I feel my travel-weary spine begin to straighten as I stretch out on the plump mattress, wrapped in a quilted blanket with a pillow under my head. But this bedtime routine has an unusual step—I place my lower legs in a mesh bag and clip it into seatbelt-style buckles on either side. The bed will be moving at about 50 mph for the next 12 hours, and safety regulations must be followed.
Last month, Swiss startup Twiliner launched a fleet of futuristic sleeper buses, and I’ve come to Amsterdam to try one. Running three times a week between Amsterdam and Zurich—a 12-hour journey via Rotterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg, and Basel—with a Zurich to Barcelona service launching on December 4, these flat-bed overnight sleeper buses are the first of their kind in Europe.
“Flying is one of the main drivers of climate change. We wanted to design an alternative that people would actually want to use,” the company’s co-founder and CEO, Luca Bortolani, told me before Twiliner’s launch. Their solution is a seat that transforms into a genuinely comfortable bed, manufactured by Greater Manchester-based Airline Services Interiors and similar to a business-class airplane seat.
Hoping for more rest than a red-eye flight, I settle into the luxury. While I could shorten my trip by taking the Eurostar from London to Brussels and catching the Twiliner there, I’m traveling from London to Amsterdam to experience the full route to Zurich. With Eurostar adding a fifth direct weekday service to Amsterdam this month, it’s a convenient connecting hub for UK travelers heading deeper into Europe.
The buses run on HVO fuel, which is considered highly sustainable compared to diesel.
As viewers of Race Across the World know, flatbed buses are common in Asia and South America but have been less successful in Europe. Twiliner hopes to change that by offering a service that’s both comfortable and sustainable. Running mostly on hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel (HVO, also called renewable diesel), the company claims its buses produce less than 10% of the CO₂ emissions of a comparable flight. Even when using normal diesel—which they sometimes must—a Twiliner bus is as sustainable per passenger kilometer as a sleeper train, they say.
Currently operating three buses—one for each launch route, plus a third for private charters—Twiliner hopes to offer 25 routes by 2028, possibly including a UK service. While not exclusively targeting routes without sleeper trains, “our niche will be routes where lots of people travel and you don’t have a night train or good connections,” said Bortolani.
A generous luggage allowance and the efficiency of traveling while asleep are clear advantages. Beyond these benefits—and the novelty—the biggest selling point is likely comfort.
The only hiccup on this journey is boarding at Amsterdam’s outdoor bus station in Sloterdijk, a five-minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal. Standing in the dark with a chill wind sweeping through the open space, I’m not entirely sure I’m in the right place. But then I spot a flash of violet, and the bus arrives, maneuvering its large frame like a cruise liner easing into a small fishing harbor. The doors open, and the steps glow with a soft, spaceship purple as I climb aboard.
Downstairs, there are three seats, a spacious toilet, a changing room, and self-service shelves selling eye masks, toothbrushes, and snacks; earplugs, coffee, and Wi-Fi are free. I’m on the upper deck in one of 18 seats with lofty views and USB ports. As we leave Amsterdam, lights flicker in high-rise windows around me like colonies of square glow-worms, and I scan the QR code by my seat for instructions on converting it into a bed.
The bus arrives in Zurich fromAmsterdam in 12 hours and 15 minutes. Photograph: Olena Serditova/Alamy
There is a buzz of excitement around me, but it soon quiets down. With a policy of no children under five and strict rules about food, drink, and noise, the journey is peaceful. By 10 p.m., I’m sound asleep. I wake only once at 5:30 a.m. due to the intense heat—a teething problem Twiliner is working to resolve—and then settle back, dozing like an oversized baby being gently pushed in a cushioned pram, until sunrise when the temperature finally drops.
There’s something magical about falling asleep in one country and waking up in another. We roll into Zurich on a frosty weekday morning, the city glimmering with silver and gold as it begins to wake. By the bus’s Nespresso machine, I chat with Adrien, a student from St. Gallen University. “It’s not faster. It’s not cheaper. But it’s another option, and a good one,” he says. “I slept. I feel rested.”
Just over 25 hours after leaving my home in Somerset—much of which I spent asleep—I arrive at Zurich’s Sihlquai bus station. Basking in the sunshine, I walk ten minutes to my hotel, passing through the Christmas market on Europaallee. I stop at one of the wooden booths for a hot, cinnamon-dusted Öpfuchüechli (apple doughnut).
Along the river, the art-filled Helvetia hotel boasts about its hand-stitched Hästens mattresses, designed to guarantee guests a restful night’s sleep. But there’s one thing their beds can’t offer: whisking me away, magic carpet-style, to a new destination the next morning.
The trip was provided by Twiliner, Eurostar, and Zurich Tourism. Twiliner tickets between Amsterdam and Zurich start at 150 Swiss francs (£141). Eurostar tickets from London to Amsterdam start at £229 each way in Premier class—which includes fast-track check-in, lounge access at St. Pancras, breakfast, and Wi-Fi—or from £39 in standard class. Hotel Helvetia in Zurich offers double rooms from 169 Swiss francs (£160), including breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Europes new luxury businessclass sleeper bus service from Amsterdam to Zurich written in a natural conversational tone
General Booking
What exactly is a luxury sleeper bus
Its a longdistance bus service designed for overnight travel featuring lieflat or nearflat seats premium amenities and a service level meant to rival businessclass trains or shorthaul flights
Who operates this specific Amsterdam to Zurich service
The service is operated by European Sleeper in partnership with FlixBus under the Nightjet brand for this specific route
How much does a ticket cost
Prices vary by demand but generally range from 50 to 150 for a oneway sleeper seat This is often cheaper than a lastminute flight plus a hotel but more expensive than a standard coach seat
How do I book a ticket
Tickets are sold through the FlixBus website and app Youll select the specific Nightjet or sleeper option for the overnight AmsterdamZurich route
The Experience Amenities
Whats included in the ticket price
You get your private sleeper pod or compartment bedding a welcome drink breakfast and access to onboard toilets WiFi and power outlets are standard
What are the seatspods actually like
They are private enclosed pods or compartments with a door or curtain They convert from a seat into a lieflat bed similar to businessclass on a plane but with more space
Is there food and drink served on board
Yes A welcome drink is offered after departure and a light breakfast is served before arrival
Are there toilets and showers on the bus
There are clean standard bus toilets on board There are no showers The service is designed so you can freshen up and go straight to a meeting or sightseeing
Is there luggage storage
Yes there is standard underbus luggage storage for larger suitcases You can also take a small bag into your pod with you
Practicalities Comparison
What is the schedule
The bus typically departs Amsterdam in the late evening
