City bus, intercity bus or coach: which one fits your work

The right bus follows from the route and the passengers: a city bus for urban lines with standing passengers and frequent stops, an intercity bus for scheduled routes outside town, a coach for excursions and long distances with luggage, and a minibus for groups of up to about 20 people. Each type has a different floor, doors, seats, suspension and gearbox.

At HellasBus we sell all four types and help you choose before you look at specific vehicles. Below are the differences, the official categories and practical examples for each kind of work.

What are the main types of bus?

There are four main types: city bus, intercity bus, coach and minibus. They differ in how many passengers they carry, whether those passengers sit or stand, how far they travel and how much luggage they bring.

What do Class I, II and III mean?

Classes I, II and III come from UN Regulation No. 107 for buses carrying more than 22 passengers, and they appear in the vehicle’s approval documents. Class I means areas for standing passengers and frequent passenger movement, Class II mainly seated passengers with a few standing, and Class III seated passengers only.

A vehicle can be approved for more than one class. Separately, the EU classifies buses as M2 (maximum mass up to 5 tonnes) or M3 (over 5 tonnes). A Sprinter of up to 5 tonnes is M2, a Citaro is M3. In practice you can also see the class on the registration certificate: a Class III coach lists zero standing places, while a Class I city bus lists dozens of standing places next to the seats.

When is a city bus the right choice?

A city bus is right when you run an urban line with many stops, short journeys and passengers getting on and off all the time. The low floor, wide doors and wheelchair ramp make boarding quick for everyone.

City buses have fewer seats and plenty of standing room, an automatic gearbox and suspension that kneels at the stop. They are not built for high speeds or luggage. If your line serves many older passengers, parents with pushchairs or wheelchair users, the low floor and ramp make every stop faster and safer. The most common used models are the Mercedes-Benz Citaro and the MAN Lion’s City, in lengths from about 10.5 to 18 metres.

When is an intercity bus the right choice?

An intercity bus suits regional scheduled lines (in Greece, the KTEL operators), school transport, staff transport and municipal routes out to villages. It has more seats than a city bus, suspension for speeds outside town and a little luggage space.

The layout is denser than in a coach, so more passengers fit in the same length. In the third generation of the Mercedes-Benz Intouro, for example, the maximum number of seats is 55 in the 12-metre version and 71 in the 14.9-metre three-axle model. You will find the versions and differences in our article on the Integro and Intouro.

When is a coach the right choice?

A coach suits excursions, multi-day tours, airport transfers with lots of luggage and motorway journeys. The high floor leaves room for large luggage holds underneath and gives passengers a better view.

Coaches have comfortable reclining seats, air conditioning with vents at each seat and often a toilet, fridge and screens. The Mercedes-Benz Tourismo comes in lengths from 12.3 to 13.9 metres in its third generation, with two or three axles. For more than 53 seats you need a 13- or 14-metre coach.

When is a minibus the right choice?

A minibus is right when you usually carry fewer than 20 passengers: hotel shuttles, VIP groups, school runs with a few children, village routes on narrow roads. It uses less fuel, parks easily and, with up to 16 passenger seats and a length of up to 8 metres, can be driven on a category D1 licence.

Most minibuses are based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, in the 516 and 519 versions. They have hydraulic brakes and share their mechanicals with light commercial vans, so workshops that do not service large buses can maintain them. For more than 16 passenger seats the driver needs a category D licence, under Directive 2006/126/EC.

Can one bus do two jobs?

Yes, some models were designed for mixed use. The second-generation Mercedes-Benz Intouro, from 2006, was presented as a multi-purpose bus for scheduled services, excursions and transfers, and the intercity Ü versions of the Citaro leave town with more seats.

Mixed use has limits, though. An intercity bus handles a day trip without trouble, but on a multi-day tour with suitcases passengers will feel the difference from a coach. A coach can do school runs, but narrow doors and steps slow down boarding at every stop. If your work is split, choose the type for the job you do on most days.

What drives the running costs of each type?

Running costs depend mainly on size, number of axles and how the vehicle is used. A three-axle coach has more tyres and brakes, a city bus wears doors, brakes and gearbox in constant stop-and-go, and a minibus costs less across the board but carries fewer passengers.

Factor in tolls, which are charged by vehicle category, and insurance, which depends on seats and use. Before you decide, ask your accountant or insurer for an estimate for the specific type. We explain what maintenance each bus needs in our 10 maintenance tips.

How do you choose the size and number of seats?

Count the passengers on a normal day. A bus that fills up three times a year and runs half-empty the rest of the time costs you fuel, tyres and tolls every single day.

1. Usual number of passengers: this sets the type and the length.
2. Roads and depot: does a 13- or 14-metre vehicle fit your bends and your parking?
3. Luggage: if your customers travel with suitcases, you need a coach or a trailer.
4. Drivers: which licence they hold and whether they have the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC, in Greece ΠΕΙ) for commercial passenger transport.
5. Contracts: what they require for year, seats, emission class and equipment.

If one type cannot cover all your work, two smaller vehicles give you more flexibility than one large one. The next steps of a purchase are in our guide to buying a used bus, and what to check on the vehicle is in the inspection checklist.

Where can you find the bus that fits your work?

In the HellasBus catalogue you will find city buses, intercity buses and coaches and Sprinter minibuses. We own every vehicle, they are all at our premises in Litochoro, Pieria, and they are handed over ready for registration plates, or with export plates if they leave Greece.

If you are not sure which type suits you, tell us about your work, your passengers and your budget and we will make a suggestion. Call +30 23520 61222 or send a WhatsApp message to +30 6977 400157.