FlixBus explained

FlixBus
Headquarters:	Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Service Area:	Europe United States Brazil Chile Canada India
Service Type:	Intercity bus service
Revenue:	€1.5 billion

FlixBus (pronounced as /de/; styled FLiXBUS) is a German brand that offers low-cost intercity bus services via 400,000 routes to over 5,000 destinations in more than 40 countries in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. It is owned by Flix SE, which also operates Flixtrain, FlixCar, Kâmil Koç, and Greyhound Lines. Flixbus operates buses or, in many cases, just handles marketing, pricing, and customer service for a commission, on behalf of bus operators.^{[1] [2] [3]} In 2023, FlixBus had revenues of €2 billion and carried 81 million passengers of which 55 million were in Europe, 14 million were in Turkey, and 12 million were in North America.^[4]

History

Corporate history

FlixBus was founded in 2011 in Munich by Daniel Krauss, Jochen Engert and André Schwämmlein. In June 2021, FlixMobility GmbH raised $650 million at a valuation of US$3 billion.^[5] In April 2022, FlixMobility GmbH was renamed Flix SE and the umbrella brand FlixMobility was replaced by Flix.^[6]

In April 2018, Flixbus was the first to use all-electric vehicles on a long distance bus route, between Paris La Défense and Amiens.^[7]

Service expansion

FlixBus launched its first three routes in February 2013 in Bavaria, Germany to take advantage of Germany opening up its bus market to competition.^[8] In the following years, it added routes across Europe.^[9]

FlixBus expanded to the United States in 2018, first operating from Los Angeles,^[10] then expanding to the East Coast in 2019 through a partnership with Eastern Bus.^[11]

FlixBus launched service in Brazil in 2021,^[12] Canada in 2022,^{[13] [14] [15]} Chile in 2023,^[16] and India in 2024.^[17]

Acquisitions

	Date	Company	Seller	Notes	Ref(s).
1		MeinFernbus		Received investment from General Atlantic	^[18]
2		LIINITA		Provider of trips of up to 15 kilometers	^[19]
3		Megabus Europe	Stagecoach Group	Stagecoach became an operating partner	^[20]
4		Postbus	Deutsche Post	German bus lines	^[21]
5		Hellö coach network	Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB)	Austrian bus lines	^[22]
6		Swebus Express	Nobina	Swedish bus lines	^[23]
7		Eurolines and Isilines	Transdev	Acquisition of Eurolines operating businesses including France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic and Spain and excluding Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Switzerland and Serbia	^[24] ^[25]
8		Kâmil Koç	Private equity firm Actera Group	Turkish bus lines	^[26]
9		Greyhound Lines	FirstGroup	U.S. bus lines; price was $78 million	^[27] ^[28] ^[29] ^[30] ^[31] ^[32]

Accidents

• In May 2017, the driver of a double-decker bus outside Berlin, Germany, attempted to drive under a bridge with insufficient clearance, completely ripping off its roof. No passengers were on board.^[33]
• In May 2018, a bus rolled and crashed near Udine, Italy. There were 43 people on board, of whom 26 were injured.^[34]
• In August 2018, a bus traveling from Stockholm to Berlin crashed in Germany after veering off a highway, seriously injuring sixteen passengers.^{[35] [36]}
• In December 2018, a bus crashed on a motorway near Zurich, Switzerland, killing two people including the driver.^[37]
• In May 2019, a bus crashed in Germany. At least three passengers were seriously injured. Initial police findings were that the bus driver was not at fault for the accident.^[38]
• In May 2019, a bus rolled and crashed into a road safety barrier in Germany. One person was killed and 60 were injured. The local police found early indications the driver had fallen asleep.^[39]
• In October 2019, a bus rolled and crashed near Bizanet, France. One person was killed and 17 were injured.^[40]
• In November 2019, a bus rolled and crashed near Amiens, France, injuring more than 30 people.^[41]
• In February 2023, an Uber Eats bicycle courier was struck and killed by a Flixbus coach in Brussels, Belgium.^[42] Two months after the incident, the government and FlixBus were criticized for not moving the bus stop away from the bike lane.^[43]
• In June 2023, a bus crashed in Avellino, Italy, when it swerved to avoid another car, resulting in one death and injuries to 26 passengers.
• In July 2023, a bus crashed into another bus in the Czech Republic, killing one of the drivers and injuring 76 people.^[44]
• In September 2023, a 19-year-old Austrian woman died after the bus overturned near Micheldorf, Austria, injuring 20 people.^[45]
• In December 2023, an overcrowded Flixbus from Vienna, Austria to Kyiv, Ukraine overturned in Trebišov district of the Košice region of Slovakia, injuring 9 passengers.^[46]
• On January 5, 2024, one person died and 11 others were injured in NY State, USA, after a Flixbus that was bound for New York City from Montreal, Canada, rolled over on Interstate 87.^[47]
• On March 24, 2024, one person died in Italy after a Flixbus travelling between Milan and Rome crashed close to Modena.^[48]
• On March 27, 2024, five people died and 20 others were injured when a Flixbus crashed near Leipzig, Germany, after veering off a highway bound for Zürich from Berlin.^[49]

