It was in Croatia that I finally bit the bullet and decided to book with Flixbus Zagreb. I needed to get to Budapest, and Flixbus was the cheapest option. As it is with nearly any route around Europe, be it East or West. I honestly didn’t know what to expect, as opinions on the internet appear to be divided. It was time for me to find out for myself.
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I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised. This may be because I fully expected it to be a total horror show due to the low price. On the contrary, it was actually ok. It is worth noting however, that since I jumped on the bandwagon way back at Flixbus Zagreb, I have had a few varying experiences with Flixbus in other countries!
For now though, let’s take a closer look at Flixbus Zagreb, and what you can expect when catching Flixbus into and out of Croatia.
Table of Contents
- About Flixbus
- How to book Flixbus
- Flixbus Zagreb destinations
- Where to catch Flixbus in Zagreb
- Flixbus – On board
- Hints and Tips
- Summary
About Flixbus
Flixbus, for those that don’t already know, is a budget long distance bus that operates around Europe. They now also have routes in the UK, USA and Brazil. Flixbus has always been very popular with backpackers and other budget travelers due to their low prices and ease of booking.
And I am talking LOW prices. If you book far enough in advance, you can find routes between some cities for well under 10 Euro, and even as low as 5 Euro. Wait until the last minute and these same routes can shoot up to 20 Euro. So being organised comes in handy.
Flixbus originated out of Germany, where it was created in 2011 by three entrepreneurs in Munich. It rapidly expanded into France, Italy and the Netherlands. Due to its popularity, the rest as they say, is history.
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How to book Flixbus
There are 3 ways to book Flixbus. It depends upon your circumstances, budget and how organised you are as to which way you choose.
First, you can simply book at the bus station. For Flixbus Zagreb, the main bus terminal has a large Flixbus sign inside and you simply book at the counter. Beside the counter, tacked to the wall is a large print out of the Flixbus Zagreb timetable for that day. So it doesn’t get much easier. Booking at the station is a good option if you don’t have a local sim card, and therefore no internet access to use the app. I personally would book at the station when I arrived in town by bus, and knew when I would be departing again.
Second, you can book online. The Flixbus website is easy to use and provides you with a pretty simple search function. The payment system is easy too.
The third option, and definitely the easiest and most popular, is to use the Flixbus App. It is easy to use, lightweight, and payments are fast and secure. It also gives you immediate access to your boarding pass, which is a QR Code. When you arrive at the terminal for your departure, simply bring up the QR Code in your APP for the driver to scan. Easy!
Flixbus Zagreb destinations
Flixbus Zagreb buses run in all directions. You can pretty much go to anywhere in Croatia with them. They also run most international routes. Flixbus Zagreb is a major hub, so you are pretty much guaranteed to be able to catch the bus to wherever you are heading.
Some of the major destinations are:
- Flixbus Zagreb to Dubrovnik
- Flixbus Zagreb to Split
- Flixbus Zagreb to Zadar
- Flixbus Zagreb to Budapest
- Flixbus Zagreb to Belgrade
- Flixbus Zagreb to Ljubljana
- Flixbus Zagreb to Venice
These routes are certainly not the only ones available from Zagreb, and many of them continue on past the cities mentioned, traveling deeper into Europe. For others, you may have to change buses, but most Flixbus hubs are major stops in large bus terminals. (With the noted exception of Padua, Italy, that drops you in the middle of nowhere well down the road from the main terminal and railway station!)
Where to catch Flixbus in Zagreb
Catching Flixbus in Zagreb is actually very easy, as opposed to some other cities such as Padua, as I mentioned above.
For Flixbus Zagreb, just head to the main bus terminal at THIS location.
The main bus ticket office is located at the northern end of the station. On the “bus” side of the office there is a large sign above it that reads “Airport Bus Terminal”. As you can probably work out, this is also where the Airport Shuttle runs from as well.
Inside is the Flixbus Zagreb Ticket Office. The buses run from the adjacent bus bays. Though they may change, in my experience Flixbus usually get relegated to the furthest bays out. Use the overhead walkway to get there without having to dodge the traffic!
Flixbus – On board
When you arrive at the Flixbus stop, be ready with your ticket. If you used the APP, then have your QR Code ready. The driver will scan it, and then tell you which side of the bus to put your luggage. Yes, you usually have to put your OWN luggage under the bus.
You will not have a reserved seat. Getting a decent seat is totally reliant on how long your fingernails are and if you are willing to bite and kick other passengers. Do whatever is necessary!
Fortunately, I have never had much of an issue at Flixbus Zagreb. I have been “lucky” and had buses with plenty of spare seats. I will explain a bit further in my Hints and Tips below.
The seats on Flixbus are generally good. If you have caught buses in Turkey, you would be accustomed to the seating configuration of 1 and 2. On Flixbus you will generally have the traditional 2 and 2 layout. So yes, you will have a seat partner. Hopefully, if you are traveling with others, you may actually know the person sitting next to you. This is where the kicking and biting really comes in handy!
