This question is less about seeking advice and more just because I'm confused. My daughter is currently traveling, and today she took the bus from Lisbon to Seville. She booked her ticket on Flixbus a couple of weeks ago... and it cost one euro. Yep, that's right- one. euro. My credit card was charged $1.49, not even transaction fees. After some research, I didn't like the reviews, so I tried to get her to cancel and find a bus with Alsa. She wouldn't do it... so I just prepared for various scenarios in case she missed the bus, it didn't come, etc. Well, she got on the bus just fine, she said it was "surprisingly nice" and she got to Seville maybe even a little early. So, what's the deal? HOW did she get away with a bus ticket that should have been $25 for just one euro? Anyone else with experience with Flixbus? (by the way, I'm not complaining, just really confused).
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
I took FlixBus last year from Ljubljana to Trieste. It was fine. I booked it last minute, so it didn't cost only 1 euro i probably paid over 20 euros.. As each bus sells more tickets, the prices go up, and I couldn't book til near the last minute.
FlixBus seems to be aggressively adding new routes in Europe. I suspect they offer cheap intro prices on new routes to get people to switch from their competitors.
Posted by
Washington DC
27053 posts
Loss leader/good advertising. I've seen ads for other 1-euro bus trips. Typically there aren't many seats available at that price, and your daughter was probably quite lucky to get one only about two weeks before her trip. It's definitely a legitimate company. I think I ended up on one Flixbus in Poland this year, and that trip was perfectly fine. I believe others have said some of their buses are pretty cramped, which is not how I would describe the multiple ALSA buses I have taken.
Megabus has offered some $1 fares in the US, I think.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8938 posts
Just like RyanAir sometimes has flights for 1€, the bus companies do too.
Got RT tickets for 2 people Frankfurt to Trier for 59€ total. Lots cheaper than the train and faster too. The company is fine.
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7049 posts
In order for a bus company to advertise "fares from 1 EUR" or "fares from $1", they legally have to make at least one seat available for that really low price. Megabus and Bolt Bus in the US advertise that way as well in order to compete with each other and get name recognition from budget travelers. I bought a $1 fare a few times from DC to NYC minus all the taxes and fees, which meant a total price of $4.25. But, believe it or not, the bus company can still make a profit even if some very limited number of seats sell at the rock bottom price. The key is that only a few seats will be sold at that price. They have dynamic pricing for all the other seats just like air carriers, and they can always adjust pricing on the unsold seats to meet certain revenue targets. Folks who buy their tickets last minute pay a much higher price, so they subsidize the cheap seats. There's no trick, it's all marketing. It's not too hard to get the 1 EUR or $1 price if you buy very early on when the schedule gets released and you're one of the first people to jump on it.
BTW, I think it's great that your daughter refused to be helicopter parented. She seems smart and mature. Most "kids" don't plan ahead when it comes to transport tickets; it sounds like she made a great decision.
Posted by
OP
114 posts
Thanks for the replies! I didn't realize they offered 1 euro fares... I guess she was just really lucky when she booked the ticket! She did say the bus was pretty empty, so I'm sure that increased her chances. They didn't even charge fees- my credit card was charged exactly $1.49 (I'm kind of surprised it went through, as a lot of fraud starts with just a very small purchase to see if it's a legitimate card). (also, I won't talk about my visions of a rickety old bus with the driver kidnapping everyone half way through the ride-- hahahahaha. She reported that the bus was surprisingly nice, so maybe I have too much of an imagination?)
Helicopter parent... YES! ha ha But, in my defense, I didn't mention that she's only 19 and this is her first solo trip. I have learned so much about her abilities. I didn't have an opportunity like this when I was her age, so the idea of solo travel for a young female terrifies me! But, she's done very well.I have to say I"m very proud of her!
Posted by
Houston
3517 posts
Yes, someone charged you a fee.
Right now the Euro is worth US$1.16 but you were charged $1.49. This was a markup of 33 cents. Not much for this small transaction, but percentage wise that is quite a markup.
Posted by
5 posts
Does anyone know what cities in Spain are served by Flix Bus? I'm going to be spending about 5 weeks in Spain visiting my daughter Dec and Jan. It might be nice to have some low cost alternatives to get from city to city. We both have traveled quite a bit in Spain and are looking to travel to some cities that either are new to us or that we have not visited in years. I am old enough for the Tarjeta Dorada on Renfe so that might be the better alternative. Just wondering. I should add that we will have a base of Madrid.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
Go to FlixBus's website and see which cities they serve.