Travel
Buses and coaches: long-distance and airport buses
The operators that run most long-distance routes, the sites that sell tickets across them, what you can bring, airport buses, and what you're owed when a coach is late.
Checked on 20 October 2026. Prices, fees and rules are from each company's own pages, or the law, unless we say otherwise. They change, so check when you book.
The short version
- Flix is the name you'll see most. Flix runs coaches in more than 40 countries, owns Greyhound and took over Eurolines' main Western European business in 2019. BlaBlaCar is stopping its coaches in France and Europe by the end of 2026, according to trade press. Flix, launch in Mexico, May 2025, FlixBus, seven years in the US, May 2025, Treinreiziger.nl, Eurolines joins FlixBus, May 2019, L'Echo touristique, BlaBlaCar ends its coach business, April 2026, FNTV (French coach federation), April 2026
- Plan to charge your phone, not your laptop. FlixBus lists free wifi, subject to availability, but says: "While you may not always be able to charge your laptop, you can always charge your phone." FlixBus, services on board
- Two bags are usually free. FlixBus allows a 7 kg hand bag and a 20 kg hold bag; National Express, on an older page, 10 kg of hand luggage and two medium cases or one large, each up to 20 kg. FlixBus, luggage, National Express, luggage (older page)
- Long trips come with rights. In the UK and EU, on journeys of 250 km or more, a cancellation, or a departure more than 120 minutes late, means you choose a refund or another coach. If you weren't offered that choice, you're owed 50% of the ticket price. Regulation 181/2011, chapter I (legislation.gov.uk), Regulation 181/2011, chapter IV (legislation.gov.uk)
Coach operators
Alphabetical.
| Operator | Where | Luggage | Worth knowing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALSA | Spain, Portugal, Morocco, France, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia | Hand luggage up to 7 kg that fits the overhead rack | Part of Mobico Group | Go to ALSA |
| FlixBus | Europe, Türkiye, the US, Canada and Mexico (with Greyhound), Brazil, Chile and Peru | 7 kg hand bag and 20 kg hold bag free; one extra bag can be bought | A service fee on each booking; changing a ticket counts as cancelling it | Go to FlixBus |
| Greyhound | The US, Canada and across the border to Mexico; 1,600+ stops with FlixBus | One carry-on and one stored bag (two to Mexico) | Owned by Flix since 2021. Greyhound Australia is a separate company | Go to Greyhound |
| National Express | UK | 10 kg of hand luggage and two medium cases or one large, each up to 20 kg; extra items £10 online (older page) | Go to National Express |
Sources: Mobico Group, ALSA, ALSA, luggage on board, Flix, launch in Mexico, May 2025, Munich Startup, Flix in Latin America, March 2025, FlixBus, luggage, FlixBus, manage my booking, Greyhound, baggage, FlixBus, seven years in the US, May 2025, National Express, luggage (older page)
In the US, Megabus's owner Coach USA filed for bankruptcy in June 2024, so check FlixBus and Greyhound first. Bloomberg, Megabus owner Coach USA files for bankruptcy, June 2024
Booking sites
Alphabetical.
| Site | Covers | Fees to you | Worth knowing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12Go | Buses, trains and ferries, mainly in Southeast Asia | Not published on the pages we read | Go to 12Go | |
| Bookaway | Ground transport and ferries in "over 80 countries" (the same page also says 110) | Not published on the pages we read | Go to Bookaway | |
| Busbud | Buses and trains in over 80 countries | Not published on the pages we read | Go to Busbud | |
| CheckMyBus | Compares 12,500+ bus companies in 90 countries, then sends you to book | "CheckMyBus doesn't charge you any additional fee"; the booking site may | Doesn't sell tickets itself | Go to CheckMyBus |
| Omio | Buses, trains, flights and ferries in 47 countries | A service fee that varies by booking, non-refundable | Go to Omio | |
| Wanderu | Mainly the US and Canada; 200+ carriers | Not mentioned on its how-it-works page | You pay the carrier through Wanderu, and the carrier pays Wanderu a small share | Go to Wanderu |
Sources: 12Go, about, Bookaway, affiliates, Busbud, affiliate programme, CheckMyBus, about, The Omio Group, Omio terms of use, April 2026, Wanderu, how does Wanderu work?
Airport buses
- Paris Charles de Gaulle
- Roissybus was withdrawn from 1 March 2026. Line 9517 now runs from Saint-Denis-Pleyel to the airport in 30 minutes on an ordinary bus ticket, or the RER B train costs €14 on the Paris region airports ticket. Île-de-France Mobilités, RoissyBus ends, Bonjour RATP, Paris Region airports ticket
- London Heathrow
- National Express and FlixBus coaches run from Victoria Coach Station in about 50 minutes. Heathrow, from Victoria
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
- The S1 airport bus goes to Khao San (Sanam Luang) from 06:00 to 20:00, from Gate 7 on the first floor; city buses 554, 555 and 558 leave from the bus terminal. Thai Government, buses from Suvarnabhumi Airport, July 2023
When a coach is late or cancelled
- UK and EU
- On regular services of 250 km or more: if it's cancelled or over 120 minutes late leaving, you choose another coach at no extra cost or a refund. If you weren't offered that choice, you're owed 50% of the ticket price, paid within a month of asking for it. Regulation 181/2011, chapter I (legislation.gov.uk), Regulation 181/2011, chapter IV (legislation.gov.uk)
- Information and help
- You should be told about a cancellation or delay no later than 30 minutes after the scheduled departure time. On trips over three hours delayed by more than 90 minutes, the operator must offer snacks and meals, and a hotel for up to two nights where needed (except when severe weather or a natural disaster caused the delay): up to £70 a night in the UK, €80 in the EU. Regulation 181/2011, chapter IV (legislation.gov.uk), European Consumer Centres Network, bus and coach
- Luggage in an accident (UK)
- The law sets a minimum of £1,000 per item of luggage for the compensation operators must provide under article 7. Regulation 181/2011, article 7 (legislation.gov.uk)
- US
- We found no federal refund or compensation rule for buses; refunds depend on the operator's terms. The FMCSA takes complaints, but says it can't act for passengers seeking money. FMCSA, complaint centre FAQs, October 2026
Related: Flights, Trains, Ferries, Taxis and transfers, Luggage storage, Everything in Travel