Flix, owner of Greyhound, to enter India; first intercity green buses to launch in 2024

Flix, one of the world’s largest transportation providers, has announced that it will expand FlixBus operations in India. Flix is planning to launch its bus routes in India in 2024.The first intercity green lines are scheduled to launch this year. 

The company, touted to be the largest long-distance bus network in Europe, also has its presence in the US, Canada and Brazil. Its first green long-distance train and a pilot project for all electric long-distance buses became operational in 2018. It currently operates in 40 countries, and serves over 5,500 destinations globally. 

Flix said that it plans to bring its “unique business model” to “one of the largest bus markets in the world”. It will also launch FlixBus operations in Chile this year, ahead of India.

India will be the 42nd country in the Flix network. The company said that with a market size larger than in Europe, Turkey, and North America combined, there is immense potential for growth in India for affordable, sustainable, and safe long-distance bus services. 

André Schwämmlein, co-founder and CEO of Flix said, “We are confident that our unique business model to work with small and medium-sized local bus partners and our technology for planning, booking operations and pricing will be a winning match also in India. With our strong focus on standardization and safety, we will build the most competitive bus network in this region. We are willing to invest substantially in the local market, create jobs and we are targeting market leadership.”

Flix promises to raise the standards and create a competitive market offering with more reliable choices for customers. The company aims for the same quality of service on every vehicle in the fleet. 

The average age of buses in the global Flix fleet is estimated to be 4-5 years. Passengers of the green buses are offered free Wi-Fi, comfortable seats with a lot of legroom, air conditioning, power sockets and overall cleanliness and safety. The transportation provider said that in most countries FlixBus has a seat reservation system, which it plans to launch in all of its markets.

“India is committed to alternative drives and is accelerating towards a future where collective transport is electric. This gives the opportunity for Flix to be a key local player in the development of a sustainable travel industry, setting up infrastructure and further development in this area,” said André Schwämmlein. 

Flix also aims to create a significant number of jobs in India and contribute to the economy. The company handles technology, customer service, quality management, network planning, as well as marketing and sales but Flix partners run the day-to-day operations and driver management. 

The company has already started its process of forming a local team in India and has appointed Surya Khurana as the country managing director. Khurana has vast experience in the mobility industry and will now recruit for the team to be located in Delhi, as well as look for local bus partners.

Since its foundation in 2013, Flix has carried close to 300 million travellers. It is the owner of FlixBus, FlixTrain, Greyhound in North America and Kamil Koç in Turkey. 

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