FlixBus and trentbarton Announce Partnership for 2025

Global travel brand FlixBus has announced a significant new partnership with Derbyshire-based operator trentbarton, a major milestone for both companies.

Speaking at the Euro Bus Expo at the NEC in Birmingham on Wednesday 13 November, FlixBus UK Managing Director Andreas Schorling shared the news alongside trentbarton Managing Director Tom Morgan.

“We have long admired trentbarton’s quality and vision, an operator with generations of experience. This partnership comes at the perfect time to work with Tom and his team.”

This collaboration comes on the heels of the recent FlixBus partnership announcement with First Bus and is part of a broader expansion strategy which will see more than 200 FlixBus green vehicles on the UK’s roads by the end of 2025. 

Last month, coach companies Chalfont Coaches Northampton and Prospect Coaches switched to the FlixBus network.

“FlixBus is cementing its status as a positive force in the market and a key driver of growth for the bus and coach industry. We are ready to double the size of our network again, providing more high-quality, affordable travel options for the UK,” said Andreas Schorling, FlixBus UK Managing Director. 

Starting in spring 2025, the Wellglade Group, which owns a number of bus companies including trentbarton. The new venture will be led by the same directorial leadership as trentbarton and other companies within the group.

trentbarton is a trusted provider of local and regional bus services across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire, and has been a prominent transport company in the East Midlands for over 100 years. Nine Yutong vehicles will be added to FlixBus’s UK network, increasing capacity and providing new routes for passengers.

“FlixBus is pioneering a new, golden era of express coach services, so this partnership was an unmissable opportunity to join its growing network and represents a new venture within the group best known for trentbarton. We’re excited to bring our experience and high standards of quality to FlixBus passengers,” said Tom Morgan, Managing Director of trentbarton. 

“This partnership represents a new chapter for trentbarton and a long-term investment in our company’s growth.”

trentbarton’s drivers were voted as the best in the UK in this year’s Transport Focus survey, as the number one for passenger satisfaction. The operator is recruiting outstanding drivers to join the business ahead of the partnership launch.

“Our strategy to achieve market leadership through partnerships with respected, high-quality operators is delivering phenomenal results,” concluded Schorling.