Has anyone used Flixbus?

[markymark2000]

Sure, but if you want to go somewhere but haven't decided exactly when it's nice just to see a timetable rather than interrogate one set of dates and have to hope that it will be the same for the next few weeks or more. It's great these days not to have to rely on timetables with complicated footnotes, but there are times when they are useful.

And quite possibly there is a regular timetable that can be accessed by GTFS. It would be nice if there was a web based GTFS browser. It shouldn't be hard to write. Maybe someone already has...

Flixbus do have a GTFS Dataset and it was used by bustimes for a short time but sadly because GTFS stops don't match NAPTAN, it was deemed too time consuming to make it all match up and therefore work properly on the site. Therefore, for now, the only option is to check their bustimes page though note that there is missing information on here and the domestic-international routes don't show up. Or check my timetable that I made on Google Sheets https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/flixbus-discussion.191981/page-29#post-5716192 but of course note that I do this in my spare time and may sometimes have errors as I can't check the Flix site daily.

 

[Pip3000]

I used FlixBus in Germany alot between 2015 - 2018 and always found the coaches to be comfortable, however I have done it between London and Paris-coach was not comfortable at all so was quite grim-also coach was full which isn't fun. And Paris bercy must be the grimmest station in Europe! I haven't tried in the UK yet but if they are comfortable like the ones I experienced in Germany I think they could do very well in the UK.

 

[TheSmiths82]

I have used it a couple of times but my memory is vague on the first one. I think my first one was London to Lyon in 2015 and I can't remember anything about it really, I did a lot of coach travel between the UK and France at time (well if once a year is a lot). I do remember it being a bit confusing about what were supposed to at the border control as it used the Eurotunnel and I was used to the ferry.

My most recent trip with Flixbus was from Barcelona to Marseille. It was supposed to get to Marseille around 6:30 in the morning but it didn't stop at a couple of places such as Lloret so I ended up getting to Marseille at 3:30am in the morning, which was a problem as I couldn't check into my hotel until 3pm the following day no facilities were open at the main train station where the coach dropped us off. Immigration/Police also got on at the Spanish/French border and checked all our passports but despite that delay we still got there very early.

I have used Megabus from Barcelona to Paris once, and the odd thing about that trip is the coach was RHD with a Yorkshire registration plate.

 

[gingerheid]

I used them from Estonia to Northern Lithuania.

My outbound journey left Tallinn 75m late despite being first thing in the morning and the coach already being sitting there (and lost time more on the journey which I can't blame them for). While looking at the tracker (which didn't give any useful information other than to confirm that the coach indeed hadn't left) I noticed that a remarkable number of journeys in the Baltic states seemed to be cancelled.

I was therefore quite glad that on the way back I was using LuxExpress, and I'll always tell anyone that if you have the choice then this is the only coach company to use in the Baltic States!

 

[TheSmiths82]

I think part of the issue with Flixbus is in many ways it is just a booking agent. They don't actually operate any of the services, so although the coaches are branded as Flixbus they are only going to be as good as the operator. You would think though Flixbus would terminate the contract if the operator is very poor.

 

[Rab Smith]

Used it once from Dundee to Aberdeen. It cost £5.99, left on time, arrived on time, was a brand new coach and was very comfortable.
Suppose that's a 100% great experience!

 

[route101]

Used it once from Dundee to Aberdeen. It cost £5.99, left on time, arrived on time, was a brand new coach and was very comfortable.
Suppose that's a 100% great experience!

Scottish services do seem to be run pretty well by McGills.

 

[markymark2000]

I think part of the issue with Flixbus is in many ways it is just a booking agent. They don't actually operate any of the services, so although the coaches are branded as Flixbus they are only going to be as good as the operator. You would think though Flixbus would terminate the contract if the operator is very poor.

