The reclining seats on Twiliner night buses.
Swiss company launched the first fleet on the continent with seats that convert into beds for long journeys. The proposal appears as an alternative to flights and also night trains.
European passenger transport is undergoing a silent but significant transformation. Recently, what is considered to be the “first and only” sleeper bus service on the European regular market equipped with fully reclining beds was launched.
Innovation in Europe is led by Swiss startup Twilinerwhich recently launched sleeper bus service in Europe. The proposal appears as a direct alternative to short-haul flights — considered expensive, uncomfortable and highly polluting — and also to traditional night trains, which face a continuous increase in prices and high crowding.
Twiliner has promoted an armchair inspired by the models of business class of aviation, capable of reclining 180 degrees and automatically transforming into a fully horizontal bed at the touch of a buttonthus redefining the standard of comfort in European road transport. Each bed is equipped with full bedding, pillow, blanket, individual lighting, retractable table, free Wi-Fi and USB-C port for devices.
The proposal contrasts with long-distance bus services common in Europe, which have seats that are often cramped and seats that recline, at most, up to a 45-degree angle, in addition to offering few amenities.
Two floors, 21 passengers
The buses have two floors and on the lower floor there are bathroom, changing room and a small snack bar with unlimited water and coffee, something that does not exist on conventional European buses and is uncommon even on many night train routes. As the vehicle carries only 21 passengers — 18 on the upper floor and three on the lower floor — the journey takes place practically in silence, with little movement.
A securitya sensitive point when it comes to traveling lying down, was ensured with a specific system that includes a kind of fixed “sleeping bag” to the bed structure, guaranteeing stability even in the case of braking or more pronounced curves. This technology has already been established in Asian and Latin American markets and has now been adapted to the European context.
Up to 30 destinations by 2028
The routes currently operated connect some of the most relevant cities on the European continent. Among the most popular routes are Zurich–Amsterdamwith stops in Basel, Luxembourg, Brussels and Rotterdam, and also Zurich–Barcelona and Bern–Barcelonaboth with a strategic stop in Girona, Catalonia.
All trips depart from central areas of the various cities. According to Twiliner, a traveler can book a trip departing from Zurich, Bern, Basel, Girona, Barcelona, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels or Luxembourg, with the destination depending on the starting point.
Twiliner plans to expand its network to 25 to 30 destinations by 2028which should consolidate the company as a new, relevant mode of transport in European international mobility.
The fleet is powered mainly by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVOalso called renewable diesel). The company claims that its buses produce less than 10% of the CO2 emissions of a comparable flight. Even when using conventional diesel, which is sometimes necessary, a Twiliner bus is as sustainable as a night train per passenger kilometer, according to the company.
