Whenever I travel abroad, rail is always my preferred method of transportation and I’ll choose the train whenever I can. However, I have recently come to appreciate the benefits of travelling by bus.
On the other hand, buses usually offer more flexibility and routes. The only practical constraint is the road system, which is always more extensive than any local rail network.
If there is a road and demand from passengers, a bus company can run a service. In the same situation where there are no direct rail tracks, a similar train journey is likely to be less direct, include more changes and cost more.
Overall, bus travel does tend to be more affordable than rates offered by train companies.
I’ve also come to realize that modern buses afford far more comfort and amenities than the strictly functional vehicles of my youth. Seats provide good support, they recline and have decent legroom. There are bathrooms, wi-fi and sometimes drinks and snacks available.
Table of Contents
Before we get to that, a little about the two bus companies:
Megabus
Megabus was formed in 2006 by UK company Stagecoach Group using the Megabus brand that was already established in Europe, and which was subsequently sold to FlixBus. Megabus now operates 30 routes across the Eastern United States and Canada. Its headquarters are in Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA and Peterborough, Ontario in Canada
FlixBus
FlixBus was founded in Munich in 2011 and has expanded rapidly through a series of takeovers. Today FlixBus offers services in 35 European countries. They also operate FlixTrains in Germany and recently expanded into Brazil and the Western United States.
Both Megabus and FlixBus provide reliable and punctual services.
All of the buses that I have ever taken, departed bang on time and reached their destinations within a few minutes of the scheduled arrivals. So how about the rest of my experiences?
1. Booking and Reservations
FlixBus allows passengers to purchase tickets and change reservations using its website, mobile app, on the bus and at official ticket resellers or one of its FlixShops.
I initially purchased our tickets from the FlixBus website and then downloaded the mobile app from the Google Play Store to manage our trip and to make the changes we needed for our return. The app also sent us notifications before and during the trip. It was super easy to use.
The initial booking through their website was quick and easy. I booked our tickets and paid the small premiums to reserve seats. The only challenge was ensuring that I chose the right departure and arrival destinations, as there were many in Berlin and two in Szczecin.
I chose Classic Seats, although for a slightly higher fee, they offered Panorama Seats, which are located at the front and provide the best views. You can also reserve the seat next to you for a fee and enjoy the extra space, but as my wife (Monique) and I were on speaking terms that day, we decided to sit together!
About 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of our return trip, we decided to change our booking. FlixBus allows passengers to do this up to 15 minutes before departure. We had to pay the difference in ticket price, just €4 each, and the new tickets were delivered to the app immediately.
FlixBus allows you to cancel your booking and receive a refund, although there are cancellation fees that increase on a sliding scale, starting 30 days before the scheduled departure time.
Megabus tickets can be purchased online from the Megabus website or over the phone using their toll-free number. Unlike FlixBus, Megabus charges a booking fee.
Megabus has a US mobile app, but does not advertise one for Canada and I was not able to find one when searching the Google Play Store. The US version does not support travel within Canada.
The initial online booking experience was similar to that offered by FlixBus, but I had problems reserving seats. I emailed their customer support, and the issue was resolved quickly and easily. Our tickets were delivered by email, which I downloaded and saved to my phone. Megabus offers reserved seats at varying prices as well as a general seating area where you simply choose an available seat when you board the bus.
Megabus does not permit cancellations or refunds but will allow you to trade your ticket up to three hours before your scheduled departure time. Megabus charges fees for all ticket trades.
VERDICT ON BOOKING & RESERVATIONS:
FlixBus – 5 out of 5. An excellent experience, including a quick and easy last-minute change.
Megabus – 3 out of 5. The lack of an app and the less convenient change rules were both disappointing.
2. Boarding Experience
We boarded our Megabus at Toronto Union Station Bus Terminal. It is a fresh and modern facility with clean bathrooms, reasonable amounts of seating and great signage. The bus station was covered and climate controlled. When we arrived in Montreal we disembarked at the roadside.
When it came time to board, our tickets were scanned from my phone, and we made our way up to the upper deck. Seats were clearly marked and easy to find. While we didn’t travel with large bags, the driver took luggage from those passengers who had them and stowed in the compartment. A similar unloading service was provided at our Montreal destination.
We boarded our FlixBus at Berlin Südkreuz train station and easily found the bus station area, which is an uncovered space adjacent to the main rail terminal. While the stop was clearly marked, there was no electronic signs advising of imminent arrivals, so we nearly boarded the wrong bus.
Our tickets were scanned from the app, and we easily found our seats. A similar service to Megabus was offered to those with larger bags. In Szczecin, we were dropped off at the roadside.
