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I have a little confession to make: I’ve been dying to write this Flixbus review for years. In fact, I’ve had a little “Notes” file on my phone compiling anecdotes and facts specifically for this occasion.
… and the day has come.
I’ve relied on Flixbus as my handsome steed literally dozens of times in the past three years, and after a particularly interesting ride (I’ll explain this later), I felt inspired to finally sit down and write an honest Flixbus review that holds nooothing back.
In other words: this one’s definitely #NotSponsored, my friends.
I hope you enjoy your reviews with a dash of salt and sass (AKA what I would name my food blog, tbh).
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TIP: If you are open to options other than Flixbus, I always use Omio to compare/book transport options in Europe. Sometimes trains or flights are cheaper, and this site compares them all at once and sorts them by price, convenience, etc. HotelsCombined offers a similar price check for hotels if you’re still needing a place to stay 🙂
Flixbus: A Quick Introduction
Now, to quickly catch you up to speed, Flixbus is a budget bus travel company that has routes all around Europe.
Known for its ridiculously low fares (think 5 euros one way if you book early enough), its lime green coaches are a ubiquitous sight all around the continent, touting budget-conscious travellers who often look dead in the eyes as they ponder the all too common question “was this worth it?”
And to help you answer that question, I bring you my very honest Flixbus review.
I’ll start first with a quick summary of pros and cons, then dive into some seriously important Flixbus info you need to survive your trip. OH, and if you find this review helpful at all,
I’d super appreciate if you clicked here and purchased from my affiliate link. It comes at no extra cost to you, but earns me a bit of commission. Thank you, and enjoy
PS: Since writing this review, Flixbus has launched new routes in the US! I have no experience riding with Flixbus in the US, but you are free to browse through the comments as several people have left their own experiences there. The following post though is strictly a Flixbus Europe review.
My Flixbus Review of Pros and Cons
Having read my fair share of horrible Flixbus reviews, I need to say that overall, Flixbus really is fine.
Like really, it does what it says it does. It gets you to where you need to go for a dirt cheap price, and their booking process is delightfully straightforward. When you think about how affordably you’re able to travel thanks to them, you realize they do provide epic value for money.
That said, as with all things, you get what you pay for. Don’t hop on a Flixbus expecting razor sharp punctuality, luxurious digs or glowing customer service.
Really, don’t expect anything more than just a place to put your butt for a few hours as you try to ignore your neighbour’s aggressive mouth breathing.
In my opinion, Flixbus makes sense if it’s substantially cheaper than any other alternative (e.g. trains, flights, etc.). This is usually the case if you book early enough (although keep in mind that last minute fares can be comparable to the price of a train or flight).
In addition to that, I’d say Flixbus is a decent option if you’re a relatively carefree traveller. This means no hissy fits if your bus is late or when your driver has the warmth of a walk-in freezer.
Odds are you’ll have to endure some ‘meh’ customer service and do some waiting, maybe even on a random curb somewhere in the rain, so just have your expectations in check.
A quick summary of my Flixbus review pros/cons.
Flixbus Pros
Price: Bar none, it’s one of the most affordable ways you can travel around Europe. It was the saving grace of my exchange student days around Europe. Sometimes you can get tickets for as little as 5 euros one way, or simply use an Interflix voucher to travel around five cities for less than 100 euros! That kind of price is a total bargain.
Ease of booking: Both their website and their app are super simple to use. Their booking process is straightforward and available in multiple languages.
Flexibility: The Flixbus cancellation and modification policy is actually really easy and straightforward. You can actually cancel up to 15 minutes before your trip. In the good old days, any modifications/cancellations used to be free. The fee then moved up to 1 euro, and now it’s a system that charges more the longer you wait to cancel. Still, the highest fee is only 5 euros, which isn’t bad at all. Read more here.
Coverage: They have a lot of routes all over Europe, which makes it a very convenient option (especially in Germany, where I live). Click here to see a map of all their routes.
Some amenities: There are usually charging outlets on board, so that’s nice, alongside reading lights and a bathroom. Note that amenities do vary along different routes/buses, so don’t be surprised if the outlets don’t work, the bathroom is busted or there’s simply none of these things at all.
Safety: Is Flixbus safe? A lot of travellers get scared when they see how cheap the fares are, and while I can admit these buses aren’t luxurious, I’ve never once felt unsafe.
Flixbus Cons
Punctuality: Unless you’re at the starting stop, buses are rarely on time. This is the main reason you shouldn’t book with Flixbus, especially if you need to be punctual (e.g. to catch a connection, important meeting, etc.)
Service: With Flixbus, you are very much on your own. Signs are scarce and usually drivers will speak very minimal English. Drivers aren’t usually that friendly.
WiFi: Does Flixbus have Wifi? I mean…. sure. Kinda. The reality is though that Flixbus WiFi usually doesn’t work. Even when it does, you’re restricted to a small limit that runs out quickly. The Flixbus Wifi limit is not generous at all, so if you have a long ride ahead, make sure to download some offline entertainment or bring along a *gasp* book.
Security: You need to be really careful with your belongings, especially if you’re leaving bags in the hold. They don’t really monitor who picks up what bag, or even watch over the bags as they’re loaded in. I’ve never had anything stolen, but I have heard stories of it happening to to others in which case, yes, you’re totally on your own.
Questionable stops: Flixbus pick up points aren’t always easy to find, nor are they always well-posted. They will also rarely have any form of undercover shelter, so if it’s raining or snowing, be prepared to wait while being pummelled by the elements.
Important Flixbus Info You Need for Surviving Your Trip
I’ll end off this Flixbus review with some really important considerations you need to make before your trip. Think of all this Flixbus info as essential survival tips. Please tattoo them on your thigh or something.
1. Seriously, don’t use Flixbus if you need to be somewhere at a certain time – Flixbus delays are REAL
Punctuality is probably one of the biggest weaknesses of Flixbus.
I can’t stress this enough: if you have to be somewhere (e.g. to catch some kind of connection, job interview, important meeting, hot Tinder date, whatever it is), you shouldn’t rely on Flixbus to get you there in time.
As a serial victim of Flixbus delays, I have to tell you: SO much can happen! You can get stuck in traffic and be delayed by 2 hours (happened to me en route to the Nuremburg airport), you can get hit with randomly terrible weather (happened to me too many times to count) and if you’re lucky, the bus may even spontaneously break down (happened to a friend of mine).
With Flixbus, you should always assume that it’ll run late. If you have something important to catch, consider catching an earlier bus or simply using a different transportation alternative.
2. Book as far in advance as possible
Purchasing Flixbus seats is always cheaper the earlier you book.
If you want to get the best deal, hop on early.
The good news is, Flixbus is really flexible with cancellations and modifications. A few years ago, these were always free to make up until 15 minutes before the trip. I call these the glory days! Sadly this flexibility is no more because the Flixbus system now makes you pay more the closer to the departure you cancel.
Still, the fee isn’t more than 5 euros, so I would suggest buying tickets as early as possible and then getting a refund/modifying the ticket later if needed.
Click here to browse deals now
3. Overnight buses are almost always a terrible idea.
This may come as a severe shock, but Flixbus seats aren’t actually built for a good night’s sleep.
*gasp*
And I totally get why you want to believe in overnight buses, because you really do save buckets of money! Not only are the tickets are cheaper, you get more time to explore the next morning and to boot – you don’t even need to pay for a hotel room.
I mean, if you listen closely, you might hear all the budget travellers peeing their pants in excitement.
This is all dandy until you realize you get no good sleep at all, and arrive at your dream destination with panda eyes and a thirst for ten Red Bulls. Trust me guys, it’s not worth it!
If there’s one thing you take away from this Flixbus review, let it be that overnight buses are the devil, and should be avoided at all costs.
4. The early bird gets the least crappy seat
Honestly, the Flixbus boarding process is like the Hunger Games. All semblance of a line dissipates as soon as the little driver in the lime green jacket emerges.
… and people will hound him like he’s Channing Tatum dipped in sugar.
It really pays to get there early though.
While Flixbus tells you to be there 15 minutes before departure time, I always go earlier.
It might seem paranoid, but being near the front of the line is crucial if you want any chance of sitting with your travel companions, or at least score a window seat away from the bathroom.
Trust me, don’t run in there last minute or you’ll be awkwardly shuffling through the crowded bus, meekly asking people to move their bags. You’ll get some of the most severe side-eye of your life, guaranteed.
FLIXBUS REVIEW BONUS TIP: When you get there early, make sure you stand either by the front door (if you’re doing hand luggage only) or by the Flixbus luggage storage area (if you need to check a bag). You’ll be required to check any bags first before you board, so don’t accidentally stand in the wrong line-up… or you’ll end up in that coveted seat next to the famous Flixbus toilet 😉
5. Expect grumpy customer service
This Flixbus review wouldn’t be complete without a shoutout to that classic Flixbus customer service.
Honestly, I imagine that job interviews for Flixbus drivers goes something like:
Interviewer: Does human contact irritate you? Also, are you good at mumbling?
