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Zou vs FlixBus

Posted by (Los Angeles) on

Greetings gang!
This site is always so helpful with travelers' experience.
I'm trying to determine the best way from Nice to Aix in mid-July.
It looks like the bus is the fastest and most direct (cf the train).

Zou goes from Gare Routiere in Nice and arrives in Aix (main train station) in about 3 hrs, 15.
Can walk to my apartment from the station.

FlixBus goes from Nice airport (terminal 1) to Aix (Krypton station) in about 2.5 hours. From that station, I'd need a taxi to my apartment for about a 5 minute drive.

Anyone have experience on either company? Prices are comparable, so I'd prefer to go with the nicest and most comfortable option.

Posted by
3161 posts

I’ve used FlixBus a few times in Italy and never had a problem. On time, clean, comfortable. Buy tix beforehand on line for best prices.

Posted by
7836 posts

Flixbus has been around longer. The company originated in Germany and success allowed them to expand to the USA and Brazil. I have used them Munich to Salzburg 2015, Barcelona to Zaragoza 2019 and Chamonix to Milan 2021 no problems. I have never heard of Zou but I would try it. The worse service I have ever experienced long distance bus travel for people who can't afford trains or planes has happened in the USA on Greyhound.

Posted by
10188 posts

Take the fastest so you can get off quicker.
I took Flixbus last month to visit family on the Côte. Kinda miserable, but I go several stops further than Aix. They rent buses and drivers from other companies so it's a cr@p shoot..
Going over: no rest stops, no info, toilet stuffed up. drivers spoke??? Riding home: good professional driver spoke Italian, French, Spanish. Broken toilet, a rest stop. It's the Genoa to Barcelona line.
The only reason I took Flixbus was I waited too long for TGV tickets during winter break with all the Parisians coming south. I would have had 3 TERs to get to my destination.

Posted by
32745 posts

The train is very easy and nearly as fast and much more frequent. Half an hour in Marseilles and then 11 minutes on the TGV or 40 on the local gets you to Aix TGV station or town station. With the double decker trains the views are beautiful.

Posted by
256 posts

Thanks, Nigel! (and everyone for the feedback)

I think that sounds much nicer.

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