FlixBus Launches Daily Saskatchewan Routes

Thunder Bay – Starting July 1, FlixBus, the German coach operator that acquired Greyhound Canada, will introduce daily round-trip service linking Regina, Saskatoon, and North Battleford.

This service will also extend to Calgary and Edmonton, marking FlixBus’s further expansion into Western Canada, following its 2022 launch in other provinces. The move aims to fill a growing demand for affordable, inter-city transit, as gas and airfare costs continue to rise.

FlixBus already is running in FlixBus in Southern Ontario, it is not known at this time if the company is looking to connect from Southern Ontario into the Prairie provinces. That would put the company into direct competition with Ontario Northland, and smaller regional bus transportation companies.

Competing with Rider Express in Saskatchewan

FlixBus enters a contested market. Rider Express, currently serving Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and extending to Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg, anticipates serious competition.

Rider Express owner Firat Uray warns that FlixBus’s well-funded operations may erode his business model, particularly as his buses also stop in many smaller communities—a service approach FlixBus may not initially mirror. Rider continues to advocate for rural connectivity, though FlixBus has indicated a willingness to eventually expand to underserved regions.

The Aftermath of STC and Greyhound Cuts

The road to sustainable bus travel in Saskatchewan remains bumpy. In 2017, the Saskatchewan Transportation Company—a Crown-run bus service—was shut down, followed by Greyhound’s exit from the Prairies in 2018.

These disruptions left many rural areas isolated, harming access to healthcare, social services, and employment. University of Saskatchewan’s Jacob Alhassan highlights the health and social implications: “Transportation is probably one of the most important social determinants of health.” While cautiously hopeful, Alhassan urges FlixBus to expand into remote communities.

A Move Toward a National Transportation Vision

FlixBus’s move coincides with a broader national push for modern, integrated infrastructure—a new Canadian “National Transportation Dream.”

Proposed initiatives include:

• Port expansion and integration for coast-to-coast connectivity.

• Twinning major rail corridors to reduce congestion and carbon emissions.

• Developing high-speed freight expressways, including a northern route linking to resource-rich regions.

• Establishing a National Freight Data Platform for real-time logistics.

• Revitalizing Arctic shipping hubs, such as Churchill, Manitoba, to access emerging sea routes.

Such projects would support Canada’s economic resilience, sovereignty, and unity, especially amid shifting global trade dynamics and climate risks. They would also reinforce regional hubs like Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.

Final Considerations

FlixBus’s Saskatchewan launch is more than just intercity travel—it’s a microcosm of Canada’s urgent infrastructure challenges. Whether serving urban centres or reaching into the hinterlands, robust and inclusive transit systems are foundational to national prosperity.

As the government, Indigenous communities, and private sectors coalesce around infrastructure goals, successes like this one-point route ignite hope for a more connected, resilient Canada.

FlixBus is a major international transportation giant, with buses and trains in Europe, the United States, South America and Latin America. Its continued growth in Canada is likely filling a void in the marketplace.