Have you planned a domestic trip? Our long-distance bus comparison provides an overview of which bus companies allow you to travel cheaply, comfortably, and sustainably across Germany. Most importantly they all have Wifi on board. So you won’t get bored and instead play Poker Games at Hell Spin Casino. Since the market liberalization in 2013, long-distance buses have gained great popularity again.
They are often cheaper than trains. According to the Consumer Advice Center of Bavaria, emit significantly less CO2 per person and per kilometer than cars – only 31 grams compared to 138 grams. We conducted a long-distance bus comparison and placed the two major German long-distance bus companies side by side. In doing so, we not only looked at the network of routes offered by each provider but also listed special features and considered online reviews.
Flixbus in the Long-Distance Bus Comparison
Who is behind it: Three young entrepreneurs founded GoBus GmbH in Munich in 2012 as a start-up. The company was renamed FlixBus in 2013. From the beginning, the goal was to enable sustainable and affordable travel. Today, Flixbus is the market leader in Germany and beyond. The FlixMobiliy Group has acquired many long-distance bus competitors such as Eurolines, Megabus, and Postbus, and had a market share of 95 percent among long-distance bus companies in Germany as of 2018, according to Statista.
These are the unique features of the network: According to its own statements, Flixbus covers more than 3,000 destinations in over 40 countries with more than 400,000 connections per day. In Germany, not only major cities but also cities in rural areas are connected to the network (for example, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Freudenstadt, Werningerrode, or Straubing).
These ticket prices can be expected: If you book a few weeks in advance, you can find cheap offers starting from five euros. Flixbus advertises on its website that it is 60 to 80 percent cheaper than the train. Even a few days before departure, you can still find reasonably priced offers, which can vary from 30 euros depending on the offer and route. For example, if you want to travel from Stuttgart to Lyon in a week, you can find prices starting at 34 euros on the direct route.
These additional features are available: You can book compensation for CO2 emissions. You can view real-time information online. There is an option for XXL legroom. You can cancel your ticket free of charge up to 30 days before departure. After that, cancellation costs one to five euros. Here you can find the cancellation table with the exact details. Additionally, you can privately rent a Flixbus for a group, but you need to contact an official sales point for this. Unfortunately, the baggage allowance at Flixbus is somewhat limited.
Compared to other long-distance bus companies, you are only allowed to travel with two pieces of luggage: one piece of hand luggage (30x42x18 centimeters) weighing 7 kilograms, and one piece of checked luggage (80x50x30 centimeters) weighing 20 kilograms. For additional pieces of luggage, you will incur extra charges during booking.
Here’s how Flixbus scores on online reviews: On the platform Checkmybus.de, Flixbus only scores two stars in the long-distance bus comparison: Delays, delayed or missing refunds, and unreliable customer service are frequently mentioned issues.
Long-Distance Bus Comparison Summary – When to Use Flixbus:
The best results in the long-distance bus comparison are achieved for trips with Flixbus between two major cities. If you are looking for a connection between two cities in Germany or abroad that Flixbus serves, you will even be shown transfer options. This makes city travel in Germany and Europe comfortable with the long-distance bus. Need to get from the city to the airport? Flixbus offers a cheap alternative to taxis or transfers for various airports, such as those in Stockholm, Paris, Frankfurt, or Munich.
Blablabus in the Long-Distance Bus Comparison
Who is behind it: Blablabus was originally the long-distance bus Ouibus, founded by the French railway SNCF, and has been part of the French company Blablacar since 2018. One of the three leaders of Blablacar, Nicolas Brusson, owns Blablabus.
These are the unique features of the network: Blablacar took over Ouibus to further expand the international network. Blablabus now serves 36 destinations in ten countries. These ticket prices can be expected: Blablabus offers tickets starting at 4.90 euros. There are also cheap tickets for international routes (Berlin – Prague for 16 euros). However, prices for international routes with high demand can be significantly higher. (Frankfurt/Main – Milan for at least 48 euros).
These additional features are available: Children and teenagers between 13 and 18 years old may travel alone with a travel authorization from their parents and their own identification document. With Blablabus, you are allowed to bring two pieces of hand luggage and one checked piece of luggage. The latter can have a maximum length of 200 centimeters and a maximum weight of 23 kilograms.
Strollers/buggies can be stored in the luggage compartment free of charge.
