FlixBus has announced plans to establish a domestic scheduled coach network in the UK during 2020. The news has been expected since the German brand registered a subsidiary here, FlixBus UK, in 2019.
FlixBus has not revealed when it expects services to launch or the cities it will serve. The company says its model of working with partner operators that provide vehicles in its green and yellow livery will be replicated in the UK.
FlixBus sees ‘great interest’ from UK operators
Although the identity of those operators is not yet known, potential partners in the UK “have already shown great interest” in working with FlixBus, the company says.
Adds Founder and Managing Director of FlixMobility André Schwämmlein: “We see enormous interest on the part of Great Britain to stay connected to Europe, which is why the country is currently particularly open to foreign investment.
“The [domestic] network is the next step towards a fully integrated offering for UK customers.”
Mr Schwämmlein adds that the UK market for scheduled coach travel is “traditional.” FlixBus plans to bring some “fresh wind” to the UK. That, he says, will be an “intelligent and environmentally friendly product combined with the experience of medium-sized British operators.”
FlixBus already operates international services to the UK from the Benelux countries, France and Germany. In 2019 it began a project that will deliver hydrogen fuel cell-electric coaches to its network with a zero-emission range of 500km.
FlixBus UK was incorporated on 11 April 2019. Its Managing Director is Andreas Schörling, who has previously worked for on-demand mobility company Gett.
World’s largest long-distance coach network
FlixBus was established in 2013 and says it has the world’s largest long-distance scheduled coach network. In 2019 its services carried over 62m passengers. Besides Europe, it is active in North America and Asia.
On Monday 17 February the first FlixBus journey to Africa departed from France. It also plans to enter the South American market.
