Long-distance bus transport in Germany has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent decades, shaped by a long history, regulations and ultimately the dominance of a single provider. To understand this development, it is also necessary to look at the beginnings of long-distance bus transport in Germany, the former motor postal lines, and follow the liberalization up to the emergence of a de facto monopoly. Long-distance buses have now become an indispensable part of Germany. They are seen as an inexpensive alternative to the train, which is often perceived as expensive and unpunctual. Immediately after liberalization, various entrepreneurs, including "big fish", saw big money. Even Deutsche Post attempted to make a comeback in passenger transport. Ultimately, however, a de facto monopoly developed for the company Flixbus. The roots of long-distance bus transport: the motor postal lines Long-distance bus transport in Germany has historical roots that go back to the time of the Weimar Republic. In the 1920s and 1930s, a dense network of motor post lines developed that connected not only cities but also remote regions. These lines were operated by the Reichspost and even then used a road network that also ran along Reichsautobahnen and federal motorways. The motor post lines were an important part of public passenger transport in Germany. It should also be noted that when the Reichsautobahnen were built, the motor post's long-distance bus lines were taken into account or newly added. There were stops directly on the motorways on many routes. This is unimaginable today for safety reasons, but at that time the volume of traffic was not significant and there were no fences or guard rails. Small paths led to the motor post stops on the Reichsautobahnen, which were mostly