If the thought of bus travel immediately turns you off, it may be time to reconsider. FlixBus, a German startup that in just five years has become Europe’s preferred commercial bus transport option, is bringing their upscale bus service to the United States. In order to attract attention, they’re offering the best deal around — fares starting at just $0.99.
Photo: FlixBus
This German Company Is Bringing Luxury Bus Travel to the US -- for Cheap
The brand’s US routes, which launch on May 31st, are centered on city-to-city travel. Their uber-cheap fares are for routes from Los Angeles to Phoenix, Los Angeles to Las Vegas, San Diego to Las Vegas, and Phoenix to Las Vegas.
The cheap fares are hardly the best part of the FlixBus service. Each ride is also equipped with WiFi, features entertainment options such as movies and TV, and provides more legroom than you’ll find in a typical coach seat on an airplane. While bus transit takes longer than a flight, the ability to ride in comfort is a big part of the company’s success in Europe.
FlixBus manages to offer such cheap fares by embracing minimalism. Instead of spending money on big advertising campaigns, the brand instead focuses on in-house optimization; and, instead of owning large fleets of buses, they rent fleets from local companies in the markets they serve, avoiding not only a good chunk of the maintenance but also the headache of having to pay to park the buses when not in use.
If you’re not heading to one of the cities listed above, you’ll still be able to check out this hip new way to travel. FlixBus hopes to expand service by adding hundreds of additional bus lines across the United States by the end of 2018. 