This ‘business class’ bus has lie-flat beds
A unique overnight coach service brings business class style to the roads – provided you’re not in a hurry to get anywhere.
By Staff Writers, November 3 2025
There’ll soon be a new way to travel between European cities: on board a business class coach fitted with 21 airline-style seats which convert into fully flat beds.
On board Europe's new Twiliner business class coach.
The overnight coach service is dubbed the Twiliner (the name is derived from ‘twilight’), and launches on November 14 with the aim of making long-distance bus travel as comfortable as rail, while offering a greener alternative to short-range flights.
The Swiss startup says Twiliner coaches will “close the comfort gap in long-distance travel.”
The 21-berth layout of Europe's new Twiliner business class coach.
Arranged in a 2-1 layout, each forward-facing seat reclines into a lie-flat bed.
On board Europe's new Twiliner business class coach.
Twiliner claims to have developed and patented these unique seats – the first of their kind in Europe.
And because the seats have been designed and tested for adult passengers, the Twiliners won’t allow children under the age of five on board (which has got to be a plus for the long overnight rides).
Passengers can expect pillows, blankets, privacy screens between the paired seats, reading lights, personal storage compartments, USB outlets and free Wi-Fi.
On board Europe's new Twiliner business class coach.
Downstairs on the double-decker bus is a separate bathroom and changing room, and a snack bar stocked with light refreshments, a coffee pod machine and hot water for making tea.
The changing room on Europe's new Twiliner business class coach.
Each guest can bring one large suitcase up to 23kg plus a small carry-on bag.
“Skip airport transfers, security checks and hotel costs,” is the Twiliner pitch.
“Just board in the city centre, enjoy a smooth trip and wake up refreshed to a new destination at sunrise.”
The snack bar on Europe's new Twiliner business class coach.
Twiliner intends to have two routes running by year’s end:
- Zurich – Basel – Luxembourg – Brussels – Rotterdam – Amsterdam
- Zurich – Bern – Girona – Barcelona
“More destinations are already in planning for 2026,” the company says.
“Our goal is to grow to 30 destinations across Europe within the next three years” across Denmark, Germany, Austria, France, and Italy.
On board Europe's new Twiliner business class coach.
It’s just as well that Twiliner intends to compete mainly against rail, because the high fares make it difficult to see why anybody would choose an overnight bus ride compared to a quick flight.
Using a trip from Zurich to Luxembourg as a benchmark, the Twiliner takes 5½ hours, departing at 9.30pm to arrive into Luxembourg at 3am; a return trip booked in mid-January 2026 is priced at CHF319, or €344.
Flying the same route on Swiss’ nimble Airbus A220 takes one hour, with a far more sensible timetable of 5.25pm-6.25pm, with the return trip costing only CHF376, or €405 – just €61 more than the long overnight bus ride.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 May 2012
Total posts 93
Way too expensive, I doubt it will work.
They should look at asia as a good example, I traveled 10 hours jakarta to surabaya sleeper class, but with a private room and full flat bed, TV, wifi, dinner, snacks, Netflix, coffee etc for A$48.
20 Sep 2012
Total posts 77
Prices in Switzerland and understandably higher than Jakarta.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 May 2012
Total posts 93
Yes understand that, but at these prices they are set to fail
Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles
16 Oct 2017
Total posts 177
Seen in the context of prices and travel times in Europe, this may appeal to some. Flight times are misleading: add in time to arrive at departure airport before flight (and add in ground transport to get there + flight time + ground transport from arrival airport and the time comparison becomes realistic. The true comparison is train time city to city. With almost no sleeper trains in Europe there will be some who will, at train journey of x+ hours, be interested in a sleeper bus.
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 42
There are plenty of night trains back in Europe. Not on the route quoted here, but there has been significant growth in them again in recent years.
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 42
At those sorts of prices, it is no hope. Add to that crazy stuff like dumping you in Luxembourg at 3am in the morning - how do you 'save' a night's hotel if you get dumped there at 3am exactly...
You can do that rail pair during the day in about 5 - 5.5 hours for a fraction of that cost. And that's before you look at flights.
Get the price point right and it will be competitive on the right routes - which need to be much longer than that cited. But at those prices, on short routes like that, it will be no chance of success.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jul 2018
Total posts 28
My last experience with Eurorail was absolutely delightful, on holiday with no tight schedules the TGV from Paris to Barcelona was a daytime delight leaving in the morning and arriving in the afternoon at Sants across the road from all the hire car companies. No airport lines or security, arriving at the station about 30 minutes before departure and carrying my own luggage on and off the train - simply NO hassles - and room to stroll or visit the dining car on the way. No bus trip could match the comfort.
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