What Twiliner does

Twiliner AG is a Zürich-based private mobility startup that operates a premium overnight bus service between major European cities, built around patented lie-flat seats that transform into beds at the push of a button. The seats are the first in Europe certified for a fully horizontal sleeping position, supported by an integrated safety restraint system developed in collaboration with Bern University of Applied Sciences and funded by Innosuisse. Each 21-seat bus is equipped with free Wi-Fi, USB-C charging, a snack bar, a restroom, and a changing area; passengers receive one included 23 kg luggage item. Buses run on HVO diesel, delivering a myclimate-verified footprint of 24 g CO2e per passenger kilometer — comparable to night trains and approximately 91% lower than short-haul flights.

The company runs two routes at launch: Zurich–Barcelona via Bern and Girona, and Zurich–Amsterdam via Basel, Luxembourg, Brussels, and Rotterdam, serving nine destinations in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Spain. Fleet operations are sourced through partnerships with established bus operators (Emile Weber, Staf Cars, Eurobus.ch), who supply vehicles and drivers while Twiliner contributes the seat technology, brand, and direct customer relationship. Revenue is generated primarily through tiered ticket sales (Non-refundable from CHF 120-156, mid-tier Semi-Flex, and Full-Flex with cancellation up to 72 hours before departure), with ancillary streams including extras such as additional luggage, onboard snacks, and a CHF 35 arrival package at the 25h Hotel Zürich. A 21-seat private charter option, bookable 180 days ahead, addresses group and corporate use cases.

The company was founded in 2020 by Luca Bortolani (CEO), Ivan Mele (Experience Designer), and Joël Béla Bernauer-Bourgeois (Product Designer). After concept validation funded by Migros Pionierfonds and a 2021 Innosuisse co-development grant, Twiliner filed patent applications in 2023, achieved European lie-flat seat certification in 2024, ordered its first three buses, and completed a €2M strategic investment from Emile Weber and a separate €2M+ crowdinvesting round in October 2025, immediately prior to its November 2025 service launch. The company has stated a target of scaling to 30 European destinations by 2028.

Name

Twiliner

Legal name

Twiliner AG

Website

https://twiliner.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling bus tickets for overnight routes between European cities. Tickets are sold in three tiers: Non-refundable (lowest price), Semi-Flex (refundable up to 30 days before departure), and Full-Flex (refundable up to 72 hours before departure). Pricing varies by route, occupancy, and booking timing.
2. Ancillary Services: Additional revenue from optional add-ons including extra luggage, arrival packages (wellness and breakfast at partner hotels), and onboard snacks and beverages from the self-service snack bar.
3. Bus Charter: Corporate or private charter of entire 21-seat buses on existing routes, available with 180 days advance notice.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Twiliner sells overnight bus travel between European cities on premium 21-seat buses equipped with patented lie-flat seats that convert into fully flat beds at the push of a button — the first certified lie-flat bus seats in Europe. The service operates on two main routes (Zurich–Amsterdam via Basel, Luxembourg, Brussels, Rotterdam; and Zurich–Barcelona via Bern, Girona), with tickets sold across three flexibility tiers plus ancillary add-ons such as luggage, arrival packages and snacks.