VERDICT ON BOARDING EXPERIENCE:
Flixbus – 3 out of 5. Perfectly adequate in all ways.
Megabus – 4 out of 5. While this was more to do with the station than the bus company, we preferred the covered seating area and better signage.
3. Onboard Comfort and Amenities
Our FlixBuses were both modern, spotlessly clean and provided comfortable reclining seats with decent legroom. The power sockets worked and the wi-fi was surprisingly good, I was able to stream an entire football match on low resolution with minimal buffering.
The bathroom was clean and fully stocked, so I felt comfortable using it. FlixBus advertises snacks and drinks on some routes, but these were not available to us. I assume that this was because of the relatively short journey time of less than three hours each way.
Our double-decker Megabus provided a fantastic vantage point. The seats were comfortable and reclined, although the legroom seemed slightly less than on FlixBus. The bus seemed somewhat old and tired and had not been cleaned particularly well.
While the power sockets worked, the onboard wi-fi was hopeless. There were no onboard refreshments, but about halfway through the six-hour trip we stopped at Kingston Ontario for 10 minutes, which allowed us to pick-up some snacks and drinks.
VERDICT ON ONBOARD COMFORT AND AMENITIES
FlixBus – 5 out of 5. An excellent, albeit slightly utilitarian experience.
Megabus – 3 out of 5. Let down by cleanliness, age of the bus and poor wi-fi.
4. Customer Service and Staff
While Flixbus provided the better overall customer experience due to its superior technology, their drivers and other staff were uniformly gruff and unsmiling. They had jobs to do such as scanning tickets, loading bags and driving the bus, which they did efficiently while minimizing interaction as much as possible with passengers.
As our lack of German and Polish could have contributed to our experience, I watched carefully how staff interacted with other passengers. It was consistent with how they dealt with us.
Maybe it was cultural or because of the shared language, but we preferred dealing with the Megabus staff. They just seemed a little friendlier and were open to chatting with passengers. I also had a good experience when dealing with their customer support over email.
VERDICT ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND STAFF
FlixBus – 3 out of 5. Perfunctory and efficient.
Megabus – 4 out of 5. The staff just seemed that little bit happier in their work and more interested in their passengers.
5. Price
Both Megabus and FlixBus claim to offer low-cost travel, and in all cases the buses we took were cheaper than all other travel options available to us. To make a fair comparison, I shall use hypothetical trips, scheduled for 30 days’ from today, from Toronto to Montreal and Berlin to Frankfurt. These trips are similar distances and don’t cross international borders.
The base prices for one-way tickets on FlixBus from Berlin to Frankfurt ranged from €9.99 to €25.99. As I wouldn’t want an overnight journey, I chose the €11.99 option scheduled to leave at 3:00pm and arrive at 11:10pm. The total cost, including reserving a classic seat was €15.98. This converts to USD15.65 or 3 cents per kilometre.
For Megabus tickets from Toronto to Montreal on the same date, the base price for all buses was CAD59.99. I selected the 4:00pm departure, which was due to arrive at 10:25pm, and chose a standard seat for a total cost of CAD63.99 or USD46.56. This works out at 9 cents per kilometre.
VERDICT ON PRICE:
FlixBus – 5 out of 5. Astonishing value even before you consider their generous cancellation and change policies.
Megabus – 3 out of 5. While cheaper than rail and air travel options locally, there is no comparison with FlixBus prices.
Final Score
FlixBus: 21 out of 25
Megabus: 17 out of 25
To be honest, we are not fussy travellers, and we would happily travel with Megabus again, albeit without much enthusiasm. However, as train tickets on VIA Rail are often similar prices, rail remains our usual choice within Canada.
FlixBus, however, just offers better service and much better value. Even with the lower prices of air and train tickets in Europe, they are simply no match for FlixBus.
So, we have a clear winner: FlixBus. For fantastic value and a great customer experience, FlixBus is simply an amazing option for budget travel around Europe.
What have been your experiences travelling by bus around Europe, North America or elsewhere? Have you been a passenger on FlixBus or Megabus? Maybe you’ve journeyed with another bus company? We’d love to hear your comments about your experiences.
Author
Nick Abbott
Hi, I’m Nick. Visiting foreign countries has been an important part of my life since my parents moved to Kano in Nigeria in 1977. Since then, as both a military officer and in later jobs I have enjoyed the huge privilege of being exposed to many different countries and cultures.
I am delighted to be able to support my wife Monique and Yes2Yolo primarily by contributing travel articles, providing editing and proof-reading services and being a general sounding board.