Flixbus are much more than a booking agent as they provide the operators with routes and timetables. I believe operators have some input in this but I do know Flix can, have, and do write timetables for operators and deal with all of the financial side for keeping the routes profitable. Flix do a lot of back office stuff and operators just run the bus in many cases.

 

[johnnychips]

I am travelling to Belgium at Easter, and it’s about £75 return from Sheffield to Bruges, which is near where I want to be. I had a look at Eurostar, saw the price and filled the swear box; then Ryanair at about £95, but I would have to get to Manchester, and then from Charleroi. It takes 14.5 hours, but there’s a break in London and a ferry, so I’m actually looking forward to it.

 

[TheSmiths82]

I am travelling to Belgium at Easter, and it’s about £75 return from Sheffield to Bruges, which is near where I want to be. I had a look at Eurostar, saw the price and filled the swear box; then Ryanair at about £95, but I would have to get to Manchester, and then from Charleroi. It takes 14.5 hours, but there’s a break in London and a ferry, so I’m actually looking forward to it.

I looked this from Manchester, but my concern would be what happens if the connection in London doesn't turn up? I know when things go wrong with trains there is a lot of compensation and they have to get you there, but with coaches it seems to be a matter of "tough ****". I also watched a video on one of the YouTubers and he found the toilet didn't work on his journey from Paris to London. I will look into again though. There is supposed to be a direct Flixbus from Manchester to Paris but I can never seem to find it.

 

[johncrossley]

I looked this from Manchester, but my concern would be what happens if the connection in London doesn't turn up? I know when things go wrong with trains there is a lot of compensation and they have to get you there, but with coaches it seems to be a matter of "tough ****".

They will let you take the next service with seats available, but there's no compensation for delays.

 

[markymark2000]

There is supposed to be a direct Flixbus from Manchester to Paris but I can never seem to find it.

Flixbus seem to keep messing about with their UK International routes. Currently, Manchester to Paris is only Wednesdays & Thursdays with returns from Paris to Manchester on Sundays and Mondays. The Flix site suggests that the Manchester - Paris and vice versa trips are going to increase to 4 days per week from next month The days of operation do seem to change frequently but there does seem to be trips available to book even into April.

 

[TheSmiths82]

Flixbus seem to keep messing about with their UK International routes. Currently, Manchester to Paris is only Wednesdays & Thursdays with returns from Paris to Manchester on Sundays and Mondays. The Flix site suggests that the Manchester - Paris and vice versa trips are going to increase to 4 days per week from next month The days of operation do seem to change frequently but there does seem to be trips available to book even into April.

I will look into this, I posted on another section about getting the Eurostar to Lyon but budget is an issue, and this could take some of the hassle out of it too.

Edit I have just found it by searching on a Wednesday, it is quite cheap as well, worked at around £70 one way with the seat next to be also reserved for me. I do wonder what will happen if they over book though so it is not always a guaranteed way of getting a spare seat.

 

[Flying Snail]

I will look into this, I posted on another section about getting the Eurostar to Lyon but budget is an issue, and this could take some of the hassle out of it too.

Edit I have just found it by searching on a Wednesday, it is quite cheap as well, worked at around £70 one way with the seat next to be also reserved for me. I do wonder what will happen if they over book though so it is not always a guaranteed way of getting a spare seat.

It doesn't appear that they oversell but more likely is it won't be marked reserved and reports of drivers enforcing reservations are rather mixed so there is a good chance you will have to police it yourself. If it is busy it would probably be best to sit in the aisle seat, at least whenever the bus is stopped for boarding.

 

[markymark2000]

Edit I have just found it by searching on a Wednesday, it is quite cheap as well, worked at around £70 one way with the seat next to be also reserved for me. I do wonder what will happen if they over book though so it is not always a guaranteed way of getting a spare seat.

IF the service happens to get too busy, from what I have seen from others, they will email you and refund your additional seat. They will then start to sell the seat again so someone else could sit next to you.

is it won't be marked reserved

I've never been on a Flixbus coach where the seats were marked as reserved. At best, some drivers say 'please take your assigned seat' but nothing seems to be enforced unless it's an extremely busy service and then I have heard of McGills drivers enforcing the reservations as the Scotland buses can be full so it saves hassle.