Driver: *grunts*
Interviewer: You’re hired!
Don’t get me wrong – obviously not ALL Flixbus drivers are grumpy, but service in my experience has rarely been friendly or warm.
The truth is: you and your driver will probably not become Flixbus Besties, he probably won’t be thrilled to answer any additional questions you have and no, he won’t be cracking any jokes or flashing toothy grins your way.
That said, you paid like, 10 euros for your seat, sooo, at least you have that going for you.
On a similar note though, for my fellow English speakers, it’s important that you remember the following…..
6. Don’t expect service to be in English
You really need to prepare yourself well for your Flixbus rides. Know exactly where you’re going, have the destination loaded up on Google Maps, have your passport ready, etc. because odds are, you won’t hear a word of English throughout the ride.
The drivers rarely speak English, and even when they do, they don’t typically make the on-board announcements in English, which means you’ll potentially miss a lot of things like what stop they’re at, how long the breaks are, etc.
Especially if your stop isn’t the final stop, make sure you have a rough idea of how long it’ll take to get there, then hop on Google Maps from time to time to ensure you don’t miss your stop.
7. Want to hear a joke? Flixbus WiFi
Okay, but actually…
You need to know this: Flixbus Wifi is NOT great.
Of course it depends on the route, but sometimes it just will not work at all.
And even when the WiFi magically works, there’s a cap on usage so you’ll usually max out within an hour or so (or like, 5 minutes if you watch too many cat videos on Facebook).
SO, no matter what, don’t count on the WiFi. especially on busier buses where there’s many people trying to leech off it at once.
FLIXBUS REVIEW BONUS TIP: Have everything you need for your arrival (e.g. check-in confirmations, address of your hotel/hostel, etc.) loaded and ready for offline use, just in case the WiFi fails you.
8. Expect some blind, shelterless waiting
With plane travel, you have airports.
With train travel, you have train stations.
With Flixbus, you have………. the curb.
Just kidding. Kind of.
Obviously this all depends on your departure point. In Munich, we are very lucky in that Flixbuses come in and out of the main bus station, which has an undercover area so we’re protected from rain and snow.
The same can’t be said in many other cities (especially small ones) where Flixbus pickup points are just random spots marked with a sign (sometimes not even).
SO, remember to bring an umbrella and bundle up warm. In the case of delays, you’ll often be left waiting outside for an indefinite amount of time.
FLIXBUS REVIEW BONUS TIP:
Literally, this sounds like a joke, but sometimes your bus MIGHT NOT EVEN BE A FLIXBUS. I’m not joking. This is the aforementioned experience that inspired me to finally write this review.
Last week, my Flixbus was running 45 minutes late, and I was beginning to worry because it didn’t show up on the bus board whereas other delayed buses had. I managed to scramble and ask the customer service folks, who promptly pointed me to the (unmarked) Bay 24 and said that it was a white bus, and that the driver was already loading.
I looked around, thinking he was mistaken… I thought Flixbuses were always green.
Panicked, I went up to the sketchy white bus, showed the driver my ticket, and he let me on. It was weird…. and definitely not a Flixbus. And there was no signage to indicate it was where I intended to go.
In other words, if I hadn’t asked, there would have been no way for me to know. Sooooo, if you’re ever lost and confused, make sure to ask someone. Better safe than sorry.
PS: Yes while Flixbus does alert you of delays (they send emails/text messages), these aren’t always 100% accurate and there’s still loads of blind waiting that happens.
For instance, in the above scenario, I got one email in German stating the 45 minute delay, about 1 hour before my departure time.
I then got one email in English stating the delay again….. but this time I received it while I was already on the bus? That wouldn’t have been too helpful. Anyways, be warned!
9. And the Flixbus interior? Well, it’s definitely not the Ritz
The Flixbus experience isn’t meant to be a crazy luxurious one, but overall, the buses are clean and comfortable enough.
That said, at 5’3″, I’m a relatively little thang, so I’ve never struggled with legroom for my stumps, but taller folks might struggle more (certainly on longer rides when the urge to manspread is real).
Flixbus seats do recline a fair bit, but they are super invasive for the person behind you. That said, it does go both ways, so expect your frontsies-neighbour to recline and leave you no space to breathe as well!
FLIXBUS REVIEW BONUS TIP: While some routes seem to advertise snacks/drinks available for purchase on board, I’ve honestly never encountered this in real life (and based on reviews I’ve read, they often don’t deliver on this promise), so don’t bank on it, and try to bring your own refreshments. At least a bottle of water!
10. Flixbus luggage is a free for all…. But you still need to follow the rules
I get a really good laugh out of the Flixbus luggage system, where they’ll literally chuck your bags out on the street at the end of the journey, yet get Hulk-level angry when you try to bring anything kinda big onto the bus.
So, while they don’t seem to care all that much about security, they can be weirdly stern about bag sizing, so keep in mind what your allowance is.
FLIXBUS REVIEW BONUS TIP:
I highly recommend you travel as much as much as possible with a small bag that you can bring on board with you, because security isn’t the best.
I’ve only been on one bus ever where they’ve tagged the luggage and had you trade in tickets to get your bag.
Every other time, it has been a total free for all, which means the luggage doors are left wide open while the bus is loading (i.e. any random could just come up and take your things) and also all the bags are just unloaded onto the street at the end of the journey (i.e. again, any random could just come up and take your things!!)
I’ve luckily never had theft happen to me while using Flixbus, but I have heard horror stories of Flixbus stolen luggage so please be vigilant!
A few tips for surviving Flixbus luggage:
Tag your bags and try to put some kind of unique identifier on it. Since luggage at the end of the trip is such a free for all, having a unique thing on your bag might help prevent anyone taking your stuff by accident.
Don’t bring anything over the Flixbus luggage size limit, or be prepared to pay up (in cash).
Bring some cash with you in the off-chance that you do need to pay those dreaded Flixbus baggage fees.
I saw a girl struggle so hard once because her bag was a little bit oversized, and they wouldn’t accept any cards to pay the difference. The bus driver straight up threatened to leave her there if she didn’t find an ATM!
13. The drivers will wait for NO ONE
This kinda goes back to #5, with the whole customer service thing... but yeah, Flixbus drivers don't usually care if you're being left behind.
Sometimes they'll half-heartedly count passengers before leaving a rest stop, but often they do not. They also do not care for latecomers.
EXAMPLE:
Once upon a time, I was on a bus that was literally stuck in the bus station queue of vehicles waiting to leave. In other words, we were still at the station, and weren't going anywhere anytime soon. This frantic guy then showed up, relieved to see the bus was still around, and kept tapping at the door, suitcase in hand, begging the driver to let him on.
The bus driver stared at him, almost drinking in the suspense before ultimately deciding that he was not worthy. Some friends of mine also reported an instance of two friends being left behind at a rest stop, with their passports and get this: their SHOES still on the bus.
Kinda asking for it though - I mean leaving the bus shoeless? Come on.
Sooooo, FLIXBUS REVIEW BONUS TIP: don't ever be late!
14. Only sit by the bathroom is you want to die
This is the ultimate Flixbus review bonus tip...
There are few woes worse than the horror of near-bathroom Flixbus seats. Trust me. This is not something you want in your life. Unless you want your Flixbus experience to literally go to shit.
The smell is the worst. Just avoid, avoid.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Don’t forget to bring a passport and your ticket
This is so important! If you're travelling internationally, it doesn't matter if you're going through countries like Schengen where passports aren't typically checked, they'll still want one from you.
The bus driver will always ask for it, and I have been checked many times going through Schengen countries (e.g. from Austria to Germany for instance).
Always have your passport when you travel with Flixbus! And a copy of your ticket too (whether on your phone or printed out).
At the end of the day, my Flixbus review can be summed up in a few key words: it gets the job done, but not glamorously.
I hope you enjoyed this honest Flixbus review!
Again, this post was not sponsored in any way, I just wanted to share my personal Flixbus experience after having used their service so many times in the past few years.
I hope that you're know better equipped with the Flixbus info you're looking for. If not, feel free to ask away in the comments! If you've decided after this review that Flixbus isn't for you, I highly recommend using Omio to compare your other options. It's a free and super helpful website that shows you all the different transport possibilities (from trains and planes to flights).
Lastly, if you are booking with them in the near future, please consider using this link, which earns me a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much!
Thanks for great hones summary! I’ve used to travel a lot by PolskiBus in Poland, which has now been acquired by FlixiBus brand. Quality of customer service in PolskiBus was very good, chargers always ok, service by phone or email always ok, drivers speaking sometimes in English, all stops described on their website, on most popular routes they had snacks for free, can you imagine?
The fleet of polish routes still should be fine, but Flixi bus is also merging with smaller partners that have a lower quality of service. This is business, so in return, we customers have 1 app for whole Europe, that’s valuable for me.
Right now I live in Germany and info that you provided will be useful to know what to expect.
I have been using Flixbus many times, I would say 75 percent of the times everything goes smoothly, that means that 1 time out of 4 you’ll experience problems. If you are lucky the problem will be that your coach does not arrive on time, if you are not lucky then such things can happen to you as it did to me or others :
– being stuck waiting for your coach, sometimes without shelter when it’s freezing as hell or raining heavily.
