FlixBus Reviews 1,717

Enough space on board. Couldn’t charge my Phone. Busdriver was not very friendly. Scheduled on time

Personally have not used their bus Service for years...Then would rate FlixBus 4 stars...for a number of reason...found them excellent. However. they have dropped one star..later one will see if they drop a star further. Tried to make a booking online...everything seemed to be going well. however had a problem with the Ideal payment not going through, more than once and the time slot was unavailable ..We attempted on the telephone hoping for the latest bus...have /had an emergency,,,that payment went through. We took it it was for the earlier requested time...however an hour befor found it was not...Google Maps...just took me around the bend for long..Thus missing the bus...Drama started...I tired to explain to the drivers on the next buses..whereby I would have to make a stop over...Unfortunately...I was asked to pay again, regardless of my explaination and showing my ticket. ...However, 3 had a good attitude the last Driver did not believe my incident....however he was kind enough to make me wait...Spoke to his Colleague who explained I could pay to the stop over...then on make the next payment to continue...Went back this morning as iit is an urgent trio,, Spoke to the Customer Sales,,For a number of reason..Found the Representative??????plenty plus...Few things that stood out..She mentioned more than once there was no Contact Number for me to call and change my booking. For The Netherlands a first World Country who is normally on ahead of most this I was taken back by surprise, Next was having to pay for a new ticket as she could not help??Only by email, can one help,,Gave her my phone..to see my ticket..she asked for it again..Looked like was going through it..My fault ..I guess...By the way I did go in about 3 times...Within less than 20 minutes the price had gone up ,,,,My trip is a Sarifice, taking where one does not have..fair enough not her bus then went to by ticket from machine,,,,Machine was cheaper by 5 euro...then price increase given was 6 euro.. This made a drop to 3 Stars... Flik Bus you need to be able to provide a number. One of The Drivers could actually provide a number but from another Country did tray...Overall she answered all questions...in a really gentle manner...I believe as Customer Service..perhaps she be trusted more to make decisions there and then with me not having to but a new ticket..Think the Drivers should not ask me to pay again...if their bus is not full,,,Not everyone has the extra

I have used flixbus on several occasions. Different routes in different countries.
Every single ride has had a delay of minimum 45 minutes.

Yes, the tickets are cheap, but it is certainly not reliable.

It was a swift ride from Eindhoven to Paris. Due to stops in Antwerp and Brussels it took quite some time, but it was a convenient travel.

We left in time, clean, spacious chairs, relaxed busdriver. I only never had a bus that could do this trip in 2:45 minutes. It's always 3 hours. Wifi could be better.

Service 338 07.40 am super good driver , on time , bus was super clean , the driver said all information in dutch , english and german , there even were there cold drinks and snacks on board , journey was super smooth
Used flixbus quite a lot in the past and was shocked how good service this was!

Booking Number
3203025942 30 Oct and 2oct

-Yet another poor quality trip on Flixbus buses. This time the luggage remained double untaxed as happened on first trip , but the poor service continued.

- In theory, free internet connection is included in the ticket price and for free for all the busses Flixbus. This facility is publicized exactly unnecessarily. Obviously, I had the misfortune to meet the same 2 drivers on the way back as on the outward journey, who were involved in illegal activities on 30 Oct 24.

-I complained about this again, and obviously the second time I was not even allocated a new registration number for my complaint.( - obviously unresolved but   registered -  and the second time no registration number was assigned from the server and no automatic  confirmation was sent by e-mail).

-This is logically the easiest way to have only positive comments about the service, just by removing the negative comments and not assigning a registration number. So obviously not to recommend the services offered by Flixbus.

- Bonus the driver was preoccupied with his own phone and texting while sitting with his head turned elsewhere where he had his phone hooked up to the cable, thus turned from behind the wheel, and of course endangering the lives of dozens of passengers for his own personal interest. The driver was not even sending messages, possibly audio messages instead of manually edited ones, using the handsfree option to reduce the risk of a serious accident. (I have pictures and videos proving all my sayings during both trips , if you need them ).

