flixbus information and is not otherwise currently in use . It's close to the Megabus stop, across the road from a grassy area with flower beds and seating. Much more central than Sophia Gardens. I already have two more £2.98 return journeys booked but would happily pay more realistic fares as long as competitive with National Express and Megabus.
 

megabusser

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30 Sep 2019
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Edinburgh
The question has to be: are they getting into bed with many others?



Then their real target has to be Nat express. I just can't see them getting the foothold they want. Many people use Megabus for one reason: the price. Mind you, if they get a foothold in Scotland maybe Citylink can buy back the Parks routes.

Does selling tickets for the Stagecoach Jet 747 service not seem odd, given Stagecoach-owned Megabus are presumably one of their main competitors? In fact, it looks like Megabus already sells tickets for that service...
 

Martin2012

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17 Jul 2012
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I did the first departure on the 041 route from Bristol to London last Thursday (15th April). The 0600 departure from Bristol Bond Street to London. The vehicle was YJ67CZX of Turners (Van- Hool) and there were two drivers working the service. I had paid extra to reserve a front seat but upon boarding the seats were blocked off and one of the drivers advised me the seats were unavailable for passenger use due to Covid. However a few minutes later they told me I could sit there once we reached UWE. A family of 3 boarded with me at Bristol and two passengers boarded at UWE. They were seemingly stood on the wrong side of the road as when we passed the first stop before going round the roundabout they ran after the vehicle waving their hands. No passengers on for Hammersmith so we bypassed the stop and went straight to London Victoria.

Had the same coach on the way back for the 1800 departure from London and this time sat on the back seat (which I'd selected in my seat reservation). There were probably about 7 other passengers on board and whilst the seating plan suggested the seats in front and to the side of me were occupied, everybody spread out. Nobody was getting off at UWE so we ran straight to Bristol.

I was really impressed with the coach but the one let down was the lack of charging points. Hopefully the vehicles will be retrofitted with these at some point.
 

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