Flixbus Discussion

[Snow1964]

It seems Flixbus is not image conscious about having green buses

Today I saw one on A4 between Bath and Chippenham, had a couple of small green stickers on sides saying Flixbus, but also had a much bigger Turners name in blue on the overall white colour.

 

[johncrossley]

Does anyone know how well loaded the N10 from Glasgow to London is? I'm tempted to use it to go down to London as the supplement to ensure nobody is sitting next to you is calling to me.

I posted about it a few weeks ago. It was about half full, but the service had just started. Also, they didn't have the seat numbers adjusted to match those on the ticket, which meant the driver told everyone to sit where they liked. I told the driver I had bought reservations but it didn't matter as nobody needed to sit next to me. The driver said they were getting the seat numbers changed. The driver didn't know it was possible for one person to book two seats.

 

[ALEMASTER]

Does anyone know how well loaded the N10 from Glasgow to London is? I'm tempted to use it to go down to London as the supplement to ensure nobody is sitting next to you is calling to me.

I'm not convinced about paying that - I did on both my journeys but as far as I could tell there were no reservations labelled on the seat and passengers appeared to be able to sit wherever they liked! I did actually get the double seat I booked both ways but that may have been just down to the coach not being very busy.

 

[Scotrail314209]

I'm not convinced about paying that - I did on both my journeys but as far as I could tell there were no reservations labelled on the seat and passengers appeared to be able to sit wherever they liked! I did actually get the double seat I booked both ways but that may have been just down to the coach not being very busy.

I posted about it a few weeks ago. It was about half full, but the service had just started. Also, they didn't have the seat numbers adjusted to match those on the ticket, which meant the driver told everyone to sit where they liked. I told the driver I had bought reservations but it didn't matter as nobody needed to sit next to me. The driver said they were getting the seat numbers changed. The driver didn't know it was possible for one person to book two seats.

Thanks both, I'd imagine the N10 is still fairly light loaded due to how recent the service started. There are already about 3/4 other overnight coach services to London, so it does make sense.

 

[johncrossley]

I've been looking at the website periodically to check if the London to Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels services can be booked by making test bookings and earlier today I noticed overnight journeys from next week. I also noticed through journeys from the following week from Manchester. You can probably book through journeys from other British cities.

 

[johncrossley]

The Manchester journey is an extension to the current night bus from Bradford to London.

Actually I saw a connecting journey, rather than a through journey. That was a connecting journey at London so you can travel from Manchester to Rotterdam on one ticket.

 

[markymark2000]

Actually I saw a connecting journey, rather than a through journey. That was a connecting journey at London so you can travel from Manchester to Rotterdam on one ticket.

Sorry, I misread. I thought you were on about extra Manchester trips. My fault. I'll delete the post.

 

[Flange Squeal]

There seems to be less Thandi vehicles being seen of late, and more from the likes of Ridley's and Star Tours. Anyone know if Thandi are giving up/cutting down on their Flixbus work?

 

[markymark2000]

There seems to be less Thandi vehicles being seen of late, and more from the likes of Ridley's and Star Tours. Anyone know if Thandi are giving up/cutting down on their Flixbus work?

Thandi have come off the network apparently. Other operators are taking on trips.


Also news, there is a Cambridge route. Calling Cambridge Parkside, Trumpington P&R, Finchley Road and Victoria Coach Station.
Leamington Spa has been dropped and Coventry has been put onto a Birmingham - Coventry - London route.
Bath/Chippenham has been dropped. Reading has moved onto the Bristol service.
Manchester services via Stoke (and not Birmingham) are also now sent via Leicester Fosse Park as these are now Whippetts runs so they have to use the M1 for driver swaps so it made sense to add the stop in.

 

[johncrossley]

So what happens to Thandi's 21-reg coaches?

 

[Flange Squeal]

Thandi have come off the network apparently. Other operators are taking on trips.


Also news, there is a Cambridge route. Calling Cambridge Parkside, Trumpington P&R, Finchley Road and Victoria Coach Station.
Leamington Spa has been dropped and Coventry has been put onto a Birmingham - Coventry - London route.
Bath/Chippenham has been dropped. Reading has moved onto the Bristol service.
Manchester services via Stoke (and not Birmingham) are also now sent via Leicester Fosse Park as these are now Whippetts runs so they have to use the M1 for driver swaps so it made sense to add the stop in.

Thanks for that, @markymark2000 - glad someone is able to keep up with the goings on!

 

[markymark2000]

Thanks for that, @markymark2000 - glad someone is able to keep up with the goings on!

Some credit goes to the Flixbus enthusiasts pages on Twitter and Facebook who fill in some gaps. Other bits are me noticing things.

What I don't get is why all intercity coach operators keep so quiet about new routes and links. How can anyone use a bus which they know nothing about.

 

[Deerfold]

Some credit goes to the Flixbus enthusiasts pages on Twitter and Facebook who fill in some gaps. Other bits are me noticing things.

What I don't get is why all intercity coach operators keep so quiet about new routes and links. How can anyone use a bus which they know nothing about.

It also surprises me that I think Megabus is the only site that suggests places near to where you type in.

 

[deposuk]

Does anyone know why the Birmingham-Leeds route is down to one departure a day (from three)?

 

[markymark2000]

Does anyone know why the Birmingham-Leeds route is down to one departure a day (from three)?

I believe it was. Thandi route so ran from Birmingham. Now it's a Turner's route and they just do a single round trip.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Sep 2021 ==

It also surprises me that I think Megabus is the only site that suggests places near to where you type in.

