New night bus to launch from Brussels to Zurich

From the middle of November, a new night bus service will run from Brussels to the Swiss cities of Basel and Zurich.

The Swiss Twiliner company is positioning itself very much as an alternative to night trains, rather than to low-cost, student-friendly coach operator Flixbus.

This is “the new way of travel… Europe’s first night bus with lie-flat seats,” the company said.

“With our unique lie-flat sleeping seat that transforms into a cosy bed at a push of a button, we’re closing the comfort gap in long-distance travel.

“We offer an experience that redefines affordability, comfort, reliability, and sustainability,” the operator added, highlighting that the coaches have spacious toilets, changing rooms, and a snack bar, and that water, coffee and high-speed wi-fi are “always free”.

Aiming at environmentally conscious travellers who will pay more for extra comfort, the buses only carry 21 passengers who can flatten their seats to boost the chance of a good night’s sleep.

Passengers will also receive a pillow and a blanket and have access to a power outlet and night light.

According to the company, travelling by Twiliner emits up to 85% less CO² than flying.

But its relative luxury comes at a price. The website states a one-way ticket from Brussels to Zurich will cost 169 Swiss francs (CHF), about €180 – four times the average €45 one-way ticket with Flixbus. The cost of a ticket allowing you to rebook or cancel your ticket up to 72 hours before departure is an additional 36 Swiss francs.

Passengers can take special luggage including bicycles, skis and skateboards on board, for an extra 35 Swiss francs.

The first Brussels to Zurich Twiliner is scheduled to depart on Friday 14 November – with additional stops in Luxembourg and Basel. The bus begins its journey in Amsterdam and Rotterdam before stopping picking up Brussels passengers.

The journey between Brussels and Zurich takes almost nine hours – more than three hours less than the quickest Flixbus journey (12 hours and 20 minutes). It will leave Brussels at 23.30. The return trip from Zurich starts two hours earlier, with an arrival in Brussels at 6.15 the following morning.

Tickets can already be booked on the website. At present the departure point is not specified, but it is likely to be Brussels-Midi or Brussels-North stations.

The company said that more cities would be added to the network this autumn, adding: “Our goal is to expand to 30 destinations across Europe within the next three years.”