- After boarding the bus in Erlangen, we found the connection in working order, but the drivers were different from the ones with whom the whole trip was made.
Later on, the shift changed, and the two left the bus and we continued with the two drivers with whom the trip was made on October 30.

- During the whole period run by the first two drivers, the internet has been working correctly (surprisingly, no?). I should mention that there has been no malfunction in the meantime that prevented the internet from working perfectly.

- As soon as the drivers changed shifts, the internet connection only worked for a very short period of 10 minutes, after which it was switched off by the new drivers. (Same as October 30) - I obviously have evidence which I can provide on request.

- Is it really all based on offenses and illegalities in Flixbus? That to solve anything doesn't seem to be taking place or there is no intention.
The company presents facilities as included in the price of the ticket, when in fact nothing is true.

- And it has nothing to do with an overcrowded network, it's all about bad intentions and keeping the allocated funds for the drivers themselves or sharing the profits from double charging for luggages (as it was in my case on my first trip - obviously no reaction back from Flixbus - nothing more than a registration number that is not taken into account in any way).

- In conclusion, it is obvious that Flixbus does not process customer complaints and obviously does not resolve them in any way. A big minus for this company and leaving the impression that only positive reviews are allocated, just by eliminating all the negative ones . (See 41232575- 30 okt 24)

- What reinforces my claims is that in the parking lot where the bus was refueled, they reopened the connection for a very short time and reopened it again after departure. Again, it was not the altitude or bad weather that contributed to this story and that would have disrupted the connection.

- Normally the satellite Internet connection should not be influenced by stops at gas stations. Not even by sporadic connections on the route for coffees or in the truck parking lot but with the intention to be able to adjust the arrival time on the route, modified by the speed of the bus.
Obviously by cutting the connection, it is not possible to follow the bus on the route and so everything seems correct and as it is in the travel plan filled in by Flixbus on the route sheet

-There is a great lack of professionalism and low quality service as you can see. As you can see, no trip can not have a normal and fair course unfortunately for the paying customer. .
I do not recommend the services offered by this company

The driver drove safe, was professional and friendly.
The departure was punctual at the right time. The bus was quite new, clean, good chairs and no noise.
We didn't use the onboard toilet. However we didn't hear any complaints.

On time,nice travelling in comfortable bus

They are lucky that they have a monopoly on low prices for my frequent journeys between Brussels and Amsterdam, I wouldn't even consider using their service if there was another affordable way. Do not even bother getting in touch with customer service if you have any issue: I can tell you right now, it will be nothing but a waste of time.

🚨 Never trust this company! I booked a 5:10 AM trip from Hanover to Berlin, and the driver wouldn’t let me take my small cabin bag on board, citing “policy.” When we arrived in Berlin, he left without letting me get my luggage because his shift was over! I’ve been chasing them since Oct 7th with zero follow-up. Today, they told me the loss was my fault. This company is aware of thefts and does nothing to stop it. Beware! #BadService #LostLuggage #PoorCustomerService #TravelNightmare

there is no wifi
and all timse toliet inside bus smeling very bad

Both busses no wifi and I was counting on it no toilet on the first one and no plug to charge your phone on the second one

My name is 𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂.
I typically travel from Hamburg to Rotterdam quite often. However recently I haven’t been heard well from the customer service center.
This past Friday 20:34 and today Monday 02:09, same lady who picked up my call isn’t appropriate for the service.
I’m trying to explain my situation and she kept on saying sorry sorry sorry ….
As Flixbus please should be aware on how we customers are handled by your agents.
Thanks

The driver was extremely unpleasant and condescending. He spoke rudely to people and didn't even greet passengers with a simple 'hello.' The whole journey was very uncomfortable and disappointing.