Flixbus does local suggestions for journeys if they have nothing. Chester to Liverpool for example, it tries to suggest Stoke to Manchester as a viable alternative. Manchester to York, it then suggests you do Liverpool to Leeds (via Birmingham). They have very weird alternatives. Perhaps in America where people drive to the coach stops, it's not as bad but in the UK, their logic is a bit broken.

 

[JonathanH]

Does anyone know why the Birmingham-Leeds route is down to one departure a day (from three)?

How many people were travelling on it?

 

[darloscott]

I believe it was. Thandi route so ran from Birmingham. Now it's a Turner's route and they just do a single round trip.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Sep 2021 ==

Thandi & Turners both had a diagram each on the 070 between Bristol & Leeds. Now Thandi have left the network it’s down to one coach from Turners which just does one out & back trip to Leeds.

 

[Wolfie]

A friend is looking to travel London to Birmingham in November. However, no services whatsoever are showing. Indeed, changing the destination to say Manchester has the same result. Is there a problem with Flixbus?

 

[Eyersey468]

A friend is looking to travel London to Birmingham in November. However, no services whatsoever are showing. Indeed, changing the destination to say Manchester has the same result. Is there a problem with Flixbus?

I've had a look and it appears the only coaches Flixbus are running to Birmingham are going from Liverpool

 

[markymark2000]

I've had a look and it appears the only coaches Flixbus are running to Birmingham are going from Liverpool

No tickets are on sale for past November.

I think they are perhaps reviewing the demand and revamping timetables. It's easier to delay ticket sales than change everyone's tickets.

 

[dan5324]

Probably simple becasue demand just isn’t there for coach. It hasn’t recovered as fast as operators had first thought. National express are also amending/cancelling services and tickets over the next few weeks. Really can’t see the room for three operators

 

[johncrossley]

You can now see journeys from London to Birmingham and Manchester until 19 December. However, there seems to be a flat fare of £24 to Birmingham and £35 to Manchester from 2 November onwards, which almost no one would pay given the probability of reasonably cheap train alternatives if you can book so long in advance.

 

[Wolfie]

You can now see journeys from London to Birmingham and Manchester until 19 December. However, there seems to be a flat fare of £24 to Birmingham and £35 to Manchester from 2 November onwards, which almost no one would pay given the probability of reasonably cheap train alternatives if you can book so long in advance.

Interesting. I just looked at some dates in Nov for London to Birmingham. Either £2.99 or £23.99 each way depending on coach timing. As you say no one is likely to pay the latter.

 

[markymark2000]

Interesting. I just looked at some dates in Nov for London to Birmingham. Either £2.99 or £23.99 each way depending on coach timing. As you say no one is likely to pay the latter.

They don't normally put the value fares on until closer to the time.

Looking at the post November services, Liverpool to London via Warrington is removed most days. Stoke is reduced to a single bus per day and Manchester, bar 1 bus, is all via Birmingham. So far, it seems like a fair network reduction from them. Is this down to operators not wanting the work or are Flix struggling against established Megabus and NatEx?

In my opinion, they are too busy pushing vary basic press releases and not pushing routes enough so people don't know where they go, just that they run from the certain destinations no focus on local advertising or trying to work get people onboard locally. Punctuality seems to be dismal too, not because the timings are too tight but drivers aren't like Megabus or NatEx where they have standards, Flix is just anyone and everyone driving their own way meaning it's not generally the best way. Really poor in my opinion from some operators and the Flix support is dismal when you try to rectify problems.

They've a long way to go to get a high market share.

 

[johncrossley]

Certainly they seem a lot worse than Flixbus services I've used in the past. I've used cross-Channel services a lot and domestic services within Germany. It's a shame as I was hoping they would be higher standard than National Express given my previous experience.

 

[Eyersey468]

They don't normally put the value fares on until closer to the time.

Looking at the post November services, Liverpool to London via Warrington is removed most days. Stoke is reduced to a single bus per day and Manchester, bar 1 bus, is all via Birmingham. So far, it seems like a fair network reduction from them. Is this down to operators not wanting the work or are Flix struggling against established Megabus and NatEx?

In my opinion, they are too busy pushing vary basic press releases and not pushing routes enough so people don't know where they go, just that they run from the certain destinations no focus on local advertising or trying to work get people onboard locally. Punctuality seems to be dismal too, not because the timings are too tight but drivers aren't like Megabus or NatEx where they have standards, Flix is just anyone and everyone driving their own way meaning it's not generally the best way. Really poor in my opinion from some operators and the Flix support is dismal when you try to rectify problems.

They've a long way to go to get a high market share.

I am told that Flixbus currently has 3% market share

 

[markymark2000]

I am told that Flixbus currently has 3% market share

That doesn't seem much though.

 

[Eyersey468]

That doesn't seem much though.

No I agree, I was surprised it was that low, though whenever I have seen their coaches they only have a few passengers on, though that could be down to the time of day

 

[MotCO]

So far, it seems like a fair network reduction from them. Is this down to operators not wanting the work or are Flix struggling against established Megabus and NatEx?

What are the risk share arrangements with Flixbus? Does Flixbus contract with coach operators for a fixed rental charge per coach, with Flixbus keeping all the ticket sales income, or is it shared? If the latter, maybe operators are not making the returns they were hoping for, or are not covering their costs; that would soon put them off.

 

[Eyersey468]

What are the risk share arrangements with Flixbus? Does Flixbus contract with coach operators for a fixed rental charge per coach, with Flixbus keeping all the ticket sales income, or is it shared? If the latter, maybe operators are not making the returns they were hoping for, or are not covering their costs; that would soon put them off.

My understanding is that the operator takes the fare revenue and pays Flixbus a percentage of that.