From 23 July 2012, the new iDBUS service launched by SNCF will offer a new premium coach service for long-distance routes. iDBUS, which will run from Paris and Lille to Brussels, Amsterdam and London, meets the mobility demands of European passengers. Other destinations will also be on offer from the end of 2012.

As of late July, iDBUS will offer eight daily return trips between Paris and northern Europe and four return trips from Lille. From the autumn, iDBUS will offer a more extensive service with 20 daily round-trips between Paris and northern Europe and 12 daily return services from Lille. The coach stops will be located in city centres or in the inner suburbs, close to public transport links and motorway exits.

Staff will be present in Paris, Lille, Brussels and London to facilitate passenger boarding and to help those who need assistance. The iDBUS service will therefore be easily accessible for persons with reduced mobility.

The iDBUS service is the only one of its kind on the European market. It is mainly targeted at motorists who are seeking a user-friendly mode of transport that is safer and better value than the car, without compromising comfort. Future iDBUS customers are thus likely to be motorists who currently take part in car-sharing schemes and who would select coach travel by default.

(Source: SNCF)