FlixBus becomes world's biggest intercity bus operator

DW (English)

FlixBus is now the biggest intercity bus travel company with thousands of green buses and destinations all over the globe. But the company's business success is not without challenges and criticism.

Transcript

00:00Buses are not just one of the most sustainable ways to travel.

00:04The bus is much cheaper, like half price.

00:07Sustainability is an issue as far as I'm concerned.

00:09That's why I take the bus rather than drive, because it's cheap.

00:14I don't need to change here.

00:16There's a direct connection to Leipzig,

00:18where the train would have had to change trains,

00:20and that's a bit problematic in old age.

00:22And budget operator Flixbus has been dominating

00:29intercity bus travel in Europe for some time now.

00:34We are already now in the biggest bus markets on earth.

00:37And now the company is expanding beyond borders to India

00:41and exceeding expectations.

00:44Germany lifted its ban on intercity bus travel in 2013.

00:48And since then, these signature green buses have become a symbol

00:52of affordable and sustainable travel in Germany,

00:55Europe and around the world.

00:58But from the beginning, Flixbus was more than just a bus operator,

01:03as people tend to think.

01:06So what we propose to bus companies now all across the globe is,

01:10they focus on the operations and we are the technology layer.

01:14In that sense, we develop technology for network planning,

01:17for pricing, for marketing, for operations, for customer service.

01:21And we deploy that on a global base.

01:23This business model, combined with leveraging data analytics,

01:27allows Flixbus to rapidly expand its network.

01:31Today, the company that started with a few routes in Bavaria

01:34links up more than 5,600 destinations in 44 countries.

01:40That ambition to expand is not without its critics,

01:44mainly about fair competition, potential market monopolization,

01:48working conditions and the implications for regional operators

01:52struggling to compete.

01:53We always say we are pro-competition.

01:55We need open markets, no barriers, and of course,

01:58a regular environment where we ensure safety and quality.

02:01That's totally clear.

02:03But besides that, let competition at the end bring the best product.

02:07In February 2024, Flix made its entry into India.

02:11The subcontinent represents an enormous opportunity for the company,

02:14with India becoming a global tech hub.

02:18Why India?

02:19India is, outside of China, the largest bus market in the world.

02:22It is a market where buses are used as the backbone of people getting around.

02:28So a lot of money and investment going into creating better roads

02:31and better infrastructure.

02:33As Flixbus continues to expand and grow,

02:37the road ahead will require navigating complex challenges,

02:40managing growth, responding to consumer demands

02:43and addressing critics and concerns.

02:52For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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