Delays and cancellations

If your bus is delayed, cancelled, or you experienced other significant travel disruptions, we're here to help.

This article explains the practical support options available for your situation, including how to submit a claim or complaint if other solutions don’t work for you.

Select the option below that best describes your situation for step-by-step guidance.

Claims or complaints submitted via the contact form at the bottom of this page will be evaluated according to our Terms & Conditions and EU Passenger Rights.

Under EU Passenger Rights, requests must be submitted within 3 months of your booked travel date.

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On this page

My bus is late

If your bus is late, your options depend on these factors:

  • How long the delay is

  • Whether you still take the ride or not

  • Whether you're waiting at a terminal or a regular bus stop

Use the tracking feature to monitor your trip status in real-time.

TRIP TRACKER

If you need additional support, select one option below depending on the delay duration and your preferred solution.

Note: Free cancellation or rescheduling may be available depending on how long the delay is.

If Trip Tracker shows the bus is on time but your bus is not coming, or if it's not providing information about your bus location or delays, chat with our agents using the chat contact option at the bottom of this page.

If your bus is delayed by less than 2 hours, compensation or reimbursement isn’t available under passenger rights.

That said, you still have a few options to manage your trip:

When you cancel, you'll receive a partial refund as a voucher sent to your email for future bookings.

If your delay on departure eventually exceeds 2 hours, European Passenger Rights apply. See the options in the next sections "My bus is delayed more than 2 hours on departure" for details.

Log into Manage My Booking and select a free reschedule option that works for you.

If no suitable option is available or the system requests payment, chat with our agents using the chat contact option at the bottom of this page to request free rescheduling to the next available ride.

Note: Accordingly to EU Passenger rights bus delays are calculated on scheduled departure time.

Important: Refunds are only available if you do not take the ride.

If you decide not to travel, log into Manage My Booking and request a full ticket refund.

Refund options:

  • Monetary refund: Processed to your original payment method within 7 working days.
  • Voucher: Sent to your email for future bookings.

If the system doesn't offer free cancellation, your preferred refund option isn't available, or you want to submit a different delay-related claim, chat with our agents using the contact option at the bottom of this page.

Note: Accordingly to EU Passenger rights bus delays are calculated on scheduled departure time.

If no suitable Flix alternatives are available, you may book your own transportation of the same or comparable standard (bus or 2nd class train).

If you incur extra costs due to the delay, you may be eligible for compensation.

For reimbursement of extra costs or to submit a different delay-related claim:

  • Use the contact form at the bottom of this page. Please use the form (not chat) as we need additional documentation that can only be submitted through the form.
  • Attach your alternative transport ticket
  • Our agents will review your case according to our Terms & Conditions and EU Passenger Rights and get back to you.

Note: Accordingly to EU Passenger rights bus delays are calculated on scheduled departure time.


My bus is cancelled

If you received an SMS or email about your bus cancellation, you have several options.

Check your notification for details and log into Manage My Booking to:

  • Reschedule your trip for free, or
  • Request a full refund

Alternatively, review the information below.

Log into Manage My Booking and select a free reschedule option that works for you.

If no suitable option is available or the system requests payment, chat with our agents using the chat contact option at the bottom of this page to request free rescheduling to the next available ride.

If you decide not to travel, log into Manage My Booking and request a full ticket refund.

Refund options:

  • Monetary refund: Processed to your original payment method within 7 working days.
  • Voucher: Sent to your email for future bookings.

If the system doesn't offer free cancellation, your preferred refund option isn't available, or you want to submit a different delay-related claim, chat with our agents using the contact option at the bottom of this page.

If no suitable Flix alternatives are available, you may book your own transportation of the same or comparable standard (bus or 2nd class train).

If you incur extra costs, you may be eligible for compensation.

For reimbursement of extra costs or to submit a different related claim:

  • Use the contact form at the bottom of this page. Please use the form (not chat) as we need additional documentation that can only be submitted through the form.
  • Attach your alternative transport ticket
  • Our agents will review your case according to our Terms & Conditions and EU Passenger Rights and get back to you.