– the coach stops at a petrol station, you see people going to the toilet or getting food, so you also go for a shit and when you come out you realise the coach has left without you. You’re in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country wondering what the hell you’re gonna do.
– your coach breaks down in the middle of a busy roundabout in a Polish city, you wait 1h30 without airconditionning inside the bus, then another bus arrives, you then have to wait even more until they get all the baggages back in the new coach.
– thieves stealing your bags or suitcase in the hold of the coach because the driver don’t give a fly, so when you arrive at destination you realise your bag is missing, it sucks.
– Driver not speaking a word of English
– Driver being so arrogant you end up fighting with him and having the police come on board.
– Flixbus claiming snacks and drinks are available and that there is wifi on board is the biggest lie ever, rarely you’ll have snacks or drinks available and wifi often does not work, is absent or when it works it’s so slow that even reading your email will take ages to load up. A farce!
– missing your connection because the german police stops your coach 3 times in a row when crossing their country.
In order to sleep in a coach I make sure I did not sleep much the day before the journey. I bring half litter of Vodka, some hash and/or some Xanax. Believe you me, It helped me a lot on my last journey from Gdansk to Prague.
–
Great review. I’ve lived through some of those 🙂
As for baggage: For some reason, Flixbus is adamant that folding bikes be considered as full-size bikes*, even though they can be no bigger than a suitcase:
https://s17.postimg.cc/von89mba7/Brompton.folded.size.big.wheel.jpg
* Currently: 9€ charge, and you have to make a reservation by… calling a number at least 48hrs before travelling. Odd that you can’t do this while booking a ticket on their website.
I had a bad cpouple of experiences with them this past summer. I can totally agree with each and every single point of this list.
Flixbus is only good if you want to get somewhere cheaply without caring about the rest.
Personally I would only use them again if I’m very broke or have endless vacation days (which is not happening just yet)
Haha glad you found the review accurate. I totally agree. I’m definitely using them less and less as I get older, wiser, and….. richer lol
What a horrible customer service this company offers. They arrive at Victoria station an hour late, don’t apologise (driver arrogantly says it not his fault) and rather than taking a tunnel while crossing the English Channel to make up for the lost time, they choose the cost effective ferry which takes another 2.5hrs compared to the tunnel’s 30mins. The company commits to get us to brussels at 16:40, but on several arrives more than 3.5hrs later without without a single apology or plausible explanation as to why this is happening except for the driver to say that it’s not his fault.. Horrible service and this is the last time I am using this company.
Don’t no get me started on changes and cancellation! In order to change your ticket (which they claim you can do job to 1hr before your journey) you have to cancel the booking. But the catch is each cancellations comes with a fee. Greedy suckers!!
The tunnel is for trains only (?)
No. There’s also a highway. With a very expensive toll.
So much useful info here! Thanks a lot
I agree with everything you just said. However I can describe you my experiences with late night treaveling with FlixBus. I was heading to Sarajevo at night and literally everbody was either snoring, talking loudly etc. People even slept on the floor. Make yourself comfortable as much as it is possible, earplugs and sleep mask is MUST. With those I have never ever had a problem to fall asleep on board of any bus. On the other hand my trip to Vienna from Ljubljana was simply astonishing. Kind driver, a bus was 50% full, so I could enjoy two seats for myself. Another thing is that actually each bus is “unique”. It could be a Mercedes or any other brand. Why do I mention this? As I guy, 196 cm tall, sometimes it is a real struggle to find a seat with room for my legs. So in one bus someone who is 180 cm would struggle with leg room in another bus even I would be completely fine.
My advice is HOPE FOR THE BEST AND EXPECT THE WORST.
nice review and will be happy to use your link if it earns you something 🙂
confirming the absurd policy for folding bikes.
Specifically I travel with a brompton which is so tiny when folded, like a standard suitcase. First time going and coming back in just a few hours. The first driver said it needs to be covered, for this occasion as I said it was my first time and asked kindly I was allowed on and parked the bike in a way so it could not bother anyone else’s suitcase. Coming back there was the grumpy sharp driver saying just “no bike”. Even when folded it was hard as he didn’t consider it any different, even when covered (learnt from the driver coming down). I must say I was lucky as I was about to pay for the 9 euro receipt when they said the cards were not working and in the end got lucky again. But this won’t last another time… so I’ll try with a proper suitcase and see if it fits – in which case I’ll carry on using the service…. alternatively I’ll raise the competition against them offering my extra 6 seats (land rover discovery with thulebox on the roof) on blablacar and happily at a lower rate too (I always select the lowest on blablacar and it is lower than flixbus ha!)
Do you know that Interflix pass will be refunded in the form of money or Flixbus credit?
I don’t think Flixbus ever gives refunds in the form of cash. I might be wrong but in my experience, it has always been credit, although I’ve never tried with Interflix. Sorry!
Hahaha.
Christina I was laughing aloud when i was reading this review. I am from India and planning to explore Europe . lolz whatever u mentioned I am already used to it . but thanks ur review changed my view about flixbus. hope i will enjoy my trip. Can u suggest if any other bus services is more relevant than flixbus to explore Europe at cheap rates.
Thanks for the review. We booked a FlixBus from Rome to Sorrento (very clear bus station in Rome with screens as to what bus bay your bus will arrive at), and it was a great price, on time to leave and a good bus with a toilet. Just BYO wet wipes. This bus also stopped at Naples and Pompei (city not tourist area) bus stops. We booked online, very easy, but the bus was full so being June you may want to book ahead as there was only one service for the day
My experience:
Was booked on journey from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on 12 June 2018, with my wife. The departure was from intersection of Chavez Ave and Vignes St, LA. The Departure was scheduled at 7am. Initially a message was received that the bus was delayed and would come at 9.30 am. When it didn’t arrive, we contacted the helpline in Germany?? they informed us that they couldn’t trace the bus. The bus finally arrived at 11am. A delay of 4 h. Then began the comedy of errors. the driver apparently got delayed as he got lost in LA. Thereafter, he couldn’t get out of LA, as he didn’t know the roads. When asked why he didn’t contact his main office he stated that his cellphone had died??? when there was a charger on board!!. The asst. a lady was only interested in eating and sleeping. Also there was no GPS in the bus and they were relying on their mobile, which used to keep switching off. It was one of the most horrible journeys ever. Apparently FlixBus being Germany based, utilizes local established Companies and in this case apparently the local Company had outsourced it to some local. The driver didnt even know the name of the Company. FlixBus will lose out if it doesnt get its act together, through strict monitering.
My booking No was 8070389924
Bhanu Kumar Pande
Hi, since you’ve reviewed Flixbus and it probably is not the most comfortable way to travel across Europe, would you recommend any other buses that are better than Flixbus? Asking this since I was planning to book a Flixbus to travel from Switzerland to Amsterdam.
I was excited to take my first trip Via Flixbus to Las Vegas; however, I had to cancel as I purchased a new car. I went to their website, read instructions and clicked on cancel. I was not cancelled but given a voucher for another trip. I do not plan to take another trip. I called their customer service line, somewhere in Europe and was politely quoted a long Flixbus policy and procedure which states I should not have hit the cancel button. Since I did, I am only eligible for a voucher. So, I have a voucher to Las Vegas which I will never use. And yes, I will never ride Flixbus. Additionally I tried to unsubscribe from their emails and receive the following error message: “there is a problem with the resource you are looking for and can not be located. I will never deal with them again. How much money have they made by refusing to give refunds? Never again, and if anyone asks…
So, I have a useless voucher.
Oh dear. I pride myself on keeping costs low when I travel to Europe so I jumped on Flixbus when it popped up as an alternate on a rail site. Astonished at the prices, I quickly made 5 reservations for my husband and I (10 trips) for a total of about $150. After I read your review, I realized I’m not equipped to deal with the potential headaches around language and finding the damn bus. Crap. I no doubt have to eat the $150, but I’m afraid I’ve gotta go back to the train site and pay up there.
Shittest bus company i have ever come across!!!!. They loot you and when you ask for a refund they say NO and instead fool you with a voucher. Worst customer service who disconnected my call so many times despite the fact that I had to wait so much for the call to get connected in the first place!!!! AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COST.
The Flixbus website is set up to trick people out of their money if they have to cancel a trip and want a refund. The small print indeed states that refunds are available, but if you navigate through the main page to “cancel and change” you will only be able to get a voucher, NOT your money back. However, it is not made clear that there is no option to choose between a voucher and getting money back. Indeed, the page suggests that vouchers are only there to be used for CHANGING bookings – not in lieu of a refund if you want to CANCEL. The site is unclear, and you may very well end up getting a voucher before it’s too late. And nowhere is the ACTUAL procedure for getting a refund made clear (viz. writing a separate email using a different part of the site).
If Verflixtbus were honest about having decent customer service, they would include the cash refund procedure in their FAQ and rename the main page on their website “change booking” (with no mention of cancellation). The fact they don’t do that shows that they wish to trick people out of money.
