Eurolines going out of business

[JabbaPapa]

The bus company Eurolines is going out of business after having been acquired, some time ago, by the German company FlixBus.

All activities are planned to end on July 24th.

 

[Deleted member 76633]

FlixBus from Wikipedia

FlixBus does not own any buses and does not employ drivers; its services run in co-operation with regional bus companies.

Created in 1985, the Brand name Eurolines groups 29 independent coach companies operating together Europe's largest regular coach network. This network connects over 1000 destinations, covering the whole of the continent, including Morocco.

So a rebranding exercise with [some of] bus companies still operating.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

FlixBus from Wikipedia

FlixBus does not own any buses and does not employ drivers; its services run in co-operation with regional bus companies.

Created in 1985, the Brand name Eurolines groups 29 independent coach companies operating together Europe's largest regular coach network. This network connects over 1000 destinations, covering the whole of the continent, including Morocco.

So a rebranding exercise with [some of] bus companies still operating.

The "tour operator" or "network" Eurolines is ceasing operations. It's not a rebranding exercise. It's not pining for the Fjords. It has been placed in compulsory liquidation. It is an ex- company.

French newspapers state that the court appointed receivers failed to find a buyer for the company and it was placed in compulsory liquidation on 21/July, with operations to cease on 24/Jul. The remaining 36 employees (from a former workforce of over 100) will lose their jobs. As far as I can tell, the website has stopped selling tickets. (At least, it is not offering any tickets for a trip from London to Paris on 23/Jul).

Propriété de FlixBus, Eurolines est placé en liquidation judiciaire et cesse ses activités

L’entreprise de transport doit cesser ses activités le 24 juillet, selon l’avocat des salariés. Eurolines avait été racheté il y a plus d’un an par le groupe allemand FlixBus.

www.lemonde.fr

I believe the receivers will now use any remaining company assets to first pay creditors whatever it can. In this situation it's unlikely that there will be any money to compensate people who are holding tickets. But I guess that few people have bought tickets during the recent months of lockdown. I'm not sure how many customers are affected by this.

If you are holding a Eurolines ticket, I'm not sure what you're supposed to do. Since Eurolines' parent company Flixbus is still in business, perhaps it will do something for people who are stranded. I guess there will be announcements about any arrangements.

According to Le Figaro, Eurolines employees speculate that Flixbus wanted Eurolines to fail so that it could get rid of a competitor. Perhaps regulators will have something to say about that. Since other tour companies exist (including Eurolines' parent company ,Flixbus) it seems likely to me that a company (or companies) will fill the gap created by the demise of Eurolines.

Autocars : Eurolines meurt du Covid-19

Les salariés estiment que Flixbus a organisé la faillite de sa filiale pour se débarrasser d'un adversaire dans un secteur très concurrentiel.

www.lefigaro.fr

 

[Jeff Crawley]

A shame, I remember Europabus, its forerunner, being the choice of travel for impoverished students especially for those of us with girlfriends scared of flying and who didn't fancy hitchhiking. A day and a half from London to Malaga in various coaches and I swear the drivers on one leg changed seats as we were going along!
Spent the next two days recovering.

 

[pelerine]

Pity! Eurolines took me to several caminos. Convenient (and cheap) to go from Rennes to Spain and Portugal.

 

[AlwynWellington]

So Flixbus continues to operate?

To restart my current pilgrimage (whenever) is London, UK to Chaumont or Langres, Grand Est, France.

An example: the Flixbus website is taking bookings for early August:
EU 45 London to Langres - depart 10h00 - arrive 07h30 next day for more than 20 hours
(as an aside, cattle class from my home to London takes just a little longer)
Does this seem reasonable, compared to other bus companies?

Alternatively, by rail for early August I can see online a near 6 hour trip, station to station, for EU 132:
EU 87 London to Paris - depart 10h24 - arrive 13h47
EU 47 Paris to Langres - depart 15h12 - arrive 17h56
From Gare du Nord to Gare d'Est should be accomplished in well under 60 minutes

Does anyone know of other possibilities?

 

[Calibasco]

The old Asturbus and those bus lines running out of Bilbao and Vitoria were FAMOUS for the one-legged driver exchange. Doing it on a winding road to Covadonga has to be my favorite (and most harrowing) memory. I just told myself at the time "they're professionals...of course they know what they're doing." HAHA!!!!

A shame, I remember Europabus, its forerunner, being the choice of travel for impoverished students especially for those of us with girlfriends scared of flying and who didn't fancy hitchhiking. A day and a half from London to Malaga in various coaches and I swear the drivers on one leg changed seats as we were going along!
Spent the next two days recovering.