I'm running late for my bus

All buses operate on a fixed schedule and must depart on time - they cannot wait for delayed passengers. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.

To find out what to do, select the option that applies to your situation.

If you know you won't make it on time, cancel your trip up to 15 minutes before departure via Manage My Booking.

You'll receive a voucher refund sent to your email for future bookings. Cancellation fees may apply.

If you missed your bus or couldn't take your ride for other personal reasons and your departure time has passed, request a refund for your unused ticket using the contact form at the bottom of this page.

If eligible for a refund, processing fees will apply.

Our agents will review your case according to our Terms & Conditions and EU Passenger Rights and get back to you.

Acceptable proof that you did not travel:

  • Employer confirmation that you couldn't travel for work reasons
  • Documents showing you were elsewhere at departure time (other transport tickets, hotel confirmations, etc.)
  • Your signed declaration that you did not take the trip
  • Third-party signed declaration that you did not take the trip
  • Any other documentation verifying you didn't travel

We may need this to update inaccurate travel status information in our system.


My bus departed earlier than scheduled

All buses operate on a fixed schedule and must depart on time.

If you believe your bus departed earlier than scheduled, check the information in this section to understand your options.

Passengers may be denied boarding if they arrive just minutes before departure, even if the bus hasn't left yet.

No compensation is available in this case, as all passengers must arrive 15 minutes before departure to ensure smooth check-in and avoid delays.

If you still want to travel, you'll need to book and pay for a new trip.

If you couldn't board despite being at the designated stop/platform 15 minutes before departure, chat with our agents using the chat contact option at the bottom of this page.

Our team will verify the actual bus departure time and determine if you're eligible for free rescheduling or a ticket refund.


I missed my onward connection due to delays

If you booked a connection and missed it due to a delay on your previous ride, check your options below.

If your connecting bus/train was booked on the same ticket and you missed it due to a delay on the first ride, FlixBus will rebook you for free on the next available connection.

First, check if you received a notification via SMS/email with your new booking details. If not, or if the alternative isn't suitable, chat with our agents using the chat contact option at the bottom of this page to request rescheduling to the next available ride.

If you missed a connection that wasn't booked with FlixBus/FlixTrain, we cannot offer rebooking or refunds.

We ask for your understanding and suggest booking an earlier bus in the future, as delays often cannot be predicted in advance.


My bus broke down

If your bus breaks down, our priority is to arrange a replacement bus, rebooking, or alternative transport. Our operational team will proactively notify you via SMS or email about your specific trip arrangements.

In exceptional cases, our customer service team can advise on rebooking options or additional support. If you need help, chat with our agents using the chat contact option at the bottom of this page.


I need to book alternative transportation

If you experienced significant disruption during your journey and no suitable alternative was offered or available within the Flix network, you may have had to book alternative transportation.

Check the information below for details about reimbursement and requirements.

When booking alternative transport, choose a means of transport of the same or comparable standard (bus or 2nd class train ticket) and try to minimize costs.

If you incur extra costs, you may be eligible for compensation.

If no suitable Flix alternatives are available, you may book your own transportation of the same or comparable standard (bus or 2nd class train).

If you incur extra costs, you may be eligible for compensation.

For reimbursement of extra costs or to submit a different related claim:

  • Use the contact form at the bottom of this page. Please use the form (not chat) as we need additional documentation that can only be submitted through the form.
  • Attach your alternative transport ticket
  • Time frame: our agents will review your case according to our Terms & Conditions and EU Passenger Rights and get back to you.

My ride is operated by an external partner

Rides operated by external partners might have different travel policies.

How to identify partner-operated rides

  1. During the booking process:
    • Desktop: On the top right side of the booking page
    • Mobile Web and Apps: Click the arrow to show trip details before entering booking information, or check the bottom of the booking page (where you fill out the booking details)
  2. On your PDF ticket:
    • Next to and under the route information

Click here to learn more about our partners' travel policies or contact them directly.


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FlixBus → Help → Delays and cancellations