I’ve written back and forth to these people many times, explaining my honest mistake (and expressing the fact that their site is somewhat deceptively designed). Nothing. They just repeat again and again that they think the website is clear, that I knowingly agreed to a voucher and that it is non-refundable.
I mean, if they cared about their customers they would actually understand what I’m saying and give me the money back. But that’s clearly not their game.
A band of thieves. I will never consider using them again and will discourage everyone I know from doing so.
I can relate with most things you wrote. I was nearly left behind at a rest stop, although I didn’t exceed the time given by the driver. I tapped relentlessly on his window until he grudgingly let me in. Talk about the delays: they once got to my destination 1 hour 30 minutes later than was stated on the ticket.
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY – WARNING!!
I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS SERVICE!
Got to the UK eurotunnel. The coach driver couldn’t speak good English. I didn’t even hear him say out letter for departure.
Saw some people on my bus whilst I was getting food inside. Asked them and they said letter V.
Due to delays, it was 1.30am and the departure time was meant to be 5.15am, but the board ended up saying 6.50am for our departure. Fine. I waited. It said please proceed, I had no idea how to use this system as I never had before. 30 minutes after the time was shown on the screen for letter V, I went out to find the coach. IT HAD GONE WIHTOUT ME.
My luggage was still on the coach on the passenger seat. Luckily I had my passport, phone charger etc with me.
The staff at the eurotunnel said it is the coach drivers responsibility to do a head count and make sure everyone is there. You have my mobile number, he could have called Me. I had my phone on.
I am a young female travelling on my own, with little experience travelling. Imagine if I was a foreign person and didn’t speak English or French, I would have NO idea how to navigate the area.
The driver can talk rubbish about the fact I ‘should have been there’, but if he had given CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS on what to do when we got off the coach, or flixibus emailed it to us before, or if we had the coach drivers mobile number, this wouldn’t have happened. You can’t run a Coach company and expect all passengers to fend for themselves. It is disgusting and unfair.
I have had no sleep. I am so tired and to finish it all off, when I finally get to Paris (I am getting on a coach at 11.30am, so am scared to sleep in case it goes again), I dont have any luggage. No clothes, no shoes, no underwear, no toiletries, no contact lenses and no medication. They are sending me my luggage (apparently) in the post within three weeks, even though I am going to be in Paris where my luggage ended up. I don’t know if I will even get it back. I urge you to not use this company. They have just caused problem after problem for me.
I never write complaints about anything. You will not find one complaint from me online for anything. This is my first which I hope shows how outrageous their service is.
FlixBus does not tag luggage and verify. They handed over somebody else luggage to me today. As a result I do not have my medicine with me in foreign international land. This bus company is very shady in all aspect of customer experience.
This is my first time with Flexibus or it would be if they hadn’t cancelled my trip! 12 hours notice and they’ve kicked me off the bus even though I booked months ago I now only get 14 hours in Luxembourg before I have to return to Uk. There’s nothing else that I can do as my flight to London is from Luxembourg. Not happy and no response from customer service. I just wish I had another option.
I missed such honest good comments on Flixbus. My lst overnight ride with it was a nightmare from Prague to Munchen recently, lost my luggage. Being a foreigner I cant speak driver’s language neither he can with English. Station office staff unhelpful and unfriendly, just prompt me to file online with lost & found dept. Was shocked it has 30days grace period to response. I had to live without my stuff and only glad my passport was saved. Still shocked and confused what had happening and what good will turn out.
maybe you should check out the local railways, they aren’t that expensive as most think. For example I have just found and booked a journey NL ↔ CH for 39.90 € with 20€ supplement for 1st class, and on the way back a stop at Heidelberg 15.99 € from Luzern and another 29.90 € from there to NL. Also the times aren’t all fixed, I can take any train I want on all the legs of the last two tickets. And virtually there is no weight limit of bags, because who is to know? I remember very well a few years before Flixbus ruined the bus network system from Amsterdam all the way to Inverness for as cheap as 35 € one way, was really handy, but it’s no more thanks to them. If we look back about ten years ago international buses were a lot cheaper; that would have cost me 17€ to CH one way then and even longer ago Eurolines had local drivers from the country itself and hostesses on board.
I am considering using Flixbus for a trip to Vegas and wanted to compare this company to other bus companies I’ve used. Thank you, everyone, for the reviews.
Will never set foot on another Flixbus; I don’t do business with a thief! The bus was late over an hour. I kept on checking the incoming Flixbuses and asked bus station windows. The drivers didn’t know what’s going on and even were rude to anxious customers. Finally I was told by the clerk in the bus station that my bus had came and left; what? No refund or voucher was issued when I complained to the customer service. So they took my money without providing any service except frustration and stress – THIEF
I did overnight coach to Frankfurt & back with my wife; we’re not in a great hurry to do overnight again lol.
I’ll happily consider using Flixbus again but would rather pay a bit more to travel by train or something like that.
The only downside to our Flixbus experience was when we got back to London. The quality of driving was proper dodgy at times, the drivers sat nav had stopped working so they got a bit lost. When we finally got to Victoria coach station one of the drivers was being proper arsy & swearing at some of the passengers. I guess that was his way of dealing g with the stress of being 3 hours late, getting lost & generally having to drive a double decker coach in central London:)
I will have two bags of 23 kg each and a hand carry of 7 kg. Will i have to pay extra for my luggage?
I took a night journey on Flixbus- NEVER AGAIN. I’ve traveled all through North and South America via bus so am no stranger when it comes to long distance journeys. At every stop drivers were respectful and let people sleep. Most people taking a night bus do so with the reasonable expectation that their ride will be a relatively smooth, straight shot on the freeway, where they can sleep and then arrive refreshed at their destination. Not so my Flixbus trip. It was instead a higgledy-piggledy route through every back country lane between Zurich and Venice. The bus would go around and around corners and roundabouts at fast speeds, slam on the breaks, your head rolling back and forth on your shoulders, all the bright fluorescent lights would then be turned on every 30-40 minutes for uncountable stops. All the passengers would groan and curse, but the drivers didn’t care. Some African girl argued for hours on her mobile between the hours of 12am to 2am. Finally she stopped. The drivers chattered incessantly back and forth, all the while receiving super annoying ping notifications on the phones through the night. Nobody on the bus was able to sleep a wink. Awful experience, will never use again!
Pains me to say: that sounds about right lol. I’ve only taken a handful of night bus journeys with them and they were similar. Sorry to hear you had such a crappy experience!
As a frequent user of flixbus in Europe, I found the blog to be fairly spot on. My advice would be, be prepared for delays, bring water with you and food, bring a power bank in case sockets are not working, bring hand sanitizer and tissues and a good pair of headphones really can be worth it too as well as some downloaded movies for a long journey. Flixbus is not luxury but it really helped me in the past when I have needed to travel and did not have funds for trains and planes. But if the bus is full, the journey can be fairly grim and if the bus is quiet it is so much nicer. You do get all sorts of people, nationality and age groups travelling so good headphones to drown it all out can really help!
Flixbus might work as long as absolutely nothing goes wrong. But like you wrote, as a passenger you are pretty much on your own. I lost my bag, and the customer service has been substandard. Answers are very vague, effort feels minimal or non-existent, and all information is in a system the customer service can’t really connect to. The lost-and-found department uses a “system that matches information automatically”, but no one can say how or what time frames there are. I’ve been waiting for weeks. Others for months, even a year. It’s clear where they save on expenses.
And calling the international English number didn’t work – I just got connected to the German service that couldn’t speak English very well, and that just gave me the same standard answers as the web page.
So I’m not going to use this company again. If something goes wrong there must be a customer service that works. And theirs doesn’t.
Wish I’d read your review earlier. Took the overnight bus from Brussels to Zurich with a change in Luxembourg. Had to wait for 4 hours in the middle of the freezing night on the curb as the connecting bus was delayed. Never again!
This guys left college kid and few other passengers in Los Angeles cuz bus is full. We all had confirmed tickets. Driver said another bus coming in few minutes. Customer service had no idea when the bus is coming. Some people made their own arrangements. It was a nightmare for kids who can’t drive or make their own arrangement. What kind of business overbook seats and don’t make any arrangement for that. Extremely unprofessional and dishonest.
Wow, so many bad feedbacks in the comment.. but I do agree with your review. Also never had a bad experience, but might be out of luck, for sure this service is the cheapest and has to be taken with caution…
You sure you dont have a career in stand up – reviews don’t get read unless they re written in fab style…Yours was really fun to read while capturing all the details I needed
As a backpacker myself, I took the bus from LA to palm springs and had plans to write a review – but I think I d rather refer to yours 🙂
Thanks and cheers!
Sharath
This is a pretty entertaining thread to read especially since I’ve had a few bad experiences myself. I’ll list them from best to worst.
1. Going to the airport and the bus was over an hour late! Thankfully my mum didn’t miss her flight.
2. Going to Prague for the first time from Dresden and I had no idea ‘international’ buses were the other side of the road as there was no signage etc. Of course, I missed my bus.
