The next generation of Setra coaches offers passengers many different innovations to make their stay on board more comfortable. SetraWorld went along for the ride.

Just getting on board is an experience. The door of the Setra coach gently swivels open. The lustrous Setra brand lettering that greets us in the entrance area indicates that this is not just any coach. By putting this self-confident proof of manufacture right at the entrance, the premium brand makes a statement that passengers can already appreciate: what awaits them is exclusive comfort, fascinating design and innovative technology.

Full of anticipation and with our hands on the matt-black railing, we take the first few steps. The ultra-luxurious TopClass series greets us with a treat for the senses in the form of a fine mist. Eight different scents can be chosen for the new fragrance system at the entrance. What a uplifting treat after a long city tour or journey!

While our nose still revels in the refreshing “Freeside Mood” scent, we have already made it to the top of the steps. We steal a glance into the driver’s cockpit. Seeing the high-tech workplace with its comfortable seat and tasteful furnishings edged in brushed chrome, our expectations rise once more. If the driver is already ensconced in such a comfortable environment, what can passengers expect?

When we enter the TopClass passenger compartment, what we notice first are the newly designed dividing walls in front of the rows of seats. The restrained, transparent inserts made of dark, tinted, satin glass seem to join rather than divide. A further example of the outstanding class provided by Setra. Here too, harmoniously integrated in the frames of the dividers, the brand lettering offers passengers its welcome.

We raise our eyes and take in the scene with enjoyment. The unique sense of space that characterises every Setra coach has been further intensified by the designers. The well-thought-out colour concept is apparent everywhere: whether it's the window sills or walls of the washroom cabin, all the components are now presented in classic black. The neutral tone offers a pleasant and restrained backdrop for the various different corporate designs of each bus company, a stage on which their own colour concept, implemented in the seating, could not look more stylish.

We sit down. The passenger seats, made in-house, offer the ultimate in comfort. From the Setra Route through the Setra Voyage to the opulent Setra Ambassador – Setra offers the right seating for every level of interior furnishings. Comfortable seats are so important for Setra that the premium brand makes them itself at its Neu-Ulm factory. With an almost inexhaustible range of designs of hard-wearing velour available, alongside modern flat-woven fabrics and composition leather materials, the combinations for passenger seats are limitless.

Now, however, we fasten our seatbelts and adjust the backrest and headrest. Our eyes are irresistibly drawn upwards to the newly reworked service sets with round, intuitive, 360° ventilation nozzles – a small detail with a big impact.

Then at last, we get going. And the great cinematic experience of coach travel begins. The windows offer fantastic views, letting landscapes, towns, city lights and the horizon sweep past as if on the silver screen. As an option, the Setra TopClass can even provide fascinating views upwards: with the TopSky Panorama glass roof.

During the trip, bothersome noise is kept outside by the perfect sound insulation. A high-performance, almost soundless air-con system ensures pleasant temperatures on board. The powerful motor works away quietly in the background throughout. The LED lighting in the passenger compartment provides subtle illumination that is easy on the eyes.

How about a little entertainment? Practical: the driver of a Setra can now be a cinema projectionist in their spare time. The new multimedia Coach Infotainment system makes this possible. It offers a wide range of entertainment and information options. Moving pictures are shown on new monitors in an opulent 21.5 inches and brilliant HD quality – the Setra turns out to be something of a cinema on wheels.

Or do you want to watch your own programmes? Thanks to a Bluetooth connection, practically every passenger can become a DJ simply using their own smartphone. And anyone who wants their own entertainment can make use of the WLAN on board.

To provide electricity to mobile devices there are USB sockets between the seats – easy to find thanks to the blue lighting. Or there is always the 230 volt socket on the wall. This means you can confidently leave your own power bank at home.

Thanks to the spacious galley in the TopClass, we remain contented on our trip even if we feel a spot of hunger. The options in the Setra kitchen studio are almost limitless. The ComfortClass can, for example, be fitted with a compact galley in the secondary entrance.

The washroom and toilet can be placed either at the entrance, with the middle door option, or at floor level in the rear with the rear entrance. Seats can be arranged differently as desired, face-to-face with tables or with a club corner in the rear. Every Setra coach wears a tailor-made suit, perfectly cut to fit the wishes of the company and its passengers.