flixbus.com

Complete Disgrace – FlixBus Abandoned Passengers in the Middle of the Night Without Accountability

I am compelled to publicly denounce the gross negligence, total lack of professionalism, and complete absence of accountability displayed by FlixBus during my recent travel attempt from San Francisco to Los Angeles.I had reserved two seats for myself on a FlixBus night service scheduled to depart from San Francisco Central Station at 10:40 PM, with an estimated arrival in Los Angeles at 7:55 AM. Not only did the bus never show up at the departure location, but no communication whatsoever was provided regarding any delay, cancellation, or alternate arrangements. After two hours of waiting in the cold night, confused and increasingly concerned, I was approached by officers of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) who had somehow managed to get in touch with the company. They were told that the FlixBus driver would no longer stop in San Francisco, but that FlixBus would cover the cost of an Uber ride to Hayward, approximately one hour away, where we would be collected.This supposed arrangement turned out to be a deplorable bait-and-switch.We (a group of 4 passengers, including 3 women traveling alone) arrived at a sketchy, dimly lit parking lot in Hayward around 2 AM, where we were left completely abandoned without any notice, update, or contact from FlixBus. No driver arrived. No vehicle ever appeared. The idea that a company would leave women alone in a deserted parking lot in the middle of the night is beyond reprehensible. I was the only man present, and it is purely coincidental—otherwise, these women would have been placed in direct danger by the recklessness and negligence of FlixBus.I immediately attempted to contact FlixBus customer service, deeply concerned for our safety and with my phone battery critically low. My calls were rejected four times before I managed to speak to a representative. After 30 minutes on the phone, the representative shockingly informed me that the bus had already departed from Hayward and that we were “not present” at the pick-up location—an outright falsehood, as we had been sent there via Uber by FlixBus itself. This is not only factually incorrect, but also legally and ethically outrageous, as we were at the exact location FlixBus told us to be, through no fault or decision of our own.Even more appallingly, we were informed that no rebooking, refund, nor compensation would be issued. I had booked this trip specifically to make it in time for an important flight from Los Angeles, and at that point, the only available FlixBus alternatives would have cost over $180 and would not have gotten me to my destination in time.Left with no options, I paid out of pocket for an Uber back to San Francisco, where, by pure luck and the professionalism of a Greyhound driver, we were offered a spot on a completely different bus that went through Sacramento—significantly delaying my arrival by over 12 hours and forcing me to forfeit my originally booked two seats for a cramped single seat. Nevertheless I was unable to catch my flight from LAX.This entire incident reeks of gross operational incompetence, abandonment of duty of care, and consumer fraud.As if this weren’t enough, my second ( obviously booked over 2 moths before the incident) and last experience with FlixBus involved a route from Flagstaff AZ to Phoenix, where—despite advertising and charging for on-board Wi-Fi—the bus lacked any internet connectivity, and the restroom door repeatedly swung open during the journey, creating unsanitary conditions and rendering the trip miserable.FlixBus is a dangerously unreliable company that disrespects its customers, fails to deliver contracted services, and exposes passengers to risk without recourse or accountability. I will never book with FlixBus again, and I strongly urge others to avoid this company at all costs. This is not just bad service—it is a complete systemic failure.

Date of experience: Sep 20, 2025