Five hours, two charging ports, one semi-functional Wi-Fi signal, and at least three overheard breakups later, I arrived in Leeds, courtesy of Flixbus
For those curious whether a coach from London Victoria Coach Station can offer both budget travel and an existential reckoning, read on. This isn't just a trip review, it's a chronicle of motion, murmurs, and mild lumbar distress
It all started one happy sunny morning in London, on a typically warm July Monday.
Great Britain's capital city, along with the regional capital cities of Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast, are not famed for offering luxury bus stations. London Victoria Coach Station is no exception.
Upon arriving to my departure point I was greeted by a man bearing the word 'F**K' on his knuckles. Great.
Once inside however, the coach station is just as awful. I mean, at least some effort to make the place has been made with a Pret coffee bar and lounge, so I bought a nice breakfast pot of sausage, beans and egg, along with a filter coffee for £5.45
Tip: Pret sells filter coffee's at most of its places for 90p - yes you read that right - you can buy something from Pret without needing a mortgage.
The grim waiting lounge prior to boarding
My breakfast pot of sausage, egg and beans
At the end of the day, coach stations will always be grim places. By day they serve people looking to travel for low money and by night they turn into quasi-homes for rough sleepers. They're never going to be havens of luxury. But the reason you are reading this review is to learn more about travelling from London to Leeds on Flixbus, so let's get on board!
About FlixBus
Munich, Germany-based FlixBus officially launched operations in the UK on July 2, 2020, starting with domestic routes connecting cities like London, Birmingham, Bristol, Guildford, and Portsmouth.
In May 2025 FlixBus deepened its UK presence through a five-year partnership with First Bus, launching eight new routes and deploying 21 new coaches.
In five short years it has gone from new kid on the block to total pain in the proverbial arse of National Express. Known for heavily under cutting National Express on busy routes simply to grow its market presence, it is no surprise to learn that the company posted record profits of well over €100 million in 2024.
With more than 200 coaches now pounding the UK's motorways, you can't fail to notice FlixBus' distinctive bright green livery and mostly new vehicles
On board today's quiet coach
Today's Journey
Today's 190 mile ride from London to Leeds set off bang on time at 10am. Unlike National Express, a key differentiator with FlixBus is that the latter likes to offer near point to point services. On our journey today, the coach only stopped to pick up once on Finchley Road, North London, before then operating directly to Leeds, with just a very brief stop in Northampton to change drivers. At this brief stop passengers were invited to leave the coach to stretch their legs as we were operating a good 30 minutes ahead of schedule during the driver change.
Stretching my legs at the driver change point
Today's eight year old coach
FlixBus, similar to National Express, operates a franchise system which means that whilst the coaches are in standard colours and the drivers are all in the same FlixBus uniform, the coaches are owned by independent operators and the drivers work for those operators, not FlixBus. In practice, from a customer perspective, it means that the age and standard of vehicles varies. This is the same as National Express.
Today's coach wasn't the newest nor was it the best condition FlixBus I have ever been on. Operated by Chalfont Coaches of Northampton, who are a relatively small player in the FlixBus system, there was nothing wrong with it as such, you could just tell it had been well used.
All good right? Hmm, not so fast..
Credit where credit's due, FlixBus has invested heavily in its online capability as well as its real time tracking which I have always found to work flawlessly, until this trip.
At the time of booking, FlixBus allows you to pay a small supplement to choose your seat. Just like budget airline British Airways, the better the seat, the higher the price, but FlixBus isn't greedy. To get the prized front left seat, I paid an extra £2.99 which for a near five hour journey isn't bad..except..FlixBus cancelled my seat the night before my trip, moved me to row 6 and then told me I should accept a refund in the form of a FlixBus voucher!
Needless to say, I re-booked onto the right hand seat which was still showing available but when I arrived on board, I found that the seat allocated to me was meant for a physically disabled person. The driver didn't know what was happening so just said "sit where you like".
The problem, as it transpires, and it's a common one with any franchise set up, is that 'franchiser' can only do so much to ensure consistency of service by the 'franchisee'. The driver explained to me that FlixBus operators have to adhere to corporate colours and such like. But, the operator can have up to four or more separately configured types of FlixBus - and they do swap at short notice, which is what I think happened here. It wasn't an issue today as the coach was quiet, but on a busy service, I can imagine it causing some angst especially if like me you're tall and appreciate the legroom.
The live tracking is a real help. If you have relatives waiting for you, each driver signs in to the FlixBus app on their phone and using the simplest of technology, the phone then sends out real time updates, throughout the journey
You don't need an app (but I find it easier using the app) and nor do you need to be registered to follow FlixBus services, it really is simple to use.
Real time tracking, in the FlixBus app
On the open road, enjoying the ride
My seat, 1A, was comfortable for the five hour ride up north to Leeds. It was only in the last hour that I started to get itchy feet and was ready to get off. The short stop in Northampton certainly helped.
Sadly, gone are the days of the National Express 'Rapide' product which back in the day offered films on overhead monitors, at seat refreshments and toilet facilities. FlixBus has never tried to replicate Rapide as it would never work in today's world where everybody wants to live on the cheap. FlixBus does however provide Wifi (which I couldn't get to work) and toilet facilities.
We arrived ten minutes ahead of schedule in to Leeds at 1440
My view from seat 1A
Verdict
The UK’s long distance coach landscape has been anything but stable of late. Megabus, once the budget bruiser of Britain’s bus wars, dramatically curtailed its national network in late 2024, citing “unsustainable insufficient demand” and retreating to its Scottish stronghold. Enter FlixBus: the German disruptor with Bavarian swagger and a balance sheet to match. Having chalked up €104 million in profits in 2024 and expanding steadily across Europe, it’s now doubling down on British turf. With a sleek, franchised fleet and and a simple fare structure when all tickets are flexible (simply pay the difference, no change fees) that challenge the National Express stranglehold, FlixBus is reshaping the game, one green coach at a time
In a country where rail fares remain prohibitively high, driven in part by steep operating costs and legacy inefficiencies, including layers of union driven overheads, coach travel is no longer just the budget option, but often the only sane one. My own FlixBus London–Leeds ride in July 2025 came to just £6.99 (plus a £2.99 seat selection fee), booked a mere week ahead. A refreshingly affordable alternative to re-mortgaging your flat for a peak time train ticket and one that I would have no hesitation in using again
Highly Recommended.
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