3. I always keep my rucksack and jacket/coat at my feet (tucked out of the way so it doesn’t block the corridor), but the driver decided he wasn’t going to allow this? He’s literally the only driver in the world I’ve ever had make this into a problem and I must take a coach on average every one to two months, lol! So anyway he made me put my rucksack in the hold which is ridiculous since it’s an average sized bag, and then made me put my jacket overhead. Since I never, ever put anything on the overhead rack I of course forgot my jacket and my keys and so had to wait around for a friend when I arrived, crash on their couch, and then go get some new keys and convince my landlord that I’d actually lost the first lot and wasn’t just pretending so I could get a second set for a secret boyfriend, hahaha. I’m still mystified about why the driver was so petty! And flixbus lost and found never found my stuff.
4. This was the absolute worst one – from Berlin to Dresden I had two large bags – which I had paid for in advance, and it was clearly stated on my ticket that I had. Anyway the driver absolutely refused to let me on the bus without paying him another 9 euros, even though I explained I’d already paid the extra, and showed him my ticket. Anyway it got to the point that he was about to drive off without me, so I coughed up. Cue a MONTH long email thread/call log with flixbus who were adamant that they wouldn’t give me a refund as they had no proof of payment since I was forced to pay in cash. After bringing out the big guns of ‘extortion’ they finally gave me a 9 euro voucher.
Those are my four bad experiences – but in all fairness I made 21 journeys with them in 10 months and the other 17 journeys (19 buses as I had some changes) were perfectly fine!
This was extremely helpful! I’ll be traveling with Flixbus next month and now I know what to expect. Thank you!!
You’re very welcome, Lori 🙂 Have fun!
I am currently on a night bus from Malmö to Stockholm. As a very used traveler for all types of transportation options I can say my bad for not bringing anything to read. Luckily I have slept for hours, as was one reason for a night bus. The people I visit like me arriving in the morning, and well rested. The driver asked if it was Kristina, and arrived right on time actually. I didn’t need to show my ticket. It’s been way cold up until 7:20 am. I arrive 8:55 am. As far as the bathroom I don’t smell like anything, so can’t have an opinion there. I was never told about snacks, so no issue there. Again, my bad for only bringing a poptart and a Reese’s easter egg. I told my sister I will go to a café at central station for breakfast before taxing it to their house. She already told me to take my time if I needed coffee or a bathroom break or something. I got no surprises, but a late bus would have been no surprise. I travel on busses with stuff in my lap if needs be instead of putting it elsewhere, but no need this time. This isn’t five star, but no surprises what so ever. My mission of knowing being late I would still have plenty of time to get ready for my nephews confirmation, no more stress with trains not being released on time due to planned track maintainance, not needing to get a vacation day, which I desperately wanted to save, not leaving work early, arriving at a good time for everyone at the house, andnot paying more than originally planned with the train, was accomplished. I’m satisfied. I would do this again. I even planned well for a freezing bus (read airplane cold) as it’s either that or o ac on like all busses ever. It pays off to be a seasoned traveler. An hour and 15 min to go, and I am so ready for coffee, which I could have thought of bringing in my to go mug.
Here in the U.S.A., Greyhound has had to lower its prices to compete with Flixbus, which recently came here from Europe. Flixbus travels from Provo, Utah to Las Vegas, Nevada at 1:25 PM. It travels from Las Vegas to Provo at 12:30 PM (from Vegas Strip) and 1:00 PM (from Downtown Vegas). The biggest problem is that Greyhound no longer has any night bus you can take from Provo to Las Vegas or from Las Vegas to Provo, like they used to. Those night buses were convenient. Greyhound probably stopped its night buses because of competition from Flixbus. Greyhound now only has one bus going from Provo to Vegas, at 8:40 AM, and one bus going from Vegas to Provo, at 7:55 AM. If you want to get to Vegas earlier in the day, you can pay Greyhound a little more for an earlier trip. It would be nice if Flixbus had a night bus. I’m not sure if the new option to leave Vegas in the middle of the day makes up for the previous option of leaving Vegas at 10 PM. In the past it was nice being able to check out of your hotel room and hang around Vegas until 10 PM. You can’t go that anymore. On the other hand, leaving Vegas at 12:30 PM or 1:00 PM gives you a chance to get to Provo and get a full night’s sleep in your own bed. You don’t get good sleep on a night bus. Leaving Vegas on the Greyhound at 7:55 AM is way too early. Leaving at 12:30 PM or 1:00 PM on Flixbus is better because you can wake up early and enjoy Vegas for a few hours that last day before you have to leave. If Flixbus added a night bus they might charge more, so if low cost is your priority it might be better if Flixbus does not add a night bus. The loss of the 10 PM night bus is the worst part because you could enjoy Fridays in Vegas (most of the day) without having to pay high weekend prices for a Friday night hotel. The same thing goes for Saturdays. If you work during the day you can’t take the Greyhound bus to Vegas at 7:20 PM like you used to.
san Francisco to san diego-usa
bad customer service, very bad customer service help line…no scale to weigh luggage yet the claim 50lbs..had to 2 mini pieces of luggage weighing less than 50lbs..the driver wont let me get on board with the two bags telling me i have to leave one behind. behind with who? meaning i had to either throw away one bag or stay with my bag but lose the bus entirely. called customer service to see if i could make payment for the second bag and trust me the response was even worse off than the drivers own..please passagers theres no guarantee and safety of the luggages with this company..okay bus BUT BUTT poor service and no respect for customers in terms of emergency or even cancelation from the company itself.they will rip u off by telling u to cancel the ticket ..BAD BUTT HOLE SERVICE FROM FLIX BUS..I HOPE DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS WILL TEAM UP TO BRING THIS COMPANY TO BOOK ……THEY DO NOT EVEN LISTEN NOR CARE TO TAKE CRITISMS TO IMPROVE SERVICE…we leave in a jungle is their mantra …the driver was yelling at passengers like kids and smoking in the face of the passagers …’leave the 2nd bag at the bus stop if you want to be on the bus, be on the bus now or i leave you behind” i am super mad mad just over $40 ticket? these people do not deserve even 1star….NEGATIVE 5 shitholes not a satr…
Real experiences with Flix bus I used flix bus which is one of the best bus services in Europe; however after a recent long tour in central Europe I found some serious irregularities which can affect any passenger therefore writing you to be vigilant
• First of all they often come late I received late buses thrice out of nine journeys, once frottmaning Munich Germany; it was late around 45 minutes as on 15 april 2019 9:55 connection 006. Similarly flix bus got late again when I travelled from Zurich Switzerland as on and 17 April 2019 9:00 connection N11 ironically it was late more than one and half hour Likewise it got late at Venice mester as on 20 april 2019 15:15 connection 537 around 15 minutes.
• Secondly in most of the occasions in big cities around in 80% cases, flix bus is deprived of in provision of any waiting area, service centre or information centre.
• Flix bus driver will leave you in lurch e.g. middle of the road and pick you from bus station where you will be having no information of which platform or terminal the bus will use to arrive, the best way to find the likewise passengers, or came at least 30 minutes before departure and to go window to window in search of similar passenger and to find the information at which terminal or stand bus will arrive.
• I have eye witnessed there is non-synchronization of the clock installed inside the bus with standard time being updated in your mobile, perhaps the flix bus clock is not automatically updated. I saw as on 29 April 2019 15:45 at Prague Florence connection 083 Flix bus was departed 2 minutes earlier due to the difference of time being shown in the bus with the standard time automatically updated in your mobiles. God knows better how many has become the victims of this non sense.
• Drivers in most of the occasions particularly in central Europe couldn’t speak English and slightly rude. They don’t even open the doors for Asians particularly if someone is asking for information, I found the solution by asking a European standing nearby who requested driver to help me in absence of any information centre.
• In small stations bus drivers can misbehave e.g. I was pushed by a bus driver in Most SNP Bratislava as on 25 april 2019 16:40 connection 901 who ran the bus without boarding me with mocking smile didn’t even feel it better to communicate with me.
• On board internet will be interrupted most of the time and couldn’t run smoothly.
• While being in Asia flix bus tickets couldn’t be booked through credit card I tried dozens of time it got stuck just after two to three bookings, consequently I sought a friend help living in Europe to get bookings on my behalf.
