The Munich-based startup Flixbus is already the market leader in Europe. Six months ago, the green buses crossed the Atlantic and have been rolling through the southwestern United States ever since. Starting next year, Flixbus will also be operating on the East Coast.
Flixbus is also growing rapidly in the American market. The company told the news agency dpa that it has already opened a branch in New York City. The Munich-based company intends to establish New York as a hub for bus connections on the American East Coast.
With its expansion, Flixbus is taking on the American giant Greyhound. While its buses have a firm place in pop culture, they have a miserable image: The traditional buses are considered outdated and dingy.
From European market leader to attacker in the USA
In May of this year Flixbus ventured into the US market. Initially, the service was limited to Southern California, eight destinations in neighboring Arizona, as well as Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. Flixbus now also serves the Northern California Bay Area around San Francisco. Co-founder André Schwämmlein says the dpa:
“Flixbus has established itself in the western United States and has proven to be a welcome travel alternative for Americans.”
Founded in 2013, the Munich-based startup Flixbus has had a meteoric rise to become the European market leader: In 2015, the company merged with its Berlin-based competitor MeinFernbus. Subsequently, Flixbus took over the European business of Megabus, the provider Postbus and the bus network of the Austrian ÖBB. Under the brand Flixtrain The first green trains are also running through Germany.