Controversies

Working conditions for drivers in Germany

In 2016, FlixBus was accused by a German government agency of forcing its partners to make drivers work excessive hours at low wages.^[50]

Use of infrastructure without toll payments in Germany

Unlike train services and trucks, buses do not pay any road toll in Germany; this was criticized as a "hidden subsidy" by some German politicians in the spring of 2015.^[51] bdo, an association of German bus companies, responded that buses pay for infrastructure use in the form of related taxes (ex. mineral oil tax) while billions in subsidies are paid to national rail provider Deutsche Bahn.^[52]

Dominant market share in Germany

In August 2016, following the acquisition of Postbus, FlixBus had control of roughly 80% of the German long-distance bus market, a move criticised by various media outlets as a de facto monopoly and harmful to competition. It was also suggested at the time that FlixBus' control of the market could lead to higher prices and less service to smaller destinations.^{[53] [54] [55]}

Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden

In July 2020, a passenger criticized the company for not requiring social distancing on its buses in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic. FlixBus responded, claiming that the requirements from the Public Health Agency of Sweden were unclear.^{[56] [57]}

Buses inaccessible for wheelchair users in California

On May 14, 2020, the Disability Rights Legal Center (DRLC) filed a federal class action lawsuit in a California U.S. District Court against FlixBus and other bus operators alleging that buses were inaccessible for wheelchair users and staff was untrained on how to accommodate wheelchair users.^[58]

Customer support after bus crash in Italy

Following the crash of a FlixBus coach in Italy in June 2023, FlixBus was criticized by survivors for the lack of support offered, including delays in receiving help from the company and a lack of communication. Passengers said that, despite the seriousness of the situation, their initial compensation offer was a €10 meal voucher "for the inconvenience."^{[59] [60]}