Yup I m another unhappy wanna be Flix bus Customer. Wanted to go from Lugano to Milan Airport but they have cancelled the service and booked me and my family onto another bus which reaches after plane leaves so that’s €50 down the drain! I am not even going to try since PayPal say they have no customer protection agreement with them and everyone says you will never see money back . Someone said this sounds downright illegal…
Never ever use the Flix Bus in US. Had a worst and horrible experience. We were group of 7 and planned a travel Las Vegas from Provo,Utah. We checked for the bus and booked a Flix Bus and all set to go. On the day of Travel to Las Vegas we went to the designated pickup point provided on the App. There were around 20 people waiting for the bus and we just inquired, if they are waiting for the same bus. We were supposed to get picked up at 9.30 AM and were waiting for the bus till 10.00 AM. We called the Flix help desk and to our wonder they said the bus had already left Provo. We didnt understand what in the world was happening and how the bus left us. Other people were also started calling they got the same answer. And even their help desk said that their bus was in the point and we missed it. It is not possible for 20 people to miss the bus if the bus had really come to the designated point. After lot of calls and wasting time, Flix said they will refund the money. Story does not end here as we had booked a Flix bus for Return from Las Vegas to Provo. After this experience, we thought we will call the bus operator and take the details of the pick up point and time so that we dont miss the bus. Pick up in Las Vegas was scheduled at 12.30 PM and we were in the pickup point by 12PM. We did call Flix help desk to make sure that the bus has not left already. They said bus will come to the point. We waited till 12.40PM and to our surprise bus did not turn up. We called the Flix desk and they said it would be delayed by 15 minuted. Again waited for 25 mins, bus did not turn up. There were 2 more people with us who were supposed to board the same bus. We called the Flix desk again and they said the bus i moving slow and will reach the pickup point in 20 minutes. Again waited for 30 minutes and call the Flix. They said there is some operational issue and will call us back and inform the details in 15 minutes. This is the longest 15 minutes of my life. We never received a call back. We called again and to our surprise they said the bus is cancelled due to operational issue and never informed us about it until we called them for several time. It was a very poor customer service and did not really expect this. My suggestion, never plan your travel with Flix.
We are Canadians and took Flixbus several times in May 2019. From Caen to Amiens was fantastic. very kind guide who accepted my bad French with good grace and told us where to find the train station so that we could board for Arras. In fact, it was right across the street!
While in Arras, I realized we did not have transport to Lille to Rotterdam. I don’t have a smartphone, so how do you show your booking. I found a print shop near Lille station that printed the all-essential electronic code. But do not rely on finding a Flixbus agency because there is none!
Rotterdam to Stockhom was bad. The bus was one and a half hours late and no one had any clue. The pair of drivers lived in their own private world and never once checked the passenger area. We had one stop =maybe Hamburg. long enough for a smoke. My companion wandered off to find a toilet, of which there was none, and could easily have been abandoned. The drivers wait for no one.
Due to the hour and a half delay in Rotterdam, we had a total of one hour to find toilets, buy food for take away, and then try to locate the Stockholm bus down a very long street shared with arrogant cyclists. They claimed our tickets were outdated by a day, but I pointed out that our journey had begun the day before.
This driving team spoke little English and no Swedish. They had no idea where the Stockholm train station was in relation to the bus station. They were pleasant enough/
Honestly, I would have paid more for a better experience, but Flixbus came up in Google and that is what I went with.
Consumer/Rider Beware:
I used FlixBus for the first time in March of 2019. I traveled from Las Vegas to Anaheim for a Disneyland Trip.
My first experience was practically perfect. I even made a vlog about it which was meant for my friends to see, but it gained 3k in views and became my most active posted video: https://youtu.be/tq8IxRxy2cI
So I’ve attempted twice more to use FlixBus and BOTH TIMES they’ve changed the booking on me. The timing hasn’t been the issue with the change, as it’s been within a ten minute window (for example, a 7:15pm pickup was changed to 7:05pm on the same day.)
But the part that pisses me off is that I had paid extra to reserve a seat in the FRONT of the bus (larger seats, more leg room and quieter in the front). I was unable to then reserve the same front seats after the reservation had been changed. So I PAID for the better seating, but when FlixBus changed the booking, I was bumped down to general seating with no way to reserve the upgraded seats. LAME.
They don’t offer refunds: they instead give you a voucher (worth less than you originally paid) to use on a future trip. You can only use one voucher per booking (I currently have several) AND if you upgrade your seating, you have to PAY MORE AGAIN. What good will vouchers do me if I never want to use FlixBus again? They’re making money off of THEIR MISTAKES. REALLY frustrating and I will not be using them again. Ever.
A truthful and genuine reviews which I have experienced myself.
I was with my wife and daughter as first time travelers to see Europe this summer. True of its extremely low fare (early booking) and we had 8 rides altogether intercities.
Hopefully the company would take a very serious considerations especially on all the cons and provide remedies, especially on the safety and security of the passengers and belongings.
I took Flix overnight bus from VT,Bulgaria to Bucharest with Zero problems for 16 euros this summer. You do an injustice scaring people away. Next month, Flix — Bucharest to Zagreb. TEAM FLIX!
These comments are terrible, for sure make flixbus seem worse then they are.
Almost all busses I take are night busses from Netherlands to my girlfriend in Poland and usually at around 4am you become that tired that you will sleep, even when u are 1.90 like me. My 2nd flixbus I took years ago in Croatia and it was also a shady white bus so I totally can relate with this stressing experience.
Also experienced the most idiotic passagers and learned to be good boy towards driver. I even took my racing bike with me a couple of times without a problem.
Having said this I also came late with this bike once after cycling 70km and was lucky the bus was still there and let me on delaying the bus even more specially for me.
Not all drivers are assholes and not every bus is a shady piece of junk. Flixbus for me really is the most reliable way to see my girlfriend every month without spending a fortune. Never have I had anything stolen or left behind. Losing a few hours of sleep is something you should expect while taking a night bus and not just those of flixbus. Actually the standard of these busses are that variable that I can honestly say I’ve had some really good nightbus flixbusses.
Don’t be frightening by all these comments. If you are young you can take it! Review is accurate, comments are the worsed of the worsed experiences.. Not a realistic picture.
I got sexually harrassed by Flixbus drivers TWICE. imagine a man inviting the other passengers to judge your body, imagine being stroked, petted, massaged by a man you can’t afford to smack. They know their complaint service will always just send the customer off with a voucher, and they use this power. “if you are young you can take it” is an awful excuse.
the worst experience ever!
Bus from Brussels to Paris arrived 15 minutes late. The bus driver then said that there were too many people without counting them. Then stated that another bus would come. His destination changed and then no other bus arrived even not after 1,5 hours.
During that time, calling Flixbus helpdesk just was an outrage: promises of SMS’s with details of when the replacement bus would arrive were just plain lies and hundreds of times “we don’t have any information in the system”.
Then after almost two hours, a mail came in to say that the bus was cancelled but another bus would come another 2 hours later.
We just went for a train ticket instead.
Now another mail arrived that the second bus that was 4 hours later then the original time was also 40 minutes delayed.
WORSE EXPERIENCE EVER, AVOID AT ALL COST.
It is not just the fact that no information was given and plain lies were told, it is also the fact that they keep people waiting for hours which prevents them to find an alternative means of transportation.
On top of all of this, helpdesk was only in German, when choosing English as an option, one go German. Luckily I also speak German and when getting a number for so called English service, the number didn’t work.
Again, AVOID AT ALL COST!
At may be cheap, but in our case it turned out to be very expensive both in lost time, frustration and in the end losing much more money on limited options remaining (took the high speed train eventually…)
This is by far THE WORST bus transportation company I have ever ridden in!
RUDE DRIVERS!
Trip from Basel to Colmar the driver made a stop that was not planned (on route) for 30 minutes and got mad when I asked him why we stopped, bus arrived at our destination 35 minutes late. Then he Deliberately blocked door so my pregnant wife could not get out front door of bus and literally pushed me!
On way back from Colmar to Basel the driver was also very rude, did not let us sit in seats that we paid 2.99 euros extra for just because he wanted to put his bag and jacket there. He did not care that we paid extra and told us to call Flix for refund if a I wanted. Lastly, texting and driving!
I was considering going on Flixbus to Los Angeles from Oceanside on 10/27/19 for my daughter-in-law’s baby shower. So happy I found these reviews. I will stick with Amtrak. It costs more but at least I will arrive on time more or less. LOL
I agree with almost all the comments as well as with all the points made in the main article.
I tend to use Flixbus a lot when travelling across Europe, though I recently used Regiobus when returning to London and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of service. I would suggest a review of Regiobus soon.
As regards Flixbus, one piece of advice when it comes to stops is, don’t stray far from the bus. If the bus is taking a short break, either don’t get off or (if you must smoke or enjoy the sun or stretch your legs) stay next to the bus. If the bus is going via Eurotunnel, stay in the same compartment (except to use the loos, then return promptly). And always keep your passport on your person (as an aside, I keep a certain set of cargo trousers just for travelling and have essentials such as passport, a phone charger and a card with a balance on me at all times). As somebody mentioned, have a copy of your destination downloaded onto Google Maps on your mobile at all times.
The worst that has happened to me on Flixbus is our Flixbus having an accident with another Flixbus at the Calais crossing. Both buses heading to London were full (so about 150 people; ~75 per bus). We were all shuttled in small buses of 10 to the duty free area at Calais and told that there will be a couple of replacement bus within the hour. That was at 3:30PM. The replacement buses finally arrived at 1AM the next morning. We had spent about 10 hours in the duty-free area. And of course most shops had shut by 9-10PM. Thankfully there was a general sense of camaraderie (we were all in it together) and passed the time singing, making jokes and towards the end, having beer and wine that some of us had got. Of course there has been no compensation or even reimbursement for the food and drinks from Flixbus. But, given the number of journeys I have had with them and having had just one major incident, the bigger picture is not that bad.