I always found the seats to be rather comfortable. I have never actually caught an over night bus on Flixbus. This is by design, as I would rather not be trying to sleep on them. I am happy with how comfortable Flixbus seats are, and I just know that all my illusions will go right out of the window if I ever have to sleep in them!
Seats have a decent amount of legroom, which is saying a lot when I am 6 foot 3 tall. They don’t cause my bum to go TOO numb after 6 hours or so, and they actually recline. Although when it comes to Flixbus, don’t expect this function to not be broken. (Touch wood)
Overhead luggage space is always limited. I have been on a couple of Flixbus buses that have had slightly more space, but generally it’s small. You will be able to place a small daypack or briefcase sized bag up there, but that’s about it.
The one thing that I do like about most buses in the Flixbus fleet is that they have outlets to charge your mobile phones and laptops. Once again though, they don’t always work, but for a budget bus carrier, you may just have to put up with it. I always carry a power bank to negate the issue.
The one last thing about Flixbus is the WIFI. Technically, there IS WIFI. This is hit and miss though. And mostly, it’s miss.
You will have to sign into the WIFI on most occasions. Sometimes, it is limited to what you can do, and others it’s open slather. Also, if you cross an international border, the WIFI may drop out, and sometimes it never comes back. So be warned!
Hints and Tips
Ok, so that’s basically it for Flixbus Zagreb. Now, let’s get onto some of my hints and tips for Flixbus in general.
Keep an eye on your luggage
This is a big one. That’s why it’s at the top of the list.
With Flixbus, they will not watch your luggage for you. Security in this department DOES NOT exist!
I don’t know why. All I can imagine if that it’s a budget bus service, so driver’s are not paid enough to care. Which is even stranger when they are literally standing NEXT TO the luggage hold when passengers are ripping through a pile of suitcases willy nilly.
Keep an eye on your luggage. On a recent journey through Switzerland, I actually went to the point of getting off at every stop and watching as departing passengers took their suitcases and backpacks. I was making sure mine went nowhere!
Book in advance and use the App
The further you book in advance, the cheaper the ticket is. Guaranteed.
I once was thinking of traveling from Sofia in Bulgaria to Bucharest in Romania. I wasn’t really sure, so just kept an eye on the ticket price as I spent a few days deciding. The decision was made for me as I watched the ticket price climb almost 20 Euro!
Just today, as an example, I checked a ticket for Flixbus Zagreb to Dubrovnik. An early bus was listed at about 30 Euro, while later buses were as high as 60 Euro! This was because they had limited seats still available. As seats sell, the price goes up.
Also, use the APP. It just makes it easier. Not only to buy the ticket, but to keep an eye on prices, searching availability, and also to get your boarding pass/ticket QR Code.
If you can, don’t get on mid journey
You almost ALWAYS want to get on a Flixbus at the departing station. This way you get a good seat. Remember, seats are not allocated.
A good example is recently when I was in Annecy, France, traveling to Zurich. My Flixbus turned up, and was already 3/4 full as it had originally departed from Lyon. I had to fight to find a decent seat, and in these cases that usually means finding a seat with no luggage on it, a seat partner that doesn’t smell, and the chance to actually use the entire seat without having to shove the other person over as you sit down.
There might not be toilet breaks
Another important issue. I have been on several buses recently that simply do not stop, unless it’s to drop off passengers. Then, on these occasions, the driver doesn’t even get off. As soon as the passenger is gone and they have their luggage, the bus departs. There’s not even time for smokers to light up!
Oh, and the driver WILL NOT wait for you if you are not on board.
Take snacks with you, and go to the toilet before you leave. You won’t regret it.
Carry your valuables with you
This one comes back to the luggage issue. With little to no security down below, you want to make sure your passport, wallet, cameras and personal items are with you. I even take a change of clothes. If my backpack goes missing, I at least want some clean underwear to change into down the line.
And of course, you DO NOT want to lose your passport!
Be flexible with times
Here is where you can really make your journey more comfortable.
Using the Flixbus APP, you can check how full a bus is when you book. Or at least, you can get a good idea. Now, this might not work if you book months in advance, but I have a hack that generally works for that too.
Check out the buses today or tomorrow on the route you are going to be traveling. See which timeslots are popular, and how many are booked for them. Then, find the buses with the most available seats. Then, book your bus in one of those time slots.
It will make a big difference for you when you spend 5 or 8 hours on the bus. I did this when I traveled with Flixbus Zagreb to Budapest, and shared my bus with only 10 passengers. The earlier bus was nearly full. I’m willing to bet I had a better experience than those people.
So be flexible with your times. Also, if you have to be somewhere on time to catch a plane, or be at an event, Flixbus might not be the best option. They are hardly ever on time! So being flexible helps here too.
NOTE – If the APP doesn’t show seating, you can easily tell how full it actually is by the price. Also, if there are only a few seats left, it will generally say that as well.
Summary
I loved using Flixbus. My first experience was from Flixbus Zagreb, and it was a pleasurable trip through to Budapest in Hungary. Just remember that it is a budget company, and you are traveling a long distance for a small fraction of what it SHOULD cost you. So don’t expect too much, and be happy with your savings.
Thanks for your very practical post. I booked the bus via your link.