The Role of Buses in Sustainable, Affordable Travel
An article by Cesare Neglia, FlixBus, published in the white paper “The Mobility Revolution”.
FlixBus
FlixBus is the long-distance bus service of the global travel tech group Flix. The company aims to transform the collective transport sector by offering sustainable and affordable long-distance bus and train travel solutions in more than 40 countries across four continents through its brands FlixBus, FlixTrain, Kamil Koç, and Greyhound. With an asset-light business model and an innovative technology platform, Flix—launched in 2013—swiftly established a market-leading position for long-distance bus travel in Europe, North America, and Türkiye, and is rapidly expanding further into South America and India.
Driven by increased awareness for sustainable travel, Flix is committed to achieving Net Zero operations in Europe by 2040 and globally by 2050. To assess its progress within a scientifically recognized framework, Flix has established near-term targets for emissions reduction with the Science Based Targets initiative. To this end, fleet transformation through alternative drives and fuels represents a key lever in Flix’s climate strategy and is also being investigated in Italy, where the FlixBus service connects around 300 destinations in 19 regions, including small cities often penalized by lacking infrastructure.
While Flix manages the commercial side of the business—such as network planning, pricing, operations control, marketing and sales, quality management, and continuous product development with a data-driven approach—trusted Flix partners conduct the daily operations. The innovative combination of Flix’s technology and sales platform with traditional passenger travel has turned a European start-up into a leading and globally expanding travel tech company.
Stepping Into a New Travel Era
Only five years ago, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world and turned it upside down, leading society to drastically rethink daily practices and habits. Even in a context filled with uncertainty, it became clear early on that a new normal was emerging – not only in the shift to remote work but also in other fields, as in the realm of transportation and the concept of travel itself.
The transportation sector was confronted with unprecedented challenges. A general preference for individual car travel over collective transport, coupled with restrictions on long-haul travel, significantly impacted ridership, particularly in countries like Italy, where interregional transit was repeatedly forbidden. As a global travel provider focused on long-distance routes, Flix was directly affected by these restrictions.
Yet, another transformation was quietly unfolding. Travel limitations led people to rediscover the “heritage next door,” realizing that beauty and relief could be found just a few kilometers away. Once restrictions were lifted shortly before the summer season, domestic tourism surged as a preferred option. Villages, art cities, and rural landscapes experienced a renaissance.
This rediscovery of lesser-known destinations sparked a craving for authenticity among travelers, especially Millennials and Gen Z. A study by the research center Squadrati, founded by FlixBus and published in 2023, revealed that travelers in creasingly prioritized unique experiences for their ideal trips. For instance, more people expressed a desire to “discover places from an explorer’s perspective, rather than a tourist’s” (33% vs. 26% in pre-Covid era), and to use travel as an opportunity for “personal growth” (41% vs. 31% in the pre-Covid era)1. As travelers became more aware of the downsides of mass tourism, they began seeking deeper engagement with local communities. This shift illuminated a new travel mindset—one focused less on escapism and more on meaningful interaction.
This move toward more considerate forms of travel developed in parallel with rising interest in environmentally sustainable travel options, fueled in part by movements like Fridays for Future. While collective transport experienced a temporary dip during the pandemic, a broader awareness of private vehicle emissions has influenced post-pandemic choices. For example, a 2020 study by Squadrati showed that 83% of interviewees “would choose collective travel options over their car, were they given the chance”2.
Growing demand for social and environmentally sustainable travel solutions spurred a broader conversation among travelers, institutions, and policymakers. Protests against overtourism in cities like Barcelona and Venice, along with heightened visibility of climate impacts, have only added urgency to find effective responses.
Long-Distance Buses as a Powerful Tool to Enhance Sustainable Travel?
Transformative change requires the active participation of people, with both economic and strategic implications.
Firstly, individuals from all economic backgrounds must be empowered to make sustainable travel choices. While a full shift to zero-emission vehicles is normally acknowledged as the ideal goal, the affordability of such solutions remains limited. In light of rising living costs and wage stagnation in many regions, convenient options must be made widely available.
