Following a pause due to the coronavirus, travellers and commuters in Germany can once again take long-distance bus journeys from Thursday.
After a break of more than two months due to the spread of coronavirus, budget bus firm Flixbus has announced it will start running again from May 28th. The company announced that it will also be back in service in Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Denmark.
Photo: Flixbus website
A total of 26 buses will be on the road again, initially making almost 50 stops, the German market leader announced on Friday May 22nd. Before the crisis there had been 10 times as many stops, however businesses are gradually taking steps to open up again.
Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, the buses have been stationary since March 18th. Competitors like Blablabus and Pinkbus have not yet announced when they will resume services.
Aim for safe travel
“We want to ensure safe travel even in these corona times,” Flixbus managing director Andre Schwämmlein told DPA.
A hygiene plan has been developed:
- Buses are to be disinfected after each journey
- A safety distance of 1.5 metres applies at bus stops and when getting on and off.
- Tickets are checked without contact, while disinfectant is available
As is the case with train journeys, however, seats will not be blocked off, Schwämmlein said. “This is not economically feasible,” he said.
But passengers must wear face masks during the entire journey, and bosses have urged passengers not to travel if they are unwell or have coronavirus symptoms.
Meanwhile, there’s good news for customers: Schwämmeln said trips should not get more expensive. “We assume we can maintain the price level we had before the crisis,” he said.
Toilets will not open
Besides large cities such as Berlin, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main and Munich, smaller cities such as Bayreuth, Himmelkron, Titisee-Neustadt, Weimar and Wolpertshausen will also be on the routes, Flixbus announced.
Toilets will remain closed on the bus as a safety measure. However, bus drivers will regularly take passengers to service stops, the company said.
Read complete article at the source below:
https://www.thelocal.de/20200525/flixbus-to-restart-long-distance-journeys-across-germany-after-coronavirus-break