Sask. residents embrace Flixbus

The flixbus picking up riders at Kahkewistahaw Gas and Convenience. (Hallee Mandryk / CTV News)

Many Saskatchewan residents are already taking advantage of a new bus service in the province.

“This is wonderful. I got the ticket, was easy. Booked online; reserved the seat, and it’s affordable,” Gloria Swoboda, a bus rider said.

Flixbus has been active in Canada, and other countries, for several years. The company has recently added trips between North Battleford, Saskatoon and Regina to their schedule.

Tickets range from $30 to $60 one way, depending on the destination. Several bus riders shared that it’s a more cost effective way to travel than buying a plane ticket.

“Instead of paying $300 for a flight last minute, $60 for five hours, it’s worth it...for last minute trips, there’s no need to think about a big budget expense. So it makes it quick and easy,” said Joseph Harvey, another rider who spoke to CTV News in Saskatoon.

“A plane ticket, it was going to cost about $500. That just wasn’t feasible right now,” Michelle Brady said.

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Brady says the bus service will be a useful as a way to visit her long distance partner.

“Being on a budget, we’re both students, my partner and I, so having this affordable option was actually really awesome.”

Since the closure of the Saskatchewan Transit Company (STC) in 2017, Swoboda shared that getting around can be challenging for those who cannot drive, or prefer not to.

“I don’t want to drive. I’m a senior, 75, so I don’t want to really drive that long distance in case something goes wrong with the vehicle,” Swoboda said.

“In Canada, the families are so spread out now. It’s not like 50 years ago when everybody got married in the same area and stayed,” Swoboda said.

Swoboda says she has children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren throughout Canada, and she’ll be using the new bus service to visit family.

With a significant distance between most Canadian cities, a bus service provides an accessible and affordable way for people to connect with one another.

“I’m from BC, so like being out here, obviously it’s a little bit on the more rural side of things. To be able to explore ... other parts of Canada this quick is definitely beneficial,” Harvey said.

Brady added that visiting other Canadian cities is an opportunity not all Canadians have.

“Connecting cities is important. As a Canadian, I want to be able to go across Canada. So by having different forms of transportation to allow me to do that, I think is a really great thing,” she said.

After witnessing the closure of the STC, Swoboda is hopeful the demand will keep this new service active in the province for many years to come.

“I hope both busses survive, that there’s enough people going to be using them. Don’t forget we saved the planet,” Swoboda said.