When you want the flexibility of an open schedule combined with affordable prices, it’s time to consider catching the bus. For 100 Nights of Summer, I jumped on board with FlixBus, Europe’s premier busline with an absolute mind-boggling 200,000 daily bus connections to around 1200 popular European destinations in over 26 countries.

    I took three trips with FlixBus this summer. A short jaunt from Barcelona to Nimes where I caught the indie rock  This is Not a Love Song Festival. For my next fest, I caught an overnighter via FlixBus to Frankfurt, Germany and the Maifeld Derby, and finally one more from Germany to Belgium for Rock Werchter.

    What I Love About FlixBus

    Price, Price, Price: There’s lots of incredible travel deals on FlixBus that you just won’t find anywhere else. It was €15 for a five hour bus ride from Barcelona to Nimes with multiple departure times throughout the day. It’s easy on your budget  — which leaves more money for festivals.

    Schedules and Destinations: FlixBus has rides to just about every corner of Europe, and for someone living on a spontaneous (some might say completely disorganized) festival schedule, I require a travel partner that accommodates my half-baked plans and dreams.

    Luggage: My backpack, absolutely stuffed full with essential gear, is weighed to the the nearest kilogram so I can sneak it past difficult airline baggage requirements. FlixBus? They had no problems  with spacious luggage bays that can easily handle festival packing.

    What I Like About FlixBus

    No Power, No Problem: Dead phones are heartbreaking, especially on travel days, when I really need access to directions. Every FlixBus I caught a ride with featured a power outlet, which meant no problems binge watching Netflix shows on my phone or keeping my camera battery charged up.

    Overnight Buses: It’s not the most comfortable way to spend the night, but after a long weekend of insane psychedelic rock, I can sleep anywhere. Taking an overnight bus from Nimes to Frankfurt in Germany gave me a free day between festivals to explore a new city.

    Wi-Fi: Traveling to 15 different countries in 15 weeks makes it tough to keep with various data plans, so I’m always on the lookout for free Wi-Fi. While the connectivity varied over the course of my trips, I found it solid enough to catch up on emails, surf the web, and post photos to the FlixBus Instagram account.

    What I Dislike About FlixBus

    Late Buses: I had two buses show up late, with one being nearly an hour behind schedule. Nobody likes a late bus, but to the credit of FlixBus, they did keep me informed with text messages being pushed out to my phone.

    Bus Stops: In order to keep prices down, FlixBus typically doesn’t have manned bus stations. Sometimes, the bus stop is outside the station marked with a simple sign. This can a little disorienting if you’re used to walking inside a station and finding information. Just make sure to download the app, which clearly marks the spot you should be to pick up your ride.

    The Final Verdict

    I would sum up my experience with FlixBus as affordable, flexible, and convenient. If you’re going to spend any time festivaling around Europe, this absolutely should be one of your go-to travel options.