Similarly, while municipalities affected by overtourism search for mitigation strategies, travel providers like Flix have a real opportunity to redistribute flows and better utilize existing resources. For instance, 70% of tourists in Italy visit only 1% of the territory3. This leaves the remaining 99% underutilized and the residents of tourist hotspots to contend with issues like overcrowding and rising rents.
In a geographically diverse country like Italy, where rail development faces many challenges, long-distance buses offer a flexible and scalable solution. With lower emissions – FlixBus emits only 27.8 grams of CO2 per passenger-kilometer in Europe – they represent a significantly more carbon-efficient alternative to cars or planes4. In Italy alone, passengers choosing FlixBus over more polluting means of transportation are estimated to have helped avoid 165,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2024 alone, while globally the savings reached 1.5 million tonnes5.
Affordability plays a crucial role in encouraging this shift. Since its founding, Flix has pursued a vision of accessible, sustainable travel, supported by technology-enabled dynamic pricing and an efficient digital infrastructure. These tools allow for equitable access to low-carbon travel, helping debunk the notion that sustainability is only for the wealthy.
In addition to the environmental benefits, long-distance bus connections can serve Italy’s «inner areas» – 48.5% of municipalities, according to ISTAT – which are often isolated and underserved6. These areas have been recognized at the European level for their potential to foster sustainable innovation7 yet lack adequate infrastructure.
Buses can bypass many geographical barriers that hinder rail infrastructure, creating opportunities for both residents and local economies. Improved connectivity supports commuting, access to services, and the development of more sustainable forms of tourism. With nearly 40% of FlixBus stops located in towns of under 20,000 inhabitants, the company has acknowledged the importance of including these communities in its network.
The Way Forward: Alternative Technologies
While long-distance buses already contribute to more sustainable travel, further decarbonization is essential. Flix has set near-term targets through the Science-Based Targets initiative, in line with the Paris Agreement. These include a reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by around 54% and a reduction in Scope 3 emissions intensity by around 41% by 2032. As Scope 3 includes emissions from partner fleets, the transition to alternative fuels and drive systems is a strategic priority.
Fleet transformation is central to Flix’s climate strategy and broader ESG commitments. The two primary challenges are technological maturity and regional infrastructure. Long-distance travel requires scalable solutions that go beyond current urban electric bus capabilities. Additionally, disparities in infrastructure availability across regions limit the implementation of new technologies.
Despite these constraints, Flix continues to innovate. The company was the first to test full-electric long-distance buses in France and Germany and has trialed technologies ranging from biogas to biofuel.
In Italy, two major projects stood out in the past year. Flix tested HVO biofuel on ten buses with promising results, leading to 50 vehicles in the Italian fleet now running on HVO, which can reduce emissions by up to 90% compared to the benchmark fossil blend8 along the entire supply chain. Additionally, new buses equipped with technologies that allow the interchangeable use of LNG and Bio-LNG were launched in partnership with Scania and Irizar, covering routes across the country—including Southern Italy.
The future of bus travel depends not only on technological breakthroughs but also on equitable infrastructure development. Flix recognizes the efforts of public institutions in addressing disparities and is confident that developments in this respect will follow. Ultimately, sustainability must be a collective endeavor—one that benefits travelers, communities, and providers alike. For this to happen, unity and foresight are crucial prerequisites.
1. «Cosa ci spinge a viaggiare», Squadrati, 2023
2. «Il viaggiatore green», Squadrati, 2023
3. Bank of Italy, ISTAT, 2023
4. Own calculation, atmosfair analysis, UBA 2023
5. Data stemming from own calculation, atmosfair analysis, UBA
2023, US EPA 2024. For more information, refer to Flix’s Avoided
Emissions Reporting Criteria 2024, available at Flix Governance,
Data and Policies
6. ISTAT, La demografia delle aree interne: dinamiche recenti e pros
pettive future, 2024: La demografia delle aree interne: dinamiche
recenti e prospettive future
7. European Parliamentary Research Service, The future of the EU’s
rural areas, 2022: The future of the EU’s rural areas
8. Enilive: HVOlution
