Flixbus gets competition New long-distance bus provider launches in Germany
BERLIN · Flixbus currently controls around 95 percent of the long-distance bus market. But now consumers in Germany can hope for more of a choice. The subsidiary of a car-sharing agency has announced its own offer.
Long-distance bus customers in Germany will soon have more of a choice. The company Blablabus plans to start in the first German cities this spring, according to a spokeswoman. A German business newspaper, the "Handelsblatt", had previously reported on it.
The branch of the car-sharing agency Blablacar wants to launch an assault on the German industry leader Flixbus with red buses. Currently, Flixbus, known for its green buses, serves 95 percent of the market after several takeovers.
Starting in the second quarter, the new long-distance bus service will initially operate in 60 cities in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Most of the cities served are in Germany, as the Blablacar spokeswoman reported. In France, Blablabus will take over the French Flixbus rival Ouibus from SNCF sometime before June. SNCF's French Railways will also be investing in Blablacar.
Like Flixbus, Blablabus does not operate its own vehicles, but organizes and arranges trips for medium-sized bus companies. The German long-distance bus market had hardly grown in recent years on domestic German routes. Cross-border connections were more promising. This is where Blablabus should start. There are also plans to use car-sharing services to steer passengers to the bus service. Orig. text: dpa Translation: Carol Kloeppel
