Luxembourg will gain a new set of overnight travel connections this winter as Swiss operator Twiliner, working with the Emile Weber Group, launches its first long-distance night bus routes.
Tickets are now on sale for journeys beginning in early December, offering direct overnight services from Luxembourg to Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels, Basel and Zurich. Additional routes to Spanish destinations including Girona and Barcelona are planned before the end of the year.
Twiliner positions its service as a low-emission alternative to short-haul flights, while offering amenities more commonly associated with premium travel. “As sustainable as a train, as comfortable as a business-class flight, and as flexible as a bus,” is how co-founder and CEO Luca Bortolani describes the concept.
Premium comfort on board
Each coach, valued at around €1 million, carries just 21 passengers—three on the lower deck and 18 on the upper level. Seats convert into lie-flat beds at the push of a button and come with USB charging, while onboard facilities include a wardrobe, toilet, fridge, coffee machine and a large luggage area.
According to the company, journeys generate roughly 20g of CO₂per passenger kilometre thanks to the use of HVO, a renewable diesel derived from recycled oils and fats. That compares with 276g for an equivalent flight.
Philippe Heinisch of the Emile Weber Group said the focus is firmly on comfort rather than capacity. “Our bus could theoretically hold 80 people, but we’ve opted for comfort,” he said. Heinisch believes the service can be profitable by targeting towns without airports or train services.
Ambitious expansion plans
Twiliner currently operates three buses but aims to expand significantly, targeting a network of 30 European destinations by 2028. Proposed future routes include London–Glasgow, Paris–Malaga, Amsterdam–Copenhagen and further connections to cities such as Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Milan, Rome, Venice, Bratislava and Budapest.
Fares vary by route and season, generally ranging from €155 to €250. A one-way December trip from Luxembourg to Amsterdam costs CHF 150 (€160) and is non-refundable.
Transport Minister Yuriko Backes was among the first to test the new service ahead of its launch. Photo by Mmkay, Wikimedia commons.