Goodbye Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Hello, Luxury Bus?
The global luxury bus market is undergoing a sea change: from a niche, inexpensive vehicle for the well-to-do to a high-end, top-of-the-line luxury car that can accommodate families or even a large party of guests.
With the new, futuristic-looking buses on display at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, a lot of people think they’ll have to move to France because there’s no more room on the roads for the cars. But the luxury bus doesn’t need to travel as far as a car to be popular.
If you’ve been spending time with luxury buses and you haven’t noticed the change, you might have been spending so much time in that same old bus that you’re blind to new options.
We’ve seen the new buses before, but the latest wave of luxury buses have been catching our attention with some of the most exciting features on the market. Even though they don’t look as new as those from before, they are packed with all the same technology as their predecessors, including WiFi in all of the seats.
We’ve been testing the newest, most glamorous buses for months—since the Paris Motor Show—and have learned a few things about them, and some lessons about how the luxury bus market is changing. Here they are, in no particular order.
When you have a good enough bus, you can make many types of trips, not just short hops to the airport.
More and more, the luxury bus market is about the experience. The ride takes you to a new destination, the driver brings you there, and then your guests gather around, enjoying the food or drink you’ve provided. Most luxury buses also offer on-board entertainment. Some even offer the ability to book a private driver for an evening out.
Luxury Luxury Buses Are Not Just for The Elite Anymore
Since there’s now a new technology involved, there are also new options for passengers.
Luxury buses are no longer just about getting someone to their destination quickly. They now offer Wi-Fi that will keep your friends, family, or even your pets on the bus.
Some luxury bus companies are focusing on the whole family—like the new QBus, which features three separate floorplans and three generations
