Central Connect and Simonds partner with Flixbus

Transport Made Simple have announced an exciting new partnership with leading express coach travel brand FlixBus, marking an exciting expansion into long-distance coach travel. We’ve introduced five brand-new Flixbus specification Yutong GT12 coaches to our fleet, enhancing passenger comfort for longer journeys.

The majority of the new Flixbus services will be operated by Central Connect, our established local bus and contract hire division. Central Connect already operates an extensive network of local bus routes across the East Midlands, Essex and Hertfordshire, and in due course through journey opportunities to destinations further afield will be available, purchasing a single ticket from Flixbus valid on both our local bus network and their coach services. By integrating these long-distance coach routes with existing local bus services, we’re able to offer passengers a truly multimodal transport solution, making it easier than ever to connect local and regional journeys with national coach services.

Simonds, our recently aquired Norfolk-based operator with an impressive 96 year history of providing high quality coach services, will also operate some Flixbus services. Our innovative, technology driven approach coupled with the experience that the Simonds team bring positions us well for the delivery of reliable, flexible and modern coach travel solutions, meeting the demandingly high standards that customers rightfully expect.

Peter Nathanail, Transport Made Simple Managing Director, said:
“We identified that express coach services were the obvious next phase of growth for us, and FlixBus was the standout option for our ambitious and tech-driven team. Joining FlixBus as an operator provides high-quality, year-round stability, adding a valuable dimension to our rapidly developing portfolio. We advocate for a multimodal approach to transport, so we’re looking forward to connecting coach services to some of the many local bus services we offer.”

This new collaboration marks the next stage in our broader strategic vision of creating an integrated transport network across the East of England. By linking regional communities to long distance destinations, we’re enhancing mobility, increasing public transport options and reinforcing our commitment to sustainable passenger transport.