Flixbus Reviews – Is This Bus Service Worth It?

Last Updated on January 12, 2022 by Greg Bessoni

Flixbus offers private and affordable bus transportation for a number of areas across the United States. Since there are plenty of competitors, it can be hard to determine which is the best. We’ve created this Flixbus review to help showcase the pros and cons! Keep reading to explore what customers have to say about this bus service. 

How Does Flixbus Work?

Flixbus offers bus transportation to and from various cities around the USA. They also have options in Europe for those traveling or living abroad. Although they don’t offer the most luxurious bus rides, they do offer some great amenities on every bus. Their buses have a toilet, wifi, and plugins. They also advertise comfortable seats, but many Flixbus reviews have said otherwise. 

The prices are very competitive – you’ll often find the best bus deal on Flixbus. They offer both short and long rides between cities. To search for your destination, you simply visit the Flixbus homepage and enter your travel details. You can choose between one-way or round-trip tickets, and they provide the prices right away without needing to sign up for an account. 

Flixbus Reviews (From Real Customers)

You can find customer reviews on platforms such as Trustpilot and Yelp. Overall, Flixbus reviews in the USA are pretty average on most of these platforms. Some people have good experiences, while some others have a lot to complain about. 

One common complaint involves Flixbus seats. People state they aren’t very comfortable, especially for long bus rides. On top of that, they’re very invasive to personal space if the person in front of you decides to lean back or if you lean back into the person behind you. Unfortunately,  quite a few people have complained about late buses and poor refund policy (as well as poor customer service). 

However, there have also been plenty of positive customer experiences as well. Many people have found excellent deals using Flixbus and had no issues with their trip. 

Flixbus vs. Competition

If you’ve done any research, you know there are quite a few bus companies to choose from. Greyhound, Megabus, Bolt Bus, and Peter Pan are a few of the most popular alternatives. How does Flixbus compare to their competition?  

Greyhound is definitely the most popular competitor, so let’s start off with a comparison of Flixbus vs Greyhound. For starters, Greyhound offers service to many more cities than Flixbus and provides service in nearly every state. The two offer pretty similar amenities including wifi, outlets, bathrooms, and comfortable seats. Overall, reviews for the Greyhound bus are slightly better than Flixbus (and they have a ton of feedback). 

You might have also heard of Megabus and BoltBus. Like Greyhound, these two bus companies offer similar amenities to Flixbus. Buses offer wifi, outlets, toilets, and comfortable seats, Overall, Megabus and BoltBus have pretty similar customer feedback to Flixbus as well. They all stay around a 3-star average. 

If you’re scared after seeing a negative Flixbus review, you might try researching their popular competitors to see if there are alternatives you can feel better about. 

Is Flixbus Cheaper Than Flying? 

While many people assume a cheap bus like Flixbus would be cheaper than flying, this isn’t always the case. Flying between certain cities are sometimes comparable in price (or even cheaper) than a bus ticket. For example, there are almost always cheap flights between Los Angeles and Las Vegas on Southwest or Spirit airlines. Depending on your travel dates, you might just be lucky and find a cheaper flight! 

Flixbus FAQ

Are FlixBus seats comfortable?

If you’re picky about seat comfort, you might be dissatisfied. There are a number of Flixbus reviews that complain about how comfortable the seats are, as well as their functionality. Some have stated that you invade the space of the person behind you if you lean your seat back (and it’s very annoying when someone does this to you).  

Does Flixbus have plug sockets?

Yes, every Flixbus should have plug sockets available for you to charge your devices. 

Can you sleep on Flixbus?

Yes, just make sure to guard your belongings if you’re traveling alone. 

Does FlixBus have toilets?

Yes, every Flixbus should have a toilet. 

Do you need to tip on private buses like Flixbus? 

Although we’re sure drivers would appreciate tipping, it’s not as common as it is with airport shuttles or taxis. That being said, you should consider providing a small tip since they have to drive pretty long trips and likely get paid a small hourly wage. 

Bottom Line – Is FlixBus Reliable?

Overall, Flixbus is an inexpensive way to travel between cities in the USA or Europe. Although they definitely have affordable bus tickets, some of the negative Flixbus reviews might turn you off. We always recommend checking with their competition as well to see if there are better deals out there (including Greyhound, Megabus, Bolt Bus, etc.) 
Flixbus and similar bus companies could even be a good option for airport transportation to an airport in another city. However, if you’re looking for an airport shuttle closer to home, Shuttlefare is a great place to find the best deals.