What a delightfully written post! I came here for information and not only did I receive plenty of it but I was also entertained. Thank you and well done.
was sad to read your review as I had been considering using Flixbus instead of Busabout simply because they had night buses (and I could cut down number of hotel nights) for a trip through Europe next May– Busabout also has the problem of their every other day schedule making me stay 2 days in places I might only want to spend one. I’m going to have to think about if I want to put up with the Flixbus problems. Thank you kindly tho for the review at least I won’t be going in blind.
flixbus Paris-London crash today
A friend of mine took the 14:15hrs Flixbus from Paris to London on 31st October 2019 . The driver was using his phone talking to people for many hours all the way from Paris to London including booking a flight ticket for his friend . Passengers complained but he ignored them. The driver told those complaining ‘nothing bad has happened to you a re still here’ (alive). After the shuttle to the driver drove very fast to Victoria and arrived 20 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Three weeks before that my friend took a Ouibus from London to Paris. The driver was also on the phone talking to a friend and later kept falling asleep and my friend and other passengers, sitting at the front near to the driver, had to keep waking him up! It was a terribly experience. One of the passengers told my friend that all drivers are doing this – threatening the lives of dozens of passengers! This should NOT be allowed to happen and the owners of ALL bus companies should be fully aware of this. I suggest the A friend of mine took the 14:15hrs Flixbus from Paris to London on 31st October 2019 . The driver was using his phone talking to people for many hours all the way from Paris to London including booking a flight ticket for his friend . Passengers complained but he ignored them. The driver told those complaining ‘nothing bad has happened to you are still here’ (alive). After the shuttle to the driver drove very fast to Victoria and arrived 20 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Two weeks before that my friend took a Ouibus from London to Paris. The driver kept falling asleep and she and other passengers, sitting at the front near to the driver, had to keep waking him up! It was a terribly experience. Owners should go as UNDERCOVER BOSS !!!!
Thank you so much for your very well written review. I will be travelling overnight from Brussels to Genoa next week and am very grateful that you’ve prepped me! I’ve already booked so can’t contribute to your commission. Maybe next time.
I traveled with Flixbus for the first time on Nov 11 2019, at 22:45 from Rome to Milan.
I sat on the corner back seat on the upper floor. Long story short, I was DESTROYED by bed bugs bites (see pictures).
The bugs bites gave me hitching and red skin for the next 2 weeks before and at 6 weeks I still have bumps and rough skin. It’s awful!
I contacted Flixbus through their website and they took ages to respond and did not want to take responsibility.
How a round-trip ride with Flixbus ruined my life abroad
On Sep 25, 20:30, I boarded on the Flixbus at the Berlin Central Bus Station bound for Zurich Central Bus station. In addition to my checked-in luggage, I have one small waistbag/fannypack that I wear on my body during the journey, which holds all the valuables including passport, wallet with 130 euros in cash, all credit cards etc. When the bus arrived at the destination, I got off to retrieve my suitcase but left my waist bag (yellow and green in color, Eastpark brand) on my seat. On arriving at the terminal stop Zurich, I walked away from the bus to take the tram nearby. About 500 meters away, I realized I’d left my waist bag on my seat. I returned immediately, the bag was gone.
The bus was already loading new passengers for a new trip since it arrived 2 hours late according to the schedule. I asked the new driver, he didn’t speak English and simply did not care. The 2 drivers from Berlin were off duty and went to sleep, he told me. Since this bus arrived in Zurich late, it was already filling up with passengers for the next planned trip to Stuttgart. There were a few passengers on board and I asked them if they saw anything, they told me no.
Since my seat was at the mid-bus entrance by the partition board, it’s directly under the surveillance camera. I believe by reviewing the footage we can find out what happened. To this day, my legitimate request has not been answered.
I called the service center of Flixbus in Germany right away and told them the whole incident, believing that in this mostly timely manner the bag can be found easily found without too much trouble. How wrong I was! The simple, automated line designed to pawn off passengers which the guy on the line, in his most indifferent tone, must have repeated a thousand times before goes, and I quote: submit the loss&found form!
My 5 day trip to Zurich was naturally ruined. I made an official police report in Zurich with which I later returned to Germany as a kind of explanation for not having an ID when passing the border control. I specially mentioned the surveillance camera which could be used to discover the whereabouts of my bag.
5 days later I embarked on my return trip with Flixbus. It was a red-eye ride and I had to change midway for a train in Heidelberg. Due to the enormous stress and emotional fatigue endured thanks to the ruined trip, I left my suitcase uncollected when I got off at my stop. I soon realized the mistake minutes after the bus drove off and immediately called Flixbus help center, the only advice they provided was ‘to ask someone you know to pick it up for you along the stops the bus will make on this trip’. I do not know anyone in those cities, to which he suggested to submit a loss and found form via their website and wait for the news, cause that’s the best they can do, naturally.
I came back to Berlin totally devastated. I’d submitted loss and found requests for both of my lost properties to Flixbus not only once, but three times in total, and each time they came back with the automated message: we’re sorry, but we could not find your belonging.
I’d paid a personal visit to their company, and the staff there, clearly underpaid and overworked, said there’s nothing they could do. Nothing, not even a word of apology.
The course of my life in Germany flipped 180 after the unfortunate ride with Flixbus. 2 months later, I had to leave the country for good since some documents I had was irreplaceable. I blame myself for the thrift, for having wanted to save 60 euros and made the poor choice, for not having done my homework properly beforehand. The ill reputation of Flixbus as an irresponsible, bloodthirsty company can be revealed a simple google search away, enough to discourage any penny pinchers to think twice before travelling the perilous road with them.
We decided to try flixbus because their prices were very competitive, well there is definitely a reason. I booked a roundtrip from asti to Rome and back. The first trip to get us to Rome changed 3 times in the 3 weeks before our departure, which is ok, but today, day of departure, i tried logging in with my itinerary number and the app said that the trip was canceled or changed and to add the new itinerary number (which i did not have of course) So I called the customer service and they told me that they had to cancel my bus but gave me an other traveling option for the same price. So instead of having an overnight bus directly to my destination I know had to stop in a parking lot in the middle of nowhere at 11:30 pm and wait there for 3 hours for another bus to take me to my final destination. There was no way to get a refund just a voucher for an other trip, and because they told me only 3 hours the departure i could not do anything but getting this 2 busses. Here I am in a cold parking lot on a bench for 3 hours with no open place to go for 3 hours. Awful. Cold. Snd in the middle of the night. I have meetings in the morning and i will not be able to sleep all night. And no refunds. I will never use this again!!!
Really bad management and behavior from their staff…. You are advised to avoid their service whenever you have any other option. Bad timing, rude drivers and moreover they are able to discover ways/excuses to ask for extra money even when you have booked/pay your tickets like “our system cannot read your ticket. Please buy a new one with the driver and just ask for a refund by email” ….and then on your request they answer you that you can have the refund for the extra paid ticket but there is a refund fee that is more expensive than the ticket itself!!! …Just crazy)
Please avoid.
To save yourself a lot of heartaches, while in North America, avoid Flixbus. Respectfully, FlixBus is the worst service I have ever used. I was referred to FlixBus by a friend who had used the service in Europe. She had lovely things to say about FlixBus & she recommended I use it. I have always loved bus rides, so I decided to use FlixBus to meet up with my family this thanksgiving. I booked two tickets, with ticket numbers: 1111721689 and 1111757571. The first ticket was from Durham to Washington DC on Wednesday 11/24/21 (3:50 pm- 8: 25 pm), and the second ticket was from Washington to Durham on Sunday11/28/21 (7:25 am- 12:15 pm).
My partner and I got to the bus station at 3:20 pm and we waited for four hours. The bus did not show up, and neither were we given a heads up that the bus will not be stopping at the Durham Bus station. I made a series of calls to FlixBus’ customer care, and it was until the 4th call that the customer care agent mentioned that the bus would not be stopping at the Durham Station.
To avoid wasting your time and resources, kindly avoid
I feel like I made some mistake by booking a month in advance. They seem to make frequent minor tweaks to their schedule, changing my departure time by 30 minutes again and again. I mean, it isn’t a big deal, just kind of annoying. Then I noticed that my return ticket had changed location…so I alter it back to the original location but am charged $1. Once again, not a deal-breaker but just annoying.
actually I am just trying to figure out how to read the replys for US Flixbus reviews
Traveling in a Flix Bus right now from Montpellier to Lyon. Was denied boarding in my actual bus because it was apparently full (!?) and the driver didn’t let me in and just shut the door on me and left. Fortunately, another bus to the same destination dropped by in about 40 minutes and they let me in. I need to catch a connecting bus to Prague in about 2 hours and I’m praying we get there on time because I’m already late. Flixbus still delivering garbage service in 2022.
