You can help expand this article with text translated from
the corresponding article in German. (March 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Founded | 2011 |
---|---|
Headquarters | Munich, Bavaria, Germany |
Service area |
Europe United States Brazil Chile Canada India |
Service type | Intercity bus service |
Website |
www |
FlixBus (German pronunciation: ['flɪksbʊs]; styled FLiXBUS) is a German brand that offers low-cost intercity bus services in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. Its last expansion was in India in 2024 with 46 domestic destinations. 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 2022, FlixBus had revenues of €1.5 billion and carried 60 million passengers of which 38 million were in Europe, 13 million were in Turkey and 8 million were in North America. [4]
As of 2024, Flixbus serves over 400,000 routes and over 5,000 destinations in more than 40 countries. [6] [7]
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. [8] In April 2022, FlixMobility GmbH was renamed Flix SE and the umbrella brand FlixMobility was replaced by Flix. [9]
FlixBus launched its first three routes in February 2013 in Bavaria, Germany to take advantage of Germany opening up its bus market to competition. [10] In the following years, it added routes across Europe. [11]
In 2018, FlixBus expanded to the United States, first operating from Los Angeles [12] and adding service to the East Coast of the United States in 2019 operated by Eastern Bus. [13]
In 2022, FlixBus launched its Canadian operations with routes in Ontario [14] and British Columbia. [15] [16]
In 2021, FlixBus launched service in Brazil [17] and in 2023, it launched in Chile. [18]
In 2024, FlixBus launched service in India. [18]
# | Date | Company | Seller | Notes | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | January 2015 | MeinFernbus | Received investment from General Atlantic | [19] | |
2 | July 2016 | Megabus Europe | Stagecoach Group | Stagecoach became an operating partner | [20] |
3 | August 2016 | Postbus | Deutsche Post | German bus lines | [21] |
4 | May 2017 | Hellö coach network | Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) | Austrian bus lines | [22] |
5 | April 2019 | 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 | [23] [24] |
6 | August 2019 | Kâmil Koç | Private equity firm Actera Group | Turkish bus lines | [25] |
7 | October 2021 | Greyhound Lines | FirstGroup | U.S. bus lines; price was $78 million | [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] |
In 2016, FlixBus was accused by a German government agency of forcing its partners to make drivers work excessive hours at low wages. [50]
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]
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]
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 that the requirements from the Public Health Agency of Sweden were unclear. [56] [57]
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]
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] [43]
You can help expand this article with text translated from
the corresponding article in German. (March 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Founded | 2011 |
---|---|
Headquarters | Munich, Bavaria, Germany |
Service area |
Europe United States Brazil Chile Canada India |
Service type | Intercity bus service |
Website |
www |
FlixBus (German pronunciation: ['flɪksbʊs]; styled FLiXBUS) is a German brand that offers low-cost intercity bus services in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. Its last expansion was in India in 2024 with 46 domestic destinations. 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 2022, FlixBus had revenues of €1.5 billion and carried 60 million passengers of which 38 million were in Europe, 13 million were in Turkey and 8 million were in North America. [4]
As of 2024, Flixbus serves over 400,000 routes and over 5,000 destinations in more than 40 countries. [6] [7]
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. [8] In April 2022, FlixMobility GmbH was renamed Flix SE and the umbrella brand FlixMobility was replaced by Flix. [9]
FlixBus launched its first three routes in February 2013 in Bavaria, Germany to take advantage of Germany opening up its bus market to competition. [10] In the following years, it added routes across Europe. [11]
In 2018, FlixBus expanded to the United States, first operating from Los Angeles [12] and adding service to the East Coast of the United States in 2019 operated by Eastern Bus. [13]
In 2022, FlixBus launched its Canadian operations with routes in Ontario [14] and British Columbia. [15] [16]
In 2021, FlixBus launched service in Brazil [17] and in 2023, it launched in Chile. [18]
In 2024, FlixBus launched service in India. [18]
# | Date | Company | Seller | Notes | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | January 2015 | MeinFernbus | Received investment from General Atlantic | [19] | |
2 | July 2016 | Megabus Europe | Stagecoach Group | Stagecoach became an operating partner | [20] |
3 | August 2016 | Postbus | Deutsche Post | German bus lines | [21] |
4 | May 2017 | Hellö coach network | Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) | Austrian bus lines | [22] |
5 | April 2019 | 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 | [23] [24] |
6 | August 2019 | Kâmil Koç | Private equity firm Actera Group | Turkish bus lines | [25] |
7 | October 2021 | Greyhound Lines | FirstGroup | U.S. bus lines; price was $78 million | [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] |
In 2016, FlixBus was accused by a German government agency of forcing its partners to make drivers work excessive hours at low wages. [50]
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]
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]
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 that the requirements from the Public Health Agency of Sweden were unclear. [56] [57]
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]
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] [43]