Setra TopClass S 531 DT Debuts on Tellbus Express Route Linking Lucerne and Altdorf
A new Setra TopClass double-decker coach now runs the Tellbus express route between Lucerne and Altdorf, cutting the one-way trip to 45 minutes with only one intermediate stop.
- 45 minutes
- 79
- 375 kW (510 hp)
- more than 40 km
What Happened
Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern AG (VBL AG) has begun operating a new Setra TopClass S 531 DT double-decker coach on the express bus route from Lucerne to Altdorf on behalf of Auto AG Uri. Known as the Tellbus, the coach connects the two cantonal capitals every day at regular intervals with only one intermediate stop. The gold-and-silver-painted three-axle vehicle features a glass roof and two special-use spaces for wheelchair users.
45 minutes
Via the Seelisbergtunnel on highway A2; used mainly by commuters and faster than rail travel.
- 79 passengers on Voyage seats with Ambassador upholstery and comfort headrests
- Two club tables on the lower deck
- Two special-use spaces for passengers with reduced mobility
- Monitors showing current destination information from every seat
- Glass roof and gold-and-silver paint finish
The coach is equipped with the latest safety and driver assistance systems from Daimler Buses, including MirrorCam, which replaces conventional exterior mirrors with displays inside the vehicle for an expanded field of vision. It also features Attention Assist and the ABA 6 emergency braking assistant. ABA 6 combines short-range and long-range radar sensors with a camera and can bring the coach to an automated full stop at speeds up to 60 km/h to avoid pedestrians, oncoming road users, or traffic in the same lane.
Power comes from a 12.8-liter Mercedes-Benz OM 471 engine rated at 375 kW (510 hp), paired with a fully automated 8-speed GO 250-8 MPS Powershift transmission. The S 531 DT is designed for scheduled service operation and meets all requirements for the route, which is more than 40 kilometers long, according to VBL.
“With the reliability that customers have come to expect from Setra products, we are delighted to offer Tellbus passengers a high level of comfort with this new coach as well.”
Why this matters
The new Tellbus gives commuters in central Switzerland a direct daily link between two cantonal capitals, with a 45-minute journey via the Seelisbergtunnel that beats rail travel on the route. It also brings advanced safety assistance and wheelchair-accessible spaces to a scheduled service operated on behalf of Auto AG Uri.
Terms in This Story
- MirrorCam
- A camera-based mirror replacement system that uses displays inside the vehicle instead of conventional exterior mirrors.
- ABA 6
- The sixth generation of Daimler Buses' emergency braking assistant, which uses radar and camera sensors to detect obstacles and can brake automatically.
- Attention Assist
- A driver assistance system that detects driver fatigue and provides warnings.
- Powershift
- A fully automated manual transmission that shifts gears electronically.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.