My bus got canceled the morning of my trip. I got an email this morning that my bus that I was supposed to be going on later today got cancelled. Naturally I was a bit upset but then I saw the option to rebook for free. I opened up the link to rebook at 10 AM and I saw a bunch of options. I chose a bus that said 1:30 (not specifying AM or PM) for the same day and naturally since it was for the same day, I assumed it was a 1:30 PM bus because why would they still be selling tickets for a bus that left 9 hours ago?! I got my conformation email and thats when I saw it was for 1:30 AM!!! I immediately tried to get on the phone with customer service to figure it out and all I got were a bunch of snarky answers saying it was my fault even though they didn't specify AM or PM and were selling tickets for a bus that LEFT 9 HOURS AGO. On the rebooking website it doesn't specify AM or PM and on the regular website it does. I have screenshots of this and unfortunately, I can't upload them here. Needless to say I am incredibly upset and I will be trying to get a full refund. I would urge you to look at other reviews to see people who had similar experiences to myself.

We are standing at stop on time but they do not pick us even other couple are also waiting for that bus if you want to go on time don’t trust on flexibus service it’s not a fake review we suffer a lot… please don’t go with them

I believe that Flixbus drivers have engaged in criminal activity. I will contact the police about this if these issues cannot be resolved (Flixbus never responded to official complaints about this submitted on 25th November 2023).

On 18th of November 2023 I had a ticket from Groningen central station at 17:25 to Amsterdam Sloterdijk at 19:35, and then from Amsterdam Sloterdijk at 20:50 to Munich Central Bus Station at 08:35 on the 19th of November. The bus from Groningen central station was delayed, arriving at Amsterdam Sloterdijk at 21:06, after the second bus had already left. My girlfriend phoned Flixbus (I have Autism Spectrum Disorder, so struggle to make phone calls) who informed me that I could arrange alternative transport and receive compensation for it from Flixbus.

I was afraid of being forced to spend the night on Amsterdam's streets. I learned that I could take the bus leaving Amsterdam Sloterdijk at 21:15 on 18th November, arriving in Strasbourg, France at 06:00 on 19th November, and could then take the bus from Strasbourg at 08:20 to Munich Central Bus Station at 13:55.

I was wearing a lanyard reading ‘I am Autistic’ during the conversation that followed:

The bus drivers of the bus from Amsterdam Sloterdijk were about to leave. I told them that my initial bus had been delayed so that I had missed the intended journey. They checked the cost of tickets online and told me that it would cost €99 for the ticket to Strasbourg. I said that I would pay this and request compensation from Flixbus later due to this being necessary due to delays in Flixbus journeys. They refused to accept payment by card, and said that there would be an ATM machine in Liège, Belgium where I could withdraw cash. They took my passport from me and told me that they would return it to me when I paid them. I was under the implicit threat of needing to spend the night in an unknown city without shelter or transport, and was now afraid about whether I would be able to retrieve my passport.

In Liège they stopped the bus at a cash machine and demanded that I withdraw money from it. I can prove with my bank statement that I withdrew €100 at a specific registered cash machine in Liège, Belgium, on 19th of November. Proof of this transaction was included with my (unanswered) complaint to Flixbus.

I asked the bus drivers for a receipt when they used my passport to coerce me into giving them this money. They refused, claiming to not have a receipt maker. I asked them how I could have proof of my journey when requesting compensation from Flixbus. They asked me to write down my e-mail address so that they could e-mail me proof. I did so. I was afraid that they would not give me my passport, and so I paid them 100 euros (even though I had already paid for the original ticket). They gave me back my passport. They did not give me back the one euro change. They promised to e-mail me proof of the transaction (they never did).

On 23rd of November I telephoned Flixbus to ask how to apply for compensation (as I have said, due to Autism Spectrum Disorder, I struggle to make phone calls, and so this was extremely challenging). They told me that receipts were necessary. I told the person on the phone that the first bus had taken cash and refused to give receipts. The person on the phone informed me that if this was correct, the bus drivers had acted illegally. The person on the phone refused to provide compensation for this behaviour by Flixbus employees (which he described as illegal).