They were fine. I panicked when I read all the reviews and I thought it was be backpackers only and my bags would definitely get stolen or it wouldn’t turn up and I wouldn’t know where I was and the bus drivers would be nasty. It was a bus full of passengers of all ages (I’m in my 40s). Yes the internet didn’t work, but that happens to me on trains too. The bus was easily identifiable (one on another route was grey but still showed the Flixbus sign). No we didn’t get our reserved seats but the driver found seats for us. I just wonder, do people who use this service never get public transport long distance? I’d probably get a train overnight rather than a bus, but that’s a personal preference. I’d never fly. If you live in Australia, you really appreciate not having to fly everywhere and I avoid flying for environmental reasons too as much as possible.
21.10.2022. 7:00 BUD-LJU (line 403) Budapest Népliget Busstation
We bought our tickets in June for two of us and for our bikes one bike each person. The two drivers put all the luggages to the transportation racks and let everybody enter the coach. At the end of boarding they disclosed that there is no bike rack and no space in the transportation rack although I saw, that there is a lot of free space. They said the bus was fully booked, no space for bikes. If they could have really try to help us, they let the bikes put to the transportation rack and at the next station ask the passengers to put their luggage to the coach if rack completely full. Instead of this they refused to enter the coach and put our bikes to the bus. I told them, we have 4 valid tickets (2 adult passenges and 2 bikes) so there is a valid contract between us and #flixbus, I won’t go away from the front the bus till they let us enter the coach. They called their service manager and the following advice has been said: ‘Start drive with the bus and worst case they will call the police.’ (Yes, bastards, we understand Italian….) And so the driver did and hit me and my bike with the bus. I fell to the ground with my bike and was shouting to them. He subbenly stopped I could stand up to my feet and the same time the driver gave gas again and started to push forward my bike on the ground. He was goint to go through my bike, but I managed to escape quickly the bike. My left hand’s little finger was probably broken by the fall. This act in Hungary is a crime! Everybody was shocked on the station, my girlfriend was screaming from the fear! The bus went away, we were left. This behavior is completely unacceptable, as well the drivers’ and the service manager’s too!!! The Flixbus must investigate that case and at least pay back all of our tuckets’ price as well the cost of the damage caused on my bike by their bus!!!
We just had a horrible experience with this company and I will never, ever attempt to use them again. I received confirmation, assigned seats, and a scan code. The code wouldn’t scan so the driver denied us boarding and left us stranded in Orlando, FL. The customer service agent would not issue a refund because no other customers had a scanning issue. We are filing a dispute with the credit company. I’m still I’m shock that this happened.
Very bad service. Last Dec/22, we booked through my cellphone going from Vienna airport to Bratislava. At the exit followed Flixbus signs leading to Platform 3. No bus on this platform for more than 30 minutes. The customer service number listed at the platform did not attend our insistent calls.
Asked other Flixbus drivers passing by who told us to go to platform 5. At the end the right bus left from another platform, so we missed it.
We had to wait for another bus and pay for another trip directly to the driver.
Answering almost a month later, Flixbus service did not want to reimburse the missed trip. So, my advice is to take a taxi/Uber or another bus company, as you end up paying less and have a better service than Flixbus.
My young daughter was distraught after a nasty experience with a driver on her travel from Amsterdam to Dusseldorf. After not being able to spot her bus in the station, she simply asked another bus driver where her particular bus number was and he asked her if she was blind! She was quite upset and then we came across this blog! Now she feels much better after reading the experiences people have gone through (just that she is not alone in this mess!)
Unfortunately, we are left with vouchers from a cancelled trip on Flix bus and we may have travel on it until it is exhausted. But for those of us who have to travel on Deutsche Bahn, cancellations are common despite paying heavy prices on DB trains.
Hi! Just had a wonderful Flixbus experience! Definitely depends on country! UKRAINE – POLAND. Lovely modern, fresh bus with functioning FAST WIFI and super w.c. Driver spoke no English but we both managed — smile, passport, ticket! He took my backpack + stowed it safely! I have had the WORST experiences with RyanAir! After that I am prepared for every disaster! But this trip has been great! Also, Vienna – Kyiv. No English but Ukrainian driver was super polite, friendly and helpful! I do attempt always at least “hallo” + “thank you” in whatever language/country I am in!
Absolute Garbage.
NO REFUND. How can you say it’s flexible? There are refunds. You can only cancel and get a voucher for another trip. You CANNOT get a refund.
SEAT RESERVATIONS:I paid extra money to select 2 seats. 2 days before the trip I get an email that my seats have changed !! WTF?
Also, the fact that you can buy a bus ticket with or without a reserved seat is dumb. It creates problems as I saw on the bus. A couple without reservations get on and take 2 random seats. Then, the person with a seat reservation comes on and has to have an awkward conversation and has to either find another random seat or make one of the couple sit somewhere and spend the whole trip next to one of the two.
ZERO Customer Service. I tried calling for days about questions… no answer. The online chat is either a robot or a person with equivalent brain power.
DELAY. Bus left late, then had wait at the border (not their fault), then we stopped at a truck stop so 2 bus drivers could sit, eat and smoke. This after we are already 1.5hrs late.
Drivers smoked on bus at the border when we were outside freezing in the cold waiting in line.
NO WIFI: One bus said there was WIFI, but connection was broken. Second bus didn’t even pretend to have it.
NO OUTLET: One bus didn’t have an outlet by seats.
COMFORT: Ok, but depends on bus. One of them, the seats were shit and the recliner lever was broken off. THe other one was heated to about 30 c for some reason. People were sweating. In winter.
Nice post
Thanks for the story, just I add mine…
A cancellation of a night bus without notification, and no compensation despite them claiming they would at https://www.flixbus.ca/passenger-rights.
It was so easy for them to at least refund me the more expensive ticket that I had to buy on the spot. Customer service appears trained to discourage complaints and refunds, was very frustrating.
so yes, standing on the road from 8 to 12 at night, chatting with representatives that are of very little help and all ask the same questions before the line suddenly dies on you, next time you get another one.
I paid them for transportation twice and both times the service was not available at the time and place specified on the ticket. I have only dealt with the company twice and both times I have been scammed. This time I booked on Greyhound, not knowing that Flix Bus had purchased the company. I still have the unused ticket.
My recent roundtrip bus trip with FlixBus from Portland, Oregon, to SeaTac Airport was a total disaster. On the way up, when we had to connect to an international flight, the bus was already running late when the driver announced that she had to stop at a rest area to use the restroom. OK, that’s fair, although in countless bus trips over decades, I have never had this happen before. So we stop, and she disappears for 20 minutes, finally meandering back slowly towards the bus.
My wife and I were getting a little nervous by that time. We had left plenty of time to catch our flight, but the bus was now pushing 90 minutes late. So at last the driver takes her seat and… starts talking to the passengers around her. Another 10 minutes passes by… Finally, I walk to the front and tell her politely: “You know, some of us have flights to catch. We’re already an hour and a half late. Can you please get started?” Quite slowly, and seemingly begrudgingly, she turns around, and finally we get back on the road. Luckily, there was no construction, accidents, traffic or other delays, lines at ticketing and security were manageable, and we made our flight.
FlixBus did send an email apology for being so late and a 10% discount code for our next ticket purchase, but, unfortunately, when we tried to use it on our return trip, we found that there was no code included. The space was blank!
However, that was nothing compared to what was to come. Our return flight arrived at SeaTac at 5:30 pm, leaving us plenty of time to catch the 8:30 FlixBus that I’d purchased (without discount code). No problem, so we waited, and waited, and waited… no bus! And no notification that anything was amiss. Finally, at around 9:00 pm, I found on their website how to check the status of the bus… it had been cancelled!
So there we were, two senior citizens, stranded at SeaTac Airport, night was falling, and no way to get to Portland where our daughter was to meet us. I called two different customer service reps, who were polite, even sympathetic, but very clear that there was nothing that they could do except change our ticket to the morning. They couldn’t promise that our hotel would be paid, there was no one they could transfer us to who could authorize this, in fact, they could offer no help at all. So, in a blur after a 25-hour day of traveling through 9 time zones, I changed the ticket to 8:00 am the next morning, and by midnight we managed to find a hotel with a shuttle from the airport.
In the meantime, we realized that, since it was so late and we were so exhausted, the early morning bus would be impossible, so before I went to sleep, I changed the ticket to the afternoon bus, but due to the exorbitant change fees, I only received a few dollars refund on my original ticket, and this was given as a voucher for Flixbus, which I hope to never have to use again. Essentially, I had to pay double fare. My wife called customer service in the morning, and they explained that we could only change our ticket for free once (see the small print), and even though the first change was because FlixBus had cancelled, that counted as our free change. Ridiculous! But what could we do? So we paid double for bus fare as well as the cost of a hotel room because FlixBus cancelled the bus and didn’t bother to tell us.
So let this be a warning. Don’t trust FlixBus for any customer service at all. And know that they’ll take advantage of your situation in any way they can, offering no help or support. They just want your money, and you might, just might, get to where you’re going on schedule (or not).