Eurolines, long-distance coach services by Nicolas BOUTAUD, Directeur Commercial et Marketing, Eurolines, Transdev. For the second year, the EIGSI General Engineering School organizes in La Rochelle, France, a high quality forum focused on interregional mobility in the Atlantic Area. La Rochelle Mobility Forum is part of a 4 high quality forum cycle. Climatlantic is a project co‐funded by INTERREG IVB ATLANTIC AREA Programme,aimed at developing an Atlantic Strategic Agenda for Sustainable Urban Development and the reduction of the Carbon Footprint covering four main pillars: mobility, energy, territorial management and social behavior.

1. The coach, more than ever is a vector of
mobility development in Europe
Nicolas BOUTAUD – Commercial and
Marketing Director
20 February 2014

2. Eurolines : the first European network
with International bus routes

3. Eurolines, the first European network with International bus
routes
Set up in 1985, Eurolines is a private transport association which today operates
the biggest network of regular international bus routes
140 routes, 600 destinations
in Europe and in Morocco
3.5 million passengers
carried every year

4. Eurolines in France
90 stops in France
More than 800 000
French passengers
Of these, 75 000 are
coastal passengers
Spontaneous
awareness : 6 %
Source : IPSOS study carried out in March 2012

5. What clientele use the bus ?

6. Types of clientele
Low income households
Youths & students
Traditional population groups
Tourists and visitors

7. Coach survey of young urban clientele
Youths : 42 % of coastal
passengers are less than 26
Urbain : majority
years old
living in the suburbs
Spontaneity : 50% of
sales in the four days prior
to departure
Connection : majority of
reservations made online
Loyalty : 20% passenger
loyalty
Source: XTCO survey of a sample of 300 people who have traveled in cabotage on Eurolines in 2012

8. Why do they take the bus ?

9. Foremost, price and convenience
Clientele choose
the bus for :
Price
Practicality (Routes, destinations, comfort) 67%
Source: XTCO survey of a sample of 300 people who have traveled in cabotage on Eurolines in 2012

10. Ipsos : perception of coach journeys
Globally, the French have a mostly a positive image of coach travel
(between 6,8 and 7/10).
And considered an element differentiating the possibility of booking a departure.
They particularly enjoy:
•
•
•
The choice of destinations and departures and arrivals to the city centre
Competitive prices
Practicality and usability
Source : IPSOS study carried out in March 2012

11. Affordable prices, even at the last minute
Rates are low, even at the last minute, and suitable
for clients wishing to optimise their vacation / travel
budget.
According to a study conducted in 2011 by FNAUT,
coach represents a unit cost for the traveler (6.9 cents)
lower than the Intercity train (9.11), the TGV (10,98),
with traditional air travel (15:11) or private car (19,21).

12. Ipsos : coach is better perceived by its users
than the general public
In general, we observe that the French people that have already traveled by bus have a better
perception of the coach that the rest of the population.
« Provides competitive rates »
Coach users :
Whole population :
70%
32%
Source : IPSOS study carried out in March 2012
49%
38%
23%
27%

13. Extensive network & service in the heart of cities
•
Daily service to capitals and major European
cities
•
Regular service to more remote destinations
that have little or no service by other modes of
transport
•
Stops close to the city center and public
transport

14. Travel in comfort
Today, our busses are less than 5
years old and offer the comfort of
luxury coaches.
Eurolines has also been the first carrier to
offer free Wi-Fi on the Paris-London route for
several years.

15. A small ecological footprint
According to a report by the ADEME :
‘The energy efficiency of buses in interregional areas
area is greater than that of other modes of transport '
Source: Public Summary "energy and environmental efficiencies of transport modes", ADEME, in January 2008.

16. A small ecological footprint
=
1 full coach
30 cars !

17. The coach, decisively modern
Away from the stereotypes that are commonly associated with it, the coach is
always a modern means of transport, which has its place in the landscape of
transportation as well as planes or trains.

18. Development opportunities

19. So far, a limited development in France
Unlike most European countries where the coach service is very developed (UK, Spain),
in France it represents just 2% of long-distance travel.
The laws have been relaxed in 2011 with the cabotage which increased interest in the
bus, positioning it as a modern mode of transportation that has its place in the landscape
of transportation as well as the airplane or train .

20. The first interregional connections by bus
As part of the liberalisation of
transport in 2011, Eurolines
was the first private operator
to obtain approval to market
interregional trips on an
international route.

21. First cabotage results
26 €
Paris
Strasbour
g
Lyon
2012
50 000 pax
2013
75 000 pax
+ competition
Bordeaux

22. Cabotage in the Atlantic Zone
Today, more than 170 connections are
available including 18 within the Atlantic
area.
Bordeaux-Rennes,
Bayonne-Nantes,
Rennes-Rouen…

23. Limits of cabotage
Subject to authorisation from the Ministry of Transport and the Regions, the
cabotage routes see their developmentas limited :
The activity of the line must remain international transport. The CA and the number of passengers in
cabotage may not exceed 50%.
This activity should not upset the economic equilibrium of the public transport service for people..
To develop cabotage, we therefore need as many international passengers as
cabotage passengers

24. A developing market
Thanks to cabotage, the market has developed for 2 years and continues to grow :
New operators
Reputation of the coach is increasing
Interest from media and the general public

25. IPSOS : knowledge and appetite for travel
in France
The majority of French people are interested in connections in France
71% consider this possibility interesting or very interesting.
Resistant people have a perception of a travel time that is too long, lack of comfort or
practicality.
An investigation to validate market interest bonds in France and lays down
certain conditions for success.
Source : IPSOS study carried out in march 2012