A few years back (2015), when the current President of France, Emmanuel Macron, was the Minister of Economy, he made it possible for scheduled bus services between cities in France at low cost. The idea was to make intercity travel affordable to the masses. Until that date, it was illegal to have a scheduled bus service that would drive for more than 100 km (go figure).
Since then bus travel has taken off in France. Several companies now offer intra-France networks, and also travelling to European destinations. But like most travel methods in France, many transit via the central hub of Paris.
The three main bus companies operating in France are:
FlixBus
Flixbus is a German company that offers the biggest and most extensive European network.
They drive the buses to some 1400 destinations in over 27 European cities.
Flixbus interior
Like their competitors, the green coloured buses offer low fares to all destinations, and also:
NOTE: Ouibus has been renamed to BlaBlaBus after incorporating the drive sharing platform BlaBlaCar.
Isilines
NOTE: Isilines has been taken over by Flixbus!
Isilines is a subsidiary of Eurolines, a cooperative of 29 bus companies throughout Europe working under the same name and banner.
The German company’s head office is based in Brussels, Belgium. They cover 700 cities in 32 countries (including for example Morocco).
They offer:
free wifi (via 4G)
power outlets in seats
TV entertainment
Isilines bus
Click here to access the Isilines web site (France destinations) Click here to access the Eurolines web site (pan-European)
Others
There are other companies, but they do not cover France extensively, instead they are pan-European operators that stop on their way in a couple of big French cities. For example, Spanish bus service Alsa stops in some 13 French cities (so you could travel between some of the those cities).
Another Spanish company, Linebus, (Note: STOPPED) does the same but at a small scale.
Rates
All the ticket prices are very competitive compared to the other means of transportation (train and airplane). Only car-pooling is nominally cheaper. Prices depend on time of day and how busy the route is.
On a same route, for example, Le Havre (Normandy) to Paris, prices vary between €5 and €20 for a single ticket (if you shop around, a rail ticket can cost you €15), depending on the company and travel time.
All the companies offer smartphone applications that allow you to book directly from your phone, and use the phone as ticket.
The Flixbus intercity bus service (and also pan-European service) is the biggest bus service in Europe. Click here to read more about the different intercity bus services in France. Thanks to the many and extended strikes (and often very bad service) of the French railroads, SNCF, we were forced to…
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The Flixbus intercity bus service (and also pan-European service) is the biggest bus service in Europe. Click here to read more about the different intercity bus services in France. Thanks to the many and extended strikes (and often very bad service) of the French railroads, SNCF, we were forced to…
What was once a big and far reaching rail network has dwindled over the last few decades. The French railroads have been closing rail lines and therefore closing railway-stations. Today there are 3029 stations left, but the ones that are left have been modernised over the last few years, partially…
The TER is the French railroad's regional train service, bringing people to and from the main regional hubs.
A look at the French railroad's (SNCF) intercity train service called Intercites.
Moving around France is easy. First of all, you have a great motorway network, called the "Autoroutes". Although most of them are toll roads (=Peages), they are well maintained and offer many service areas along the way. But if driving a car, or riding a motorcycle, is not your preferred…