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FlixBus Review: Your Ultimate Guide to the Bus Service

Long-distance bus trips are rarely people’s idea of a good time, but buses can often be the most cost-efficient way to cover big distances.

FlixBus is a European company newly offering long-distance bus service in the United States.

They offer some pretty enticing features to get riders to give the company a chance.

In this article, we’ll give you a full FlixBus review.

We’ll look at the company’s history, and show where it’s operating in the United States.

We’ll review the company’s features and pricing, and look at some FlixBus reviews from users so you can decide if it’s right for your next bus trip.

What Is FlixBus?

FlixBus is a European company that is now operating in the United States providing bus service in the American West, Southwest, and Texas.

The company was launched in Germany in 2013 when the German government approved the deregulation of bus companies.

Recognizing an opportunity, the company began offering cheap, long-distance bus service to and from cities like Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg.

It was a massive success in its home country, boasting that it controlled 71% of the German market by 2015.

The company expanded into Italy in 2015, and was soon offering service across Europe, adding Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, and more.

Shortly after, in May 2018, it also entered the United States market.

They began with a main hub in Los Angeles, and offer service to most of the American Southwest.

Where Is FlixBus Operating in the U.S.?

FlixBus provides bus service in the United States to the West Coast, Southwest, and Texas.

They are currently offering over 1,000 different connections in their network, which can all be reviewed at their website.

Some major cities where they are currently operating:

  • Los Angeles
  • Las Vegas
  • San Diego
  • San Francisco
  • Houston
  • Dallas
  • Austin
  • San Antonio
  • Tucson

They’re not yet in New York City or anywhere east of Houston, but they’re aggressively expanding their network and it wouldn’t surprise us if they were in NYC soon.

Features and Pricing

This budding company is a new player in the United States bus market, but it’s already grabbing attention for a host of features … and some prices that are almost hard to believe.

Easy Booking

Booking is simple and, even if you’re using it for the first time, it should be intuitive for anyone who’s ever used a booking website.

To start, head to their website at www.flixbus.com.

It’ll look like this:
FlixBus homepage
Enter your starting city, and where you want to go.

Then select your date and time you want to travel.

Tap search, and you’ll be taken to a results page that looks like this.
FlixBus price quote
You’ll see prices pop up at this point.

Find the time you want to ride, then click “Book 1 Seat.”

You’ll see that your price has updated to the right, and the ticket is in your cart.

When you’ve got the tickets you need, just tap on your cart and it’s time to pay.

From there you provide them with a credit card for payment, agree to the terms and conditions of booking, and you’ve done it.

Once you’ve booked, you’ll get an email letting you know the location of your bus stop (these are sometimes at bus stations but can also just be a city intersection).

They’ll also tell you your exact departure time, and what time you should get there to ensure you don’t lose your seat on the bus.

From there, you’re all set.

Remember your ticket via your phone, or print it out, and enjoy your ride.

Wi-Fi, Power Outlets, and Onboard Entertainment

FlixBus tries to take the pain out of bus travel by offering free Wi-Fi to all its riders.

They also promise power outlets at every seat, so no matter how long your ride is, you can keep your devices charged for the duration.

One of the best features of this bus company is their Onboard Entertainment.

Anyone connected to their Wi-Fi can go to media.FlixBus.com and get instant access to movies and TV shows for watching via their media player.

More of a book person?

They also offer e-books and audiobooks via Kobo, so you can read or listen to a story of your choosing to pass the time.

Lastly, they’ve got a collection of games to play to pass the time, including fantasy, strategy, and puzzle games.

If you’ve got a working phone, computer, or tablet, it’s easy to make the miles move.

Cost

As FlixBus looks to become a household name in the states, it’s offering very affordable tickets for many of the routes in its networks.

Some routes, like Houston to Dallas, can offer tickets consistently for as low as 99 cents.

Fares of $4.99 are common for even long trips.

This is obviously considerably cheaper than Uber, flights, trains, and other long-distance travel options.

The company charges a $2.00 service fee when you book tickets with them.

What’s nice about their site is that it allows you to quickly review the pricing of bus routes in their network.

Prices are usually consistent for routes, but they can vary if you are trying to land a last-minute booking, or looking to ride on a busy travel day.

FlixBus Reviews From Users

Person's silhouette on a bus
Every transit experience, whether it’s bus, air, or train travel, will have people who have had terrible experiences.

Horrible traffic, a broken down Wi-Fi router, delays — any of these can result in a trip that is painful for the rider.

Even a small pain point, like a seat that doesn’t properly recline, can become a major annoyance on overnight buses.

User reviews should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.

That being said, FlixBus reviews from users tend to be generally positive.

You will usually ride in a new bus, and the power outlets and media offerings are unrivaled in its class.

A brief look at a discussion on TripAdvisor reviews show that people found that the service was affordable, had Wi-Fi and chargers, and were usually underbooked so people could sit together.

One issue that some people had was with the bus stops, which tended to not be at bus stations but rather at unpredictable city intersections that didn’t have protection from the rain.

Had a problem?

You can reach out to FlixBus customer service at 1 (855) 626-8585.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve gone over this up-and-coming bus company’s features and pricing, plus where it’s operating in the United States.

Let’s answer some FAQs.

1. How does FlixBus compare to competitors?

FlixBus is entering a somewhat crowded field of companies offering intercity bus service.

Megabus and BestBus are two of the newer giants in the field, along with the old standby Greyhound.

As the company just opened U.S. operations in 2018, their buses tend to be newer than many of their competitors, and they boast they have some of the best legroom of any bus company in the States.

Free media and Wi-Fi is a nice feature, and the seats are comfortable.

Pricing is also competitive.

For example, buses on FlixBus were $14.99 from Los Angeles to San Diego.

That same trip on Greyhound was $17.

FlixBus’ biggest issue right now is that its service area is just a lot smaller than many of its competitors, which tend to operate nationally.

2. How do I become a bus driver for them?

The company posts any driver openings it has on its Career Page.

It can be a little unruly to navigate as it has all the career listings for the entire company worldwide, but you can look at the location on the right hand side and target any job openings near you.

3. Does FlixBus have an app?

Yes!

The app is available on the App Store or Google Play, and it is completely free.

The app lets you store your tickets via the app and avoid having to print it out, plus gives you offers on special discounts and travel vouchers.

The app also lets you track buses in real-time (something most competitors don’t offer yet), so you can know exactly how long until your bus arrives at its destination.

Bus Rides on the Cheap

FlixBus may be a new bus company in the United States, and its network may be limited in ways that its competitors are not.

If the company is operating in your area, though, it could be a great time to get in on a company offering a new bus fleet, free Wi-Fi, and other great features — all at some of the best prices on the market.

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