I sense my travel-stiffened back begin to relax as I recline on the soft mattress, enveloped in a quilted cover with a pillow supporting my head. Yet, this nighttime routine contains a unique twist – securing my lower legs in a mesh pouch and fastening them using seatbelt-style buckles on both sides; the bed will be in motion at approximately 50mph for the next 12 hours, adhering to safety standards.
Recently, Swiss startup Twiliner introduced a fleet of advanced sleeper buses, and I’ve traveled to Amsterdam to experience them. Operating three times a week between Amsterdam and Zurich (a 12-hour trip via Rotterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg, and Basel), with a Zurich to Barcelona service (via Berne and Girona) set to commence on 4 December, the company’s flat-bed overnight sleeper buses are the inaugural service of their kind in Europe.
“Air travel is a major contributor to climate change. We aimed to create an alternative that would genuinely appeal to people,” the company’s co-founder and CEO, Luca Bortolani, informed me prior to Twiliner’s debut. Their innovation is a seat that transforms into a truly cozy bed. Produced by Airline Services Interiors based in Greater Manchester, it resembles a business class airplane seat.
Desiring more rest than a sleepless night, I indulge in that comfort. While I could expedite my trip by taking a Eurostar train from London to Brussels and connecting with the Twiliner there, I’m going from London to Amsterdam, testing the complete Zurich route. With Eurostar increasing its direct weekday service to Amsterdam this month, it serves as a viable alternative for UK travelers exploring deeper into Europe.
As fans of Race Across the World might recall, flatbed buses are prevalent in Asia and South America, but they’ve struggled to gain traction in Europe. Twiliner aims to change this by providing a service that combines comfort with sustainability. Primarily powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel (HVO, also known as renewable diesel), the company states its buses emit less than 10% of the CO2 emissions compared to a similar flight. Even when utilizing standard diesel, sometimes necessary, a Twiliner bus maintains a sustainability level on par with a sleeper train per passenger kilometer, its claims suggest.
Currently running three buses – one for each launch route, plus an additional one for private hires – Twiliner aims to expand to 25 routes by 2028, potentially even introducing a UK service. Although not solely focusing on routes lacking sleeper trains, “our niche will be routes where many people travel and night trains or good connections are absent,” remarked Bortolani.
A generous baggage allowance and the convenience of traveling while resting are advantages. These perks (alongside the element of novelty) notwithstanding, the primary attraction is likely to be the comfort offered.
The only drawback of this journey is boarding at Amsterdam’s outdoor bus terminus in Sloterdijk, a short five-minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal station. Standing in the dark, with a chilly breeze sweeping through the open area, I’m uncertain if I’m in the correct location. But then I catch a glimpse of violet and the bus emerges, maneuvering its significant bulk like a cruise ship easing into a small fishing port. The doors open, and the lights illuminating Twiliner’s steps glow a soft, space-age purple as I make my way inside.
On the lower level are three seats, a roomy restroom, a changing area, and self-service racks stocked with eye masks, toothbrushes, and snacks; ear plugs, coffee, and wifi are complimentary. I’m situated on the upper deck, among 18 seats offering elevated views along with USB ports. As we depart Amsterdam, lights twinkle in tall windows around me like clusters of square fireflies, and I scan the QR code beside my seat for instructions about my bed.
Around me, there’s a buzz of excitement, but the conversation soon quiets. A no-children-under-five policy and strict regulations regarding food, drink, and noise foster a tranquil environment. By 10pm, I’m deeply asleep, only waking at 5:30am in an elevated temperature (a minor issue Twiliner is addressing) and reclining back, dozing like a well-grown infant being pushed along in a cushioned stroller, until dawn breaks and the temperature drops.
There’s something enchanting about drifting off in one nation and awakening in another. Arriving in Zurich on a chilly weekday morning, the city is tinged with silver and gold as it begins to awaken. At the bus’s Nespresso station, I converse with Adrien, a student from St Gallen university. “It’s neither quicker nor cheaper. But it’s another choice, and it’s a good one,” he remarks. “I managed to sleep. I feel refreshed.”
Just over 25 hours after departing my home in Somerset, a significant portion of which I’ve comfortably slept through, I reach Zurich’s Sihlquai bus terminal. Absorbing the sunlight, I stroll the 10 minutes to my hotel, passing by the Christmas market on Europaallee, pausing for a warm, cinnamon-dusted Öpfuchüechli (apple doughnut) at one of its wooden stalls.
By the river, the Helvetia hotel, adorned with art, boasts the advantages of its hand-stitched Hästens beds, designed to promise guests a tranquil night’s rest. However, their beds can’t assure me a magic carpet-style transport to a new destination the next morning.
The journey was sponsored by Twiliner, Eurostar and Zurich Tourism. Twiliner fares between Amsterdam and Zurich begin at 150 Swiss francs (£141). Eurostar fares from London to Amsterdam start at £229 each way in Premier – which includes expedited check-in and lounge access at St Pancras, along with breakfast and wifi – or from £39 for standard class. Hotel Helvetia in Zurich offers double rooms starting from 169 Swiss francs (£160) B&B