Notes and References

1. News: Flixbus aims 'to make coach travelling cool again' . Mark . Wembridge . . 6 June 2019.
2. Web site: Bus Partners . FlixBus.
3. News: European FlixBus brings tech-driven bus network to L.A. . Annlee . Ellingson . . May 15, 2018.
4. Flix announces most successful year ever, with record revenues and profitability on EBITDA level in 2022 . Flixbus . 7 March 2024.
5. FlixMobility raises over $650M in Funding at $3B Valuation planning further global expansion . FlixBus . June 2, 2021.
6. New umbrella brand: FlixMobility is now called Flix . FlixBus . 19 April 2022.
7. Web site: The Future of Mobility . FlixBus.
8. News: How Flixbus conquered the European coach market . . 10 May 2018 . subscription.
9. News: German bus firm Flixbus opens new Vaasa to Warsaw route . . 18 July 2023.
10. News: Germany's data-driven FlixBus launches in the U.S. to make bus travel cool again . Chris . O'Brien. . 15 May 2018.
11. News: How Greyhound, Coach USA sales will impact intercity bus lines . Joseph . Schwieterman . Brian . Antolin . . 11 July 2019.
12. FlixBus starts in Brazil – first connections from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte from Dec 1st . Flixbus . 1 December 2021.
13. News: Dunne . James . Giant German bus company hits the highway in Canada . . 8 April 2022.
14. News: FlixBus launches new bus service between Vancouver and Seattle . Cheryl . Chan . . 24 May 2022.
15. News: FlixBus: Vancouver to Seattle bus service launches in June with $18 fares . Kenneth . Chan . . 27 May 2022.
16. Flix launches bus operations in Chile, its 42nd country worldwide. FlixBus. 2 October 2023.
17. Flix launches bus services in India, continuing its growth path . FlixBus . 1 February 2024.
18. MeinFernbus and FlixBus Become One . . 17 January 2015.
19. Web site: FlixBus Acquires LIINITA . Mergr.
20. Megabus Europe retail operations sold to FlixBus . CBW . 4 July 2016.
21. News: Deutsche Post sells long-distance bus unit, confirms 2016 targets . . . 3 August 2016.
22. Hellö is now FlixBus . FlixBus.
23. Nobina divests express bus operations . . 2 May 2018.
24. Negotiations successfully completed: FlixBus buys Eurolines/isilines from Transdev Group . . 2 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190613060440/https://www.transdev.com/en/press-release/flixbus-buys-eurolines-isilines/ . 13 June 2019 . live.
25. News: FlixBus, the German Uber-like bus service, is buying rival . Ingrid . Lundgren . . 4 March 2019.
26. News: German FlixBus moves to acquire prominent Turkish bus company Kamil Koç . . 21 August 2019.
27. FlixMobility acquires Greyhound to Expand U.S. Intercity Bus Services . Flixbus . 21 October 2021.
28. News: Germany's FlixMobility acquires Greyhound Lines, the iconic . Ingrid . Lunden . . October 21, 2021.
29. News: Germany's Flixbus acquires US Greyhound bus company . . 21 October 2021.
30. News: FlixBus owner hitches ride with Greyhound as FirstGroup exits . . 21 October 2021.
31. News: Dallas-based Greyhound sells to Europe's largest long-distance bus network . Paul . O'Donnell . Natalie . Walters . . 21 October 2021 . subscription.
32. News: FlixBus owner hitches ride with Greyhound as FirstGroup exits . . 21 October 2021.
33. News: Flixbus roof sheared off by bridge . . 12 May 2017.
34. News: Bus della Flixbus si ribalta sull'A4 in provincia di Udine: 26 feriti, uno grave . Paola . Treppo . . 19 May 2018.
35. News: Several injured in mystery Flixbus crash . . 17 August 2018.
36. News: Update: 16 injured after Flixbus travelling from Stockholm to Berlin tips over in crash . . 17 August 2018.
37. News: Zurich coach accident claims second victim . . 2 January 2019.
38. News: Drei Schwerverletzte Zwei Flixbus-Unfälle in einer Nacht . . 5 June 2019 . de-DE.
39. News: One dead, many injured in German Flixbus crash . . 20 May 2019.
40. News: Un mort et 17 blessés, dont un grave, dans un accident de car Flixbus dans l'Aude . One dead and 17 injured, including one seriously, in a Flixbus bus accident in Aude . . 6 October 2019 . fr-FR.
41. News: Dozens injured in France Flixbus bus crash . . 3 November 2019.
42. Web site: Ro.Ma . Près de trois mois après le décès de Sultan, livreur percuté par un Flixbus, des poteaux sont installés boulevard Albert II, proche de la Gare du Nord . . 24 February 2024 . fr.
43. News: 'Twee maanden na dood fietskoerier nog niks veranderd' . . 16 April 2023 . nl.
44. News: 1 dead and 76 injured in a bus crash on a major highway in southeastern Czech Republic . . 17 July 2023.
45. News: One dead and 20 injured after Flixbus travelling from Berlin overturns in Austria . . 19 September 2023.
46. News: Lisnychuk . Maryna . 17 December 2023 . An overcrowded bus from Ukraine overturns in Slovakia: children are among the victims. . Obozrevatel.
47. News: Olson . Issac . 5 January 2024 . 1 dead, 11 injured after bus coming from Montreal crashes in New York's Adirondacks . CBC News.
48. News: Milan, the Flixbus accidente heading to Rome:here's who the victim is, Vindou Illumine . Italy 24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240328085816/https://news.italy24.press/trends/1402972.html . 2024-03-28 . live.
49. Web site: Langner . Markus . Proft . Johannes . Keim . Karl . Meinfelder . Laura . Fischer . Thomas . 27 March 2024 . A9 bei Leipzig: Fünf Tote und 20 Verletzte bei Flixbus-Unfall . Bild.
50. Web site: Einhaltung der Sozialvorschriften im Straßenverkehr und der Arbeitszeiten bei Fernlinienbusunternehmen ... . . 9 August 2016 . de-DE.
51. News: Verkehrsminister fordern Maut für Fernbusse . Transport ministers call for tolls for long-distance buses . . 14 April 2016 . de-DE.
52. Web site: bdo weist Forderungen nach einer Fernbusmaut zurück . bdo rejects calls for a long-distance bus toll . www.bdo.org . 18 April 2015 . de-DE.
53. News: Flixbus schluckt Postbus: Die Fernbuskrake . The long-distance bus cracks . Ingo . Arzt . . 3 August 2016 . de-DE.
54. News: Flixbus kauft Postbus: Was die Fernbusfusion für Fahrgäste bedeutet . Christin . Jahns . Stefan . Schultz . What the long-distance bus merger means for passengers . . 3 August 2016 . de-DE.
55. News: Das bedeutet das neue Fernbus-Monopol für Kunden . Nikolaus . Doll . That means the new long-distance bus monopoly for customers . . 3 August 2016 . de-DE.
56. News: Karin Isgren: "Jag kände mig chockad och orolig" . Karin Isgren: "I felt shocked and worried" . Malin . Kardell . . 4 July 2020.
57. News: Karin Isgren: "Bussbolag: Otydligt om avstånd från Folkhälsomyndigheten" . Bus company: Unclear about distance from the Public Health Agency . Johanna . Suncbeck . Dagens Nyheter. 14 July 2020 . sv.
58. Web site: Class Action Lawsuit Alleges "Discrimination and Humiliation" by FlixBus Passengers with Disabilities Repeatedly Denied Accessible Vehicles . Disability Rights Legal Center . 14 May 2020.
59. News: Australian involved in fatal Italian bus crash says company offered $16 meal voucher . Michael . Doyle . . 5 June 2023.
60. News: Flixbus passengers offered just €10 meal voucher after fatal bus crash . Benjamin . Parker . . 5 June 2023.