Long Distance Coach Services in France and Germany: the new European competition between Flixbus and BlaBlaBus

Long distance passenger mobility is experiencing a huge structural change in France and Germany. Based on Internet technology and customer-oriented services, new entrants in interurban coach services are diversifying the options for the travelers and have been very successful. This market has been deregulated in 2013 in Germany and 2015 in France. New actors are not only challenging rail operators in France and Germany, but also BlaBlaCar, the world leader in ridesharing and sometimes low cost airlines. Long distance coach players have also experienced in 2019 a concentration of actors: Flixbus, the leader with a market share in Germany of 95% has bought the French outsider Eurolines/Isilines. Eurolines/Isilines (Transdev Group) was the dominant operator before deregulation but had not succeeded to become a leader. Ouibus, which is a subsidiary of SNCF-the challenger of Flixbus in France, experienced high losses in operating, which was backed by public fund and debt, was sold to BlaBlaCar. Ouibus changed its name in BlaBlaBus - and is now becoming the French challenger in coach and ride-sharing operation. Flixbus and BlaBlaBus are now moving on the European market: the aim of our paper is to analyze the development strategies of these coach services leaders in France and Germany in a European perspective. What will be the balance? Which new services will emerge?