If you have traveled intercity or inter-country in Europe, you must have come across the big green buses on the highway. These unmissable buses are nothing but Flixbus. Some people swear by it while others have only negative comments about it. Having travelled with Flixbus on more than 40 journeys I would like to share honest feedback about my experiences.
You will find disastrous reviews for Flixbus everywhere you check. So how come they are still running and people are still using it. Is it really worth it? We will be breaking down the positive and negative reasons along with examples of my personal experience on the points.
Flixbus - Pros
Extensive routes
Flixbus has an extensive range of routes covered by buses and trains (also known as Flixtrains). Whether you are visiting your friend in a neighboring city or you are going to a different country for travel, Flixbus has a network for everyone.
Example: I used to travel round trips from Milan to Kaiserslautern very often to meet my boyfriend when I was studying. This would have otherwise been a very complex route with changing flights, trains, and buses. It took 9 hours but was definitely the most convenient route.
Price points
When it comes to price points no one can beat Flixbus. The tickets come as cheap as 5 Euros. If you are on a budget but want to travel or meet family, often Flixbus can be your trusted option.
Example: I book my Airport transfer from Mannheim to Frankfurt International Airport for 5 Euros every time I am going somewhere. Most of the time it has not failed me. The train ticket costs 20 Euros which I believe is totally not worth it.
Flixbus App
The Flixbus mobile app is one of the most user-friendly apps I have ever come across. The booking process is as smooth as it can be. When you board the bus you just have to show the QR Code in the app to the driver. He scans it and within a second you are good to go.
You can also track the bus with a map in the app itself for some routes. I find it very exciting to track my bus while waiting.
Example: I was returning from Dusseldorf to Mannheim and got late because of a meeting. I was on my way to the bus station in a taxi. However, I realized I will not be able to catch the bus just 5 minutes before the departure time. I instantly canceled my bus, received a voucher, and rebooked the next bus, all under 5 minutes in the taxi.
Baggage Allowance
Flixbus has a very good luggage policy where you can carry one hang luggage and also a checked bag. If you have extra luggage you can buy it at a very reasonable price. They also have places for bike storage that you need to book in advance.
Example: I literally moved from Milan to Mannheim in a Flixbus. I was carrying 4 big suitcases and a bike. The extra baggage cost me 12 Euros in total.
Bus Timings
Flixbus has extensive timing options for each of its routes. So, you can work around your schedule.
Example: I was not feeling well on a trip to Paris and had to return home urgently. I had my train late at night. I just booked a Flixbus in the morning an hour before departure and reached home at a convenient time.
Seating
The seats are usually comfortable in Flixbus and for short distances they are perfect. Even the long distance buses are not cramped.
Safety
I have never felt unsafe during my trips with Flixbus. I am a female traveler and have traveled solo with Flixbus on numerous occasions.
Return Policy
It is always very easy to return your ticket on Flixbus. You will get a voucher of the same value the moment you cancel your ticket. The Flixbus voucher has a validity of 12 months.
Example: I have canceled and rebooked my buses many times without any worries. When I was a student I had to cancel a lot because of exam rescheduling or similar issues. However, I never lost much money.
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Flixbus - Cons
Timing issues
Two years ago, Flixbus used to be usually punctual but as time is passing it is becoming harder to rely on it. Do not book your Flixbus to the Airport without keeping a buffer time of at least 2 hours. They may or may not let you know the status before you leave the house.
Example: I had to wait for 2 long hours on a chilly December night at the bus stop on my way to Zurich from Mannheim. I swear at that point I thought I would never travel by Flixbus again.
Cancellations
There are a few times that I have faced cancellation of a Flixbus without any proper reason or an alternative.
Example: I booked the last bus returning from Frankfurt Airport to Mannheim. I received a cancellation text message after I deboarded the flight. In fact, it was only 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the bus. I had to book a train at a surcharge to get home. This happened twice before I stopped booking Flixbus for my Airport transfers.
Staff behavior
Most of the time Flixbus drivers are totally indifferent towards any special need of a passenger. They are only there to take you from point A to point B. Do not expect anything extra. Do not expect them to talk in English.
Example: One of the examples that I can give is when I was trying to catch my bus from Pisa to Rome. There was a horrible hailstorm and there were 5 of us that needed to catch a Flixbus. Incidentally, we were only 400 metres from the bus stop and literally could not walk because it was dangerous. However, we ran the moment it slowed down and therefore got drenched. Unfortunately, we were a few seconds late and saw the bus pass in front of us. In addition, the 5 of us were waving but the driver never stopped.
On another occasion, my boyfriend and his friends were asked to deboard a bus in the middle of nowhere because of a simple misunderstanding. Although they tried to explain it in English, but the driver was only speaking in German and refused to listen to any reason.
Odd stops
Flixbus has some really odd locations as its stops. It has now improved a lot due to location accuracy on the app and signs on the designated stops. If you are not traveling from a big city, the bus stop might just be a point on the side of the street with no shops or toilets nearby.
