FlixBus filed a lawsuit for the protection of rights, freedoms and guarantees against Rede Nacional de Expressos (RNE), due to the refusal of access to the Sete Rios Terminal, in Lisbon.
This infrastructure is considered vital for the national road transport network and the company claims the urgent need to ensure compliance with the regulatory authority’s determinations.
FlixBus highlights that “there is available capacity at the terminal” and that “access must be guaranteed under equitable and non-discriminatory conditions”.
The company argues that RNE’s refusal seriously compromises the principles of competition, fairness and non-discrimination, requiring a swift response to protect “its fundamental rights and the interests of passengers”.
With this action, FlixBus reaffirms its commitment to a more open and passenger-centric mobility market. The company emphasizes that “its presence at the Sete Rios Terminal is essential to guarantee a competitive road transport offer in the city of Lisbon”.
The exclusion of competing operators, according to FlixBus, represents an “unacceptable obstacle to free competition and passenger rights”, making it essential to quickly resolve this issue.
It should be remembered that FlixBus estimates losses of 12.5 million euros in 2024 due to the impediment of access to the terminal, despite a decision by the Mobility and Transport Authority (AMT) that recognizes the multinational’s right of access, which has not yet been implemented.
In May this year, the AMT determined that “the exhaustion of the terminal’s capacity has not been proven” and confirmed the existence of available capacity, and the manager must “provide access to the terminal” to all operators who request it.
FlixBus expressed its frustration regarding the lack of compliance with the decision, stating that “Lisbon is the only European capital where it does not have access to the city’s main terminal”. The general director of FlixBus in Portugal, Pablo Pastega, warned, in a meeting with journalists held last week, that the company will not hesitate to appeal to the European Commission and the Court of Justice of the European Union, if necessary.
On the other hand, Rede Expressos reaffirmed its position, claiming that the terminal has reached “the limit of its operational and physical capacity” and that the introduction of new operators, such as FlixBus and BlaBlaCar, is not viable without compromising passenger safety.
The company also highlighted that the Sete Rios terminal was designed as a temporary solution in 2004 and is out of step with current demand.