The long-distance bus market Flixbus already rolled out. Under the name Flixtrain, the Munich-based company is now also moving to rail.
As Flixbus in took over the insolvent train operator Locomore in the summer of last year, the Munich-based company began to consider launching its own train brand. In two weeks, the time has come: On March 23, the first Flixtrain will hit the rails.
Initially, Flixtrain will serve the Hamburg – Essen – Düsseldorf – Cologne route daily except Wednesdays. From mid-April, additional green trains will follow on the Stuttgart – Frankfurt – Hanover – Berlin route. A total of 28 destinations in five federal states will then be served by Flixtrain. Tickets are available from €9.99 via www.flixtrain.de, via app, in Flixbus shops and in cooperating travel agencies.
André Schwämmlein, co-founder and managing director of Flixmobility, as the parent company is now called, says that the train division will make the service more attractive for travelers in Germany:
“From Düsseldorf, Essen, or Cologne, you can get to Hamburg just as quickly with the Flixtrain without changing trains as with the ICE.”
“Long-distance bus and rail complement each other perfectly”
Flixmobility is pursuing its transition to rail in a similar way to its successful bus business: The company does not operate buses itself, but works with existing bus operators. For train services, the Munich-based company cooperates with BTE (BahnTouristikExpress) from Nuremberg. André Schwämmlein:
"Our recipe for success is the combination of a tech startup and a traditional transport company. As with Flixbus, we are therefore also focusing on cooperation with traditional railway companies for Flixtrain. This way, quality from experience meets digitalization and data-driven innovation."
By offering interchange options between bus and rail, Flixmobility aims to create more travel options. The goal, according to Schwämmlein, is to encourage even more people to switch to public transport:
"Long-distance bus and rail complement each other perfectly here. The integration of both modes of transport is part of a sustainable concept for the mobility of the future."
Since its market launch in 2013, Flixbus claims to have transported more than 100 million people. The company's first buses are scheduled to enter service in the US this summer.