If, as the person I spoke to on the telephone call with Flixbus claimed, the drivers’ demanding that they be paid in cash without receipt was illegal, then it is their conduct which is criminal and not mine. This does not change the fact that I am entitled to compensation for my Flixbus costs.

I have evidence that I travelled from Groningen to Amsterdam Sloterdijk, that I was in Liège, Belgium to make the coerced payment, and that I travelled from Strasbourg to Munich. In other words, I have evidence to support my claim of having been on the Flixbus from Amsterdam to Strasbourg. If it is indeed the case, as was claimed by the Flixbus employee I spoke with on the phone, that I cannot be compensated for the €100 cost requested by these drivers due to their behaviour at the time being illegal, then I will contact the police regarding their illegal behaviour and to seek compensation for these costs which supposedly cannot otherwise be gained due to Flixbus employees' crimal conduct.

I feel taken advantage of by Flixbus employees. I do not know if the Flixbus drivers would have behaved differently if I had not been wearing an ‘I am Autistic’ lanyard. Its role is to facilitate communication and accommodations, not to enable my economic exploitation by those seeking to engage in criminal behaviour.

All I want is compensation

As a journalist who frequently travels across Europe, I’ve encountered numerous personal experiences with Flixbus and have spoken to passengers from around the world who have shared similar frustrations. While Flixbus presents itself as an affordable and convenient transportation option, there are significant issues that undermine its reputation.

One particularly troubling case involved a woman who traveled from Prague to Berlin and accidentally left her laptop on the bus. After filling out the required lost item form, she never heard back from the company. "They don’t even respond," she shared. "It’s a shame that such a large European bus company lacks an effective system to manage lost property." The woman, who had come from Africa for a short course, was fortunate that her company did not hold her financially responsible for the lost device. However, her story is not unique. A number of passengers have reported losing valuable belongings, such as phones, which have never been recovered or returned. This is a recurring issue that significantly tarnishes the company’s credibility.

In my own experience, I traveled with Flixbus from Rotterdam, Netherlands, to Ghent, Belgium, a journey of just under two hours. Upon arrival at the bus, I asked the driver if this was the correct bus to Ghent. To my surprise, he responded, "I don't speak Dutch." While this was perplexing for a service operating in the Netherlands, I switched to English, only to be told that he did not speak English either. He continued asking if I could speak his language, which I found to be an unusual and unprofessional exchange, especially in such an international setting.

My return journey from Ghent to Rotterdam was equally unsettling. When the bus made a stop in Brussels, I moved to the front of the bus to admire the city I hadn’t visited in some time. After some passengers disembarked, the driver abruptly shouted at me, "What are you doing here? Go back to your seat!" His tone was unnecessarily aggressive, and I was left feeling as though I was being treated disrespectfully, as if I were somehow causing a disturbance.

A common complaint that arises from numerous passengers is the inability of the staff to communicate in any of the major European languages, such as English, Dutch, or French. During my ride, I overheard the driver and staff speaking in a non-European language throughout the entire trip. This is particularly concerning for a service operating across Europe, where basic proficiency in these languages is expected.

These experiences, along with the feedback from other passengers, raise significant concerns about Flixbus's hiring practices. It appears that the company may be avoiding the employment of European workers, possibly due to the higher wages they are entitled to under EU labor regulations. Instead, Flixbus seems to be opting for cheaper labor, which has resulted in a noticeable decline in service standards.

In conclusion, while Flixbus offers low-cost travel options, the experiences of many passengers, including my own, raise serious questions about the company’s commitment to professionalism, customer service, and accountability. From poor communication to ineffective handling of lost property, Flixbus must take these issues seriously and implement necessary changes to improve the customer experience across Europe.