There’s a startup that’s looking to revolutionize the way that people travel between cities in Europe, while offering a high level of comfort (thanks to JonNYC for flagging this). Will this catch on, or does this sound better in theory than in practice?
The basics of Twiliner’s overnight luxury bus service
Twiliner will be launching operations in November 2025, and the idea is that the company will be offering Europe’s first overnight bus service with lie flat beds. Much of Europe already has great connectivity between cities, in the form of existing rail, air, and bus service.
As Twiliner sees it, what doesn’t exist is a comfortable way to travel between European cities overnight, given that most rail connections operate during the day, and most existing bus services are quite uncomfortable.
So Twiliner will operate special buses with just 21 seats each, in a 1-2 configuration. There will be 18 seats on the upper deck and three seats on the lower deck.
All seats convert into fully flat beds, and feature USB power ports, a reading light, and a tray table for working or dining. The bus also offers complimentary high speed Wi-Fi.
There’s also a toilet, a changing room, and a snack bar onboard. Coffee and water are free, while other items are available for purchase.
The company highlights the benefits of traveling by bus rather than by air, including traveling from city center to city center, avoiding the cost of overnight accommodation, and saving on emissions. The company claims it saves around 85% emissions compared to flying, as the bus service runs on HVO diesel, a renewal fuel from waste fats and vegetable oils.
Seats are currently on sale as of mid-November 2025, with the first route being from Zurich to Amsterdam. The service departs at 9:30PM, with stops in Basel, Luxembourg, Brussels, and Rotterdam, prior to arriving in Amsterdam at 9:45AM. Fares start at CHF 169 (211 USD), and include one checked bag and one carry-on.
The company hopes to grow to 25 routes by 2028, so it has quite the ambitions. The aim seems to be to mostly operate in markets of up to 1,000 kilometers. Each bus has two drivers, who switch throughout the night for safety. The only stops are brief stops at each of the destinations along the way, plus any stops required for the drivers to rotate.
I like the concept of Twiliner’s bus service, in theory…
What’s innovative about Twiliner is the level of comfort that it’s offering on bus service within Europe. For example, FlixBus is already a major bus operator in Europe, and the company serves plenty of routes (including Zurich to Amsterdam) with a similar schedule. It’s a fraction of the cost, but also a fraction as comfortable.
I like the concept of Twiliner. I mean, spending the night in a flat bed on a bus sounds sort of charming, in a way. But here’s the thing — I think it sounds better in theory than in practice, at least for those of us who are light sleepers.
I think I’d book this envisioning “oh great, I’m going to get eight hours of sleep.” But then I’d probably end up waking up every 15 minutes, between the movement, the stops, other people snoring, etc. If you’re a deep sleeper, then maybe this is the perfect solution for you. But we’re all different in that sense.
The challenge here is that Twiliner is going after fairly price insensitive customers who value comfort, but who don’t want to fly.
If I were a business traveler and had an important meeting the next day, I’d realistically rather take the last flight of the night to my destination and spend a night in a proper bed at a hotel, rather than chancing on it being able to get sleep on a bus.
Bottom line
Twiliner is launching an innovative luxury bus service, which will initially operate as of November 2025 between Zurich and Amsterdam. While Europe already offers good air and rail connectivity, Twiliner thinks there’s a need for comfortable overnight transportation between cities, since that’s not currently offered.
I have to give Twiliner credit for coming up with a unique concept. It just seems to me like a fairly niche offering, given the price point. I hope this works out, though as someone who is a light sleeper when not in my bed at home, this concept probably isn’t for me…
What do you make of the Twiliner concept? Would you book this bus service?
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