 

[Flying Snail]

IF the service happens to get too busy, from what I have seen from others, they will email you and refund your additional seat. They will then start to sell the seat again so someone else could sit next to you.

I hadn't heard of that.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised as they really are a rotten shower, the Uber of the bus world.

Literally the only point of the second seat reservation is to insure space on a busy service, you pay them extra and take your chance that if it is lightly loaded everyone will spread out and you will have wasted the extra money but Flixbus want it both ways, get the extra fee but if they see they can get a higher fare for it just screw over the first customer and sell the seat again.

 

[richw]

I think part of the issue with Flixbus is in many ways it is just a booking agent. They don't actually operate any of the services, so although the coaches are branded as Flixbus they are only going to be as good as the operator. You would think though Flixbus would terminate the contract if the operator is very poor.

They’re pretty much a tech company.

 

[AlastairFraser]

My experience is pretty good to be fair - the domestic UK routes tend not to be so good in comparison to the continental services I've travelled on, but I think that's UK coach travel for you anyway.
One thing I would warn against is relying on seat reservations - fly, drive or take the train if your personal space is paramount.

 

[DeverseSam]

The neighbour-free seats are priced dynamically and are not available on the app it seems, but the website offers them

 

[TheSmiths82]

I was reading a few reviews last night and I think I am just going to go book very early and go via Eurostar. Like anything it is great until it goes wrong, but when it goes wrong it seems to go wrong

The neighbour-free seats are priced dynamically and are not available on the app it seems, but the website offers them

Does that mean if the price is cheap for the neighbour free seat it is likely the coach might not be that busy? I still think I end up going via Eurostar as there just seems to be too much that can go wrong these days with cross border trips.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Does that mean if the price is cheap for the neighbour free seat it is likely the coach might not be that busy? I still think I end up going via Eurostar as there just seems to be too much that can go wrong these days with cross border trips.

I find the cross border coaches much smoother than a domestic coach, so I don't think it's particularly risky tbh.

 

[citycat]

Stepped off the London to Amsterdam overnight service two hours ago, the final leg of a journey that started in Washington DC.

I have to say it was a great journey. Left London on time at 20:00 and arrived five minutes early at my stop in Rotterdam at 07:10, meaning I could catch an earlier train home. The coach was warm and comfortable and Flixbus used the DFDS Dover to Calais ferry which meant that each passenger got a voucher for a meal on the boat which was an added extra. The meal is not haute cuisine but it fills your belly with hot food.

Just a little hack if you ever travel on the Amsterdam service which utilises a VDL coach. Try and book seats 6C or 6D which are the seats immediately forward of the toilet bulkhead. These seats recline more than the other seats on the coach due to the space between the seat and the bulkhead, plus you’re not reclining into anybody’s lap.

For £25.90, this particular journey was a bargain.

 

[route101]

The neighbour-free seats are priced dynamically and are not available on the app it seems, but the website offers them

Yes, sometimes they are expensive ! I thought they don't offer the neighbour free seats on all services.

IF the service happens to get too busy, from what I have seen from others, they will email you and refund your additional seat. They will then start to sell the seat again so someone else could sit next to you.


I've never been on a Flixbus coach where the seats were marked as reserved. At best, some drivers say 'please take your assigned seat' but nothing seems to be enforced unless it's an extremely busy service and then I have heard of McGills drivers enforcing the reservations as the Scotland buses can be full so it saves hassle.

Yes McGills usually ask you to take the reserved seat. I usually book the seat next to me on the overnights. You will usually get someone chancing their luck with your free seat, there always is a seat hopper on a coach. Most cases other people aren't aware you can book an extra seat. Most people don't want to pay extra for an extra seat so take up is low.