Product overview

Twiliner operates as a luxury overnight bus service offering a single core product: lie-flat night bus travel between European cities. The product portfolio includes the core Twiliner Lie-Flat Night Bus Service — featuring business-class seats that convert to flat beds — supported by three ticket tiers (Standard, Semi-Flex, Full-Flex), an optional Arrival Package in partnership with 25h Hotel Zürich, onboard amenities (Wi-Fi, USB charging, snack bar, changing room), and a private charter option. The service connects nine destinations across two primary routes: Route 1 (Zurich–Barcelona via Bern and Girona) and Route 2 (Zurich–Amsterdam via Basel, Luxembourg, Brussels, and Rotterdam), operating with a 21-seat fleet of buses equipped with the patented Twiliner lie-flat seat system certified for safe sleeping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Twiliner Lie-Flat Night Bus Service Europe's first overnight bus service with business-class lie-flat seats that transform into flat beds at the push of a button, offering sustainable overnight travel between major European cities on two routes (Zurich–Amsterdam via Basel, Luxembourg, Brussels, Rotterdam; Zurich–Barcelona via Bern, Girona) with 21 seats per bus. Targeted at leisure and business travelers seeking sustainable, comfortable intercity transport.
• Twiliner Private Charter Full-bus charter option on existing routes for private or business trips, accommodating the entire 21-seat bus, with a minimum 180-day advance notice required. Targeted at corporate groups, event organizers or private parties seeking premium group transport between European cities.
• Twiliner Arrival Package at 25h Hotel Zürich Optional add-on package for arriving passengers including wellness/sauna area access, shower facilities and hearty breakfast at 25hours Hotel Zürich Langstrasse, priced at CHF 35. Twiliner passengers also receive a 10% discount on hotel rooms. Targeted at arriving overnight travelers who want to freshen up before starting their day in Zurich.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 91% less CO₂ emissions per passenger kilometer compared to flying (24g CO₂e vs 276g)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 25h Hotel ZürichminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Hotel partnership offering Twiliner passengers an Arrival Package (CHF 35) including wellness access, shower facilities, and breakfast. Twiliner passengers receive 10% discount on hotel rooms.
• Staf CarscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Belgian bus company that partnered with Twiliner in 2023 for prototype development and route operations. One of the first bus partners to adopt the Twiliner lie-flat seat technology.
• Eurobus.chcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Swiss bus operator partner collaborating with Twiliner for route operations and fleet expansion across the European network.
• Berner Fachhochschule (Bern University of Applied Sciences)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Road safety experts from Bern University developed the innovative restraint system for lying passengers in collaboration with Twiliner, supported by Innosuisse funding. This partnership resulted in the European certification of Twiliner's lie-flat seats.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BlaBlaCar Bus: Major European intercity bus service (formerly OUIBUS) operating across France, Germany, Benelux, and beyond. Directly comparable to Twiliner in providing cross-border scheduled intercity bus service with a multi-country European network strategy.
• FlixBus: The dominant European long-distance bus operator, running thousands of routes across dozens of countries. Directly competes with Twiliner in the intercity bus category, though FlixBus focuses on price-sensitive day routes while Twiliner targets the premium overnight segment.
• RegioJet: Czech private transport operator providing intercity bus and rail services across central Europe. Comparable to Twiliner in operating premium-fare intercity transport with a focus on service quality, on-board amenities, and a pan-European route footprint.
• Ecolines: European intercity bus operator connecting Eastern and Western Europe with scheduled international routes. Comparable to Twiliner in the international intercity bus market with a similar network of European city-to-city connections.
• Eurolines: Historical pan-European coach network connecting major European cities. Directly comparable intercity bus service targeting international travelers, though the network has consolidated in recent years as operators have been absorbed by FlixBus.
• Union Ivkoni: Bulgarian bus operator with an extensive European route network, connecting cities from Sofia to London. Comparable to Twiliner in operating international intercity bus services across multiple European countries with long-distance scheduled routes.

Broad incumbents

• FlixTrain: Rail service operated by FlixMobility (parent of FlixBus) providing intercity train services in Germany and neighboring countries. Part of a broader Flix mobility portfolio, serving similar intercity European travelers through an alternative ground transport mode.
• ÖBB Nightjet: Austrian Federal Railways' night train service, the largest night-train network in Europe. A direct substitute for Twiliner's overnight city-to-city use case, with a comparable sustainability profile and a similar customer segment of business and leisure travelers.

Emerging players

• European Sleeper: Dutch startup launching night train services across Europe (Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague). An emerging direct competitor in overnight European travel, similarly targeting sustainability-conscious travelers and offering a comfortable alternative to short-haul flights.

Regional players

• PostAuto: Swiss public bus operator owned by Swiss Post, running regional and intercity bus services across Switzerland. Comparable as a Swiss bus operator serving the same Swiss domestic market that Twiliner's Zurich hub depends on, with potential partnership or competitive overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/twiliner
• Instagraminstagram.com/twiliner.nightbus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Twiliner