Is it safe to use BlaBlaCar: an honest review

The international service BlaBlaCar is a convenient way to get from point A to point B. It is especially useful when other means of transportation, such as planes or trains, cannot get you to the desired place. Today we will discuss a topical issue - safety of travel with BlaBlaCar, pros and cons of this service, as well as ways to recognize possible fraudulent situations.

What is BlaBlaCar

BlaBlaCar presents itself as a global community for traveling, covering 22 countries. Over 90 million people use the service, which shows its popularity. With BlaBlaCar, you can reach your destination in two ways: by car or by bus.

The service was established by Frenchman Frédéric Mazzella in 2006. Its main focus is to provide services for intercity travel, where transportation costs are shared proportionally between all participants of the trip. However, 2017 also saw the launch of BlaBlaLines, a service designed for short-distance rides together and organizing daily routes within a city or suburb.

Pros and cons of Bla Bla Car - how safe is it?

Many people choose Bla BlaCar because it's a fairly cheap way to get around, but does it have so many pluses, and are they as many as the minuses? Let's take a look at the pros and cons of BlaBlaCar Bus (BlaBlaBus) based on reviews from real users. 

Pros of BlaBlaCar Bus:

1. Just the booking and payment process. 
2. Democratic prices. 
3. The buses arrive on time, but it depends a lot on the individual driver. 
4. Conveniently located stations and stops. 

Minuses of BlaBlaCar Bus:

1. There is an option to reserve a seat of your choice, but only at an additional cost + front seat reservations cost twice as much. 
2. Some drivers are rude to passengers.
3. Drivers often don't pay attention to ticketed seat reservations.

Bla Bla Car positive and negative reviews

Before using this service, you should be prepared for possible "accidents". Here are some user reviews taken and translated from TrustPilot, TripAdvisor and GetByBus: 

1. GetByBus - "Very friendly and helpful driver." 
2. GetByBus - "Pros - updates by mail and low prices, cons - No bus number, no bus stop information. Put up a sign with the route. USB and outlet are defective."
3. TrustPilot - "Absolutely horrible experience. Bus arrival time was changed 3 hours late after confirming arrival and seat allocation 10 minutes before departure. Refund policy incredibly unclear. DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE."
4. TrustPilot - "The bus arrived strictly on schedule - new, spotlessly clean and comfortable, with a functioning toilet. Experienced drivers, no problems at all."
5. TripAdvisor - "First and LAST time using this carrier. Went from Paris to Amsterdam (October 23 at 23:15) at 14:00. The driver and his assistant stopped for 5 minutes, supposedly for a break, but they closed the door of the bus, and no passenger could get off and use the toilet! Suddenly the driver came back and said: "NO BREAK! STRAIGHT TO AMSTERDAM!" HEY! DO YOU WANT US TO PEE ON YOUR BUS? I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT THEY DIDN'T EVEN FIX THE PROBLEM! WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS, WE NEED THE RESTROOM!!!!!"
6. TripAdvisor - "Booked through Omio and, having read the bad reviews, were skeptical. On the way from London to Bercy we didn't take an official bus, but something decidedly smaller and there wasn't much legroom. But on the way back it was already a real BlaBlaBus, very comfortable and spacious. The only delays were not the fault of the company. In general, you get what you pay for."

What's a similar service to Bla Bla Car?

HeyBus is a young company that was opened in 2022, and already in such a short time we have enough customers for whom we have become a favorite. What can we boast about?

Advantages

1. Our philosophy is quality. We strive for high reputation and support domestic. 
2. Every seat on the bus, and therefore every passenger, is insured for a certain amount. This provides you with additional protection and you can always count on our support in case of need.
3. Forget about narrow and rigid seats. Our modern buses provide maximum comfort for your back and legs, no matter how tall you are.
4. With HeyBus, you're always in touch with family and friends during your commute, and you can enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows thanks to stable WiFi.
5. The ticket price includes small carry-on luggage and two suitcases, which the drivers will help you place in the luggage compartment.
6. Our drivers maintain a comfortable temperature in the cabin depending on the weather and time of year, taking into account the needs of passengers.

Disadvantages

1. At the moment the selection of routes in Heybus is limited, but we are working on expanding and updating the list. This is a process that takes time.
2. Some users have reported faulty toilets on buses. This problem is being actively addressed and we guarantee a fix.
3. Passengers commented that they did not have enough space to stretch or place their legs comfortably. Despite the impossibility of changing the design of the bus, we made adjustments to the seating arrangement to make it the most comfortable for everyone.

BlaBlaCar and Heybus price comparison

For better understanding we will compare prices for some popular destinations. Before comparing, let us clarify that all data is taken from official websites. It should also be clarified that BalBlaBus is present in Ukraine only as a service, and transportation services are offered by different companies, so the quality, as well as the price, can vary enormously. 

Price comparison Kyiv - Warsaw

Price comparison Rivne - Warsaw

Price comparison Lutsk - Lublin

Price comparison Warsaw - Kyiv

The BlaBlaCar website itself also has a large number of filters, as not every carrier offers the same conditions. There are also no separate price tags for children or students. Heybus, on the other hand, uses the same buses and the quality of service remains at the same level.

HeyBus or BlaBlaCar

No one will give you an answer to this question, because everyone's personal preferences are different. It's worth trying different services personally before making a final verdict. But based on the online reviews of BlaBlaBus (the vast majority of which are negative), and an average rating of no higher than 2.5 out of 5 on all major platforms, the conclusion is self-evident. 

We have not had any incidents. All our drivers are adequate people who are just doing their job. If you want a safe and fast trip to your destination, we recommend you to use our services and order bus tickets online.

We can only offer a small recommendation: for small and new companies like Heybus, positive reviews and increased visibility are extremely important. This way people can find out all about us online and we can provide you with a better service. Heybus works hard to ensure high quality in all aspects of travel.