Examples: In Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, the Flixbus stop is designated across a big area in a spacious street. In addition, other buses also stop at the same places. Therefore, there is no way to find out which one is yours except for running around and asking.
One of the toughest times I had while locating a Flixbus was in Paris Bercy Stein station. There are innumerable buses at the same time and no way to know which one is yours. The information screens mostly are not accurate.
Co-passengers
It is not surprising to see people getting deboarded and taken into custody by police during border checks while traveling inter-country. The document verification of Flixbus could be a lot better to avoid such circumstances.
Example: On more than one occasion I have seen people being taken away by the police on my way from Milan to Munich or from Paris to Mannheim. The police check the luggage and documents repetitively causing a lot of delay and hassle for the fellow passengers.
Overnight buses
I try to avoid overnight buses as much as possible when traveling with Flixbus.
Reason 1: Smell of toilet- If you are sitting anywhere near the toilet of a long-distance Flixbus you are definitely not going to have a pleasant journey. Every time a person opens the toilet door there is a terrible feeling.
Reason 2: Noisy co-passengers- Forget about sleep, there is always a bunch of people who are so excited they will talk the entire night. Even if you have your headphones on there is no way you can ignore them
Reason 3: Unsolicited transfers- On numerous occasions, I have been wakened by the staff of Flixbus in the middle of the night to say we have to change to another bus going the same way. This is a horrible experience where you struggle to get up, get out and find a decent place to sit on the assigned bus.
Bus Wifi
According to Flixbus, they have free Wifi on board. Although it is too good to expect at that price point, if you are looking to upload your travel posts on Insta or talk to a friend on Whatsapp, it is not a good idea. You can only access it for a minute and the data expires.
Customer Service
Flixbus does not have one of the best customer services. You cannot expect any extra information about your trip except for what is provided on your ticket.
Example: I paid extra to book 2 seats on my way from Ljubljana to Mannheim. The seats were for a single-decker bus. When I arrived at the stop, we were taken inside a double-decker bus and to my surprise, the seat numbers that I had booked did not even exist on this bus. Of course, the driver was not interested in listening. He instead gave us the only two seats available next to each other which was right in front of the toilet door. We had the most horrible journey.
I wrote about this to Flixbus and got no answer. In addition, they never returned us the 10 Euros that we paid for the seats. To sum up, this is just bad customer service.
Inference
Basically, Flixbus is a great option if you are a student, or low on budget and want to get around Europe. It offers fair services according to its price points. I personally have traveled places with Flixbus that I would not have been able to do otherwise. You can book a Flixbus without thinking for shorter distances but for longer distances, I would advise you not to book unless it’s very urgent.
Honestly, I feel the reviews about Flixbus are a bit extreme on social platforms. It is one of the most innovative and useful services provided in Europe for traveling. There is a lot of room for improvement which I am sure they are working on but for me, it is still my go-to option.
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2 Responses
It’s always terrible! No one ever knows where the buses depart from, and the drivers leave whenever they want, even if the passengers who bought tickets in advance did not get on the bus! The driver just decided to go early and sneeze, they wanted you to waste your time and money! The service does not return money and you will be guilty and have nothing to prove.
I will share my opinion about this “wonderfull company”!
I used the services of Flixbus when driving from Prague to Krakow. The trip was generally normal. But at the Katowice station, I got off the bus (to warm up). I came to the timetable where the bus was parked. And saw that it must leave a station at 6:30 p.m. It was 6:10 p.m. Time plays an important role here. I realized that I have time to go to the store at the train station. And when I got from there at 6:15 p.m., I saw that the bus was already gone! The driver does not matter about schedule and what you need to check the passengers! And left me in a strange city, without things or documents! But that’s okay, because this story has 3 stages! I even drew a separate conclusion at the end, for those who don’t want to read it all.
Stage two. When I got to Krakow, I went to the company’s office and told myself what had happened. The manager listened to me (by the way, it’s the only sane person in this story). He said the driver was at the bus station but already leaved. He called the driver and told them about the incident. And he said in response that it is terrible and that we will surely solve this problem. No!!! It was sarcasm. He laughed and said I’ll be in two days. Besides, Krakow for me is also a city in which I have nothing and also no acquaintances!
Level three. I wrought a letter to support. They didn’t care either. And my letter went unanswered for almost 2 days. Later, I also wrote to the company’s manager in a live chat. He checked and replied that my application and the truth were received and of course we will answer it as soon as possible. I must say that more than a week has passed and “as soon as possible” has not come !! I. E. to my application so far and has not responded. I also had to stay another day because the second manager in the office refused to call the colleague and check the information when I returned. He made me wait another day. And it turned out he was wrong.
When I wrote to the company for the second time, I promised the manager that if my application is not answered in 2 days, I will write on all platforms where I can find Flixbus company. But that didn’t embarrass him either. And my parents taught me that promises must be kept. Fortunately for the company, I only know 4 languages and I don’t have a lot of time. But a promise is a promise.
Result: I lost 3 days with no things and no documents in a strange city, the driver even made fun of this fact, the company’s managers are not interested in such cases (attention, there was an adequate manager in the story).