‘Tradition meets technology:’ how FlixBus is revolutionizing the busing industry

FlixBus, a German-based startup, is making transportation easier and more enjoyable for people all across the West Coast.

FlixBus started with the mission of providing green and smart mobility that allows everyone to experience the world.

“[We] are really changing the way people travel, in a good way, and [we’re] also allowing more people to travel. I think many people take traveling for granted,” Pierre Gourdain, managing director United States, FlixBus, said.

Started in 2013 in Munich, Germany, FlixBus moved to the United States in 2018.

“We saw that here everyone is relying on their car, but we also saw that no one likes to be reliant on their car. There was an underlying demand for something else,” Gourdain said. “People can’t cope with traffic anymore, it’s too tiring. They want to be productive with their time [and] when you’re in a bus, if you’re sitting in traffic it doesn’t matter because you can do other things.

The company offers travelers routes between Arizona, California and Nevada with tickets starting at $2.99.

“A third of Americans [almost never] travel, either because they can’t afford it or don’t even know they can afford it because they haven’t found a service to offer them a good way of traveling. Now, with FlixBus [people] can hop on the bus and go places for very cheap,” Gourdain said.

From Phoenix a traveler can go to places like: Tucson, currently priced at $4.99; Flagstaff, $9.99; Los Angeles, $19.99; San Francisco, $39.98; or San Diego, $27.98.

The company is able to provide these low prices because they do not own their buses. By partnering with local bus companies, FlixBus is able to handle the branding, ticket sales and marketing while their partners manage the bus operations.

According to FlixBus, “our green FlixBus fleet relies on close Bus Partnerships with small and medium-sized companies, often family-owned businesses, who act as our regional partners and are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the buses.

FlixBus also makes ticketing and finding the bus easier by offering e-ticketing and “Where’s My Bus” live GPS tracking. While on the bus, travelers have access to free Wi-Fi and power outlets.

According to Gourdain, 50 percent of their customers in Arizona have never traveled by bus before but more than half of them come back within the first two months.

What differentiates us from many other bus companies and startups is that we are extremely customer centric. We use our [own] product all the time…we actually live the product,” Gourdain said. “[We offer] a better service at a better price. It’s easier to find, try and book. It’s a sum of a ton of little things that make a huge difference for travelers.”

FlixBus has seen more than 100 million travelers and has more than 2,000 destinations across 28 countries.

To learn more or book a trip click here.

Emily Richardson

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