Ouibus becomes BlaBlaBus!

On November 12, 2018, Ouibus was bought out by carpooling giant Blablacar.

Previously owned by SNCF, the low-cost bus company now belongs to Blablacar. The amount of the deal is still unknown.

With this acquisition, Blablacar now offers bus trips called Bus BlablaCar, as well as combined bus and carpool journeys, in addition to its carpooling trips.

Maximum comfort awaits you on OUIBUS buses (or BlaBlaBus buses, whichever you prefer), with large seats and many free services on board such as free Wi-Fi, power outlets, or air conditioning!

To help you travel comfortably in the best conditions, you'll need to do your part too and follow a few rules such as these:

• Follow the driver's instructions!
• Do not consume alcohol or cigarettes!
• Put your phone on silent!
• Do not disturb other passengers! (we see you, kids kicking the seats)
• Fasten your seatbelt! (or else you might end up through the windscreen)

Have a great trip on Ouibus buses!

Boarding Ouibus buses (now called BlaBlaBus) is super simple!

Arrive about 30 minutes before departure and have your ID and travel documents ready to show the driver. You don't even need to print your ticket — Ouibus drivers have your booking details, so just bring a form of ID for boarding. Still, keep your phone with the info you received by email, just in case you're a bit unlucky!

After that, head to your assigned seat, or choose your seat if it's free seating, and enjoy your trip.

In theory, you can choose your seat on Ouibus (BlaBlabus) buses when booking.

Be careful, sometimes a seat is assigned directly when you book your trip. So let's cross our fingers that you don't end up next to a snorer or some slightly rowdy kids. If you book at the same time as your travel companion, you'll have a better chance of sitting side by side (good news? you decide).

Based on the experience of a few Tictacteam members, some Ouibus buses have free seating, so come 30 minutes early anyway to have a chance to pick your seat and have a great trip on Ouibus!

Are you in a wheelchair or have a disability? Don't worry, spaces are provided to ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable trip. Simply mention when booking your trip that you have reduced mobility, and you'll be welcomed and looked after by Ouibus (now Blablabus) staff.

Very important: to guarantee a great trip on the Ouibus bus, you need to contact the company at least 36 business hours before your trip, and everything will be ready when you arrive: 01 71 53 01 80.

So, are you wondering whether to choose a Ouibus France bus or a Flixbus bus for your journey (that's a lot of "buses", we know, ha)? We can give you a few pointers!

First of all, to choose a bus, you need to look at the price and travel time of each company for your specific trip. Indeed, if Ouibus is much cheaper than Flixbus and the journey much shorter, you'll naturally go with it, and vice versa! Especially since the comfort level of both bus companies is comparable and well worth it!

You could also choose to book your ticket with one or the other based on word of mouth from people around you and your past experiences with the Ouibus or Flixbus bus companies. For us, it's honestly a tough choice... It all depends on the route we want to book! So, what's your choice? 😉

Minors aged 12 to 16 may only travel on Ouibus (or Blablabus) routes if they have a permission to travel alone, signed by someone with parental authority. In short, as a parent you simply need to fill in this form, and present it to the Ouibus driver when boarding, and you're all set.

Under 12, minors must absolutely be accompanied by an adult. It's tough, but that's how it is...

If you are between 16 and 18, you simply need to bring your ID. Enjoy it, you're finally treated as an adult. However, if you plan to travel abroad, don't forget to complete the necessary formalities for crossing the border...

You can find the list of documents required to travel on Ouibus as a minor at this link.

Formerly called Idbus, sometimes wrongly called Ouigo Bus, SNCF's buses are now called Ouibus — don't get it wrong. As you now know, SNCF Buses travel under the name Ouibus.

Also, don't forget that these Ouibus have become the new BlaBlaCar buses: BlaBlaBus! So the Ouibus you know today no longer exist as such...

If you change your mind about your Ouibus or BlaBlaBus ticket, no worries!

You can modify your Ouibus (or Blablabus) ticket or cancel it up to 30 minutes before departure, subject to seat availability of course! So if you end up in Brittany and the weather is amazing, you can cancel your trip down south directly via the Ouibus (soon Blablabus) app or website. You'll receive an Ouibus voucher to plan a trip later on (yes, that's how it works at many companies: no refund)!

If you simply want to change the times of your Ouibus trip, it will be free if you do it online. However, you'll pay a fee of 3 euros per passenger if you do it at the counter, and the same applies if you go through customer service. It's therefore better to use the internet, even if you're not very comfortable with technology! Be careful: if you exchange your Ouibus ticket (or Blablabus ticket, same thing) for another one that costs more, you'll have to pay the difference (which is only logical, after all).

Unfortunately for you (fortunately for your neighbour), you can't bring your little dog or your parrot with you, because animals are not allowed on Ouibus buses (and it's the same on Blablabus buses). Don't even try putting them in the hold, you're not allowed to, and your little pet probably wouldn't enjoy it much anyway.

However, if you are visually impaired or blind, your guide dog is of course allowed to accompany you during your Ouibus bus trip! The same goes for your Blablabus bus trip...

You didn't find all the information you needed in our Ouibus (soon Blablabus) FAQ? We're really sorry...

For more information and to contact Ouibus, you can go directly to the Ouibus website.

And if you have any other questions, you can contact them by email via the Ouibus contact page, or via the Ouibus customer service number: 01 71 53 01 80 (Monday to Saturday, 9am to 8pm). The Ouibus number is not a premium-rate number! As you can see, contacting Ouibus is really simple!

The Ouibus bus company doesn't really offer a loyalty program (and neither do Blablabus buses).

The young person's card (formerly called Ouiboost) is no longer available for purchase. If you already have the card, don't worry, it still works.

Lucky you: with Ouibus (or Blablabus, whichever you prefer), you can bring two carry-on bags and one hold bag (max 20 kg)! On some Ouibus buses, you can even bring up to 3 hold bags and 2 carry-on bags! Although, we're not sure you'll have enough arms to carry all that, but at least you'll have the space! Be careful, on Paris-London routes and some trips like Paris-Lille, you can only bring one bag. Less risk of the bus sinking the ferry to London that way!

Don't forget to label your bags with your name, phone number and address. You never know, after a long Ouibus (or Blablabus) trip, some people get a bit tired and might grab the wrong bag. After all, a black suitcase full of gold looks a lot like a black suitcase full of rocks, right?

Ouibus, the low-cost bus company owned by SNCF (soon to be renamed BlaBlaBus), offers bus tickets for one-way, return, and round trips at incredibly low prices. And when we say low, we mean really low — for example, €5 for a bus journey from Bordeaux to Toulouse! At that price, it would be a shame to miss out...

What's more, Ouibus (or BlaBlaBus) only sells single-fare tickets, meaning there's no differentiation by class or service, unlike SNCF with its TGV InOui trains. Everyone pays the same price, whether you're sitting at the back of the bus or at the front — pretty cool, right?

Have a great trip with Ouibus!

With Ouibus France (and therefore Blablabus), you can book your ticket easily online. For those less comfortable with 2.0 technology, no problem — there are physical points of sale where you can buy your ticket. They are usually located near boarding areas and look like small booths! You can also buy tickets at a partner counter.

You can find the full list of OUIBUS points of sale on this page.

Now there's no excuse not to book your Ouibus bus and set off on a coach trip!