The Setra bus is the brainchild of the German company Setra Omnibusse from the city of Ulm. The company produces tourist, intercity and city buses of varying degrees of spaciousness and comfort. All of them are equipped diesel engines concern Daimler-Benz AG, located in the aft compartment of the body.

Company history and brand features

The history of SETRA buses dates back to 1911. The company was founded by Karl Kassborer, which is reflected in the design of the machines: until 1983 in the center grille flaunted a large metal letter "K". It is still present, but made of plastic, shifted to the right and located under the SETRA inscription.

The SETRA brand name is an abbreviation, this is how the main design feature these buses. Their body is self-supporting - SelbstRAgende, with a welded frame made of metal squares. The first model of this design - SETRA S8 - appeared on the roads of Germany in 1951.

The layout of the power units was made according to the "pushing" scheme - the engine in the aft compartment. It did not change in subsequent years, except for those cases when the car body was made as a composite - the SG series of articulated city buses. Since 1994, the company has been part of the Daimler AG concern.

In the European ranking table, the SETRA brand is among the top ten manufacturers of luxury touring and intercity models. However, the model range of cars produced by it is much wider. It also includes intercity buses medium comfort (MD series), as well as regular flights operating on municipal routes - the SL series.

"200th" series - the constructive foundation of the brand

In 1976, Setra Omnibusse began serial production of buses of the "200 series", the design and most of the constructive solutions of which are the basis of today's model range. Externally, the cars were distinguished by the shape of the front end and a one-piece windshield. They were equipped with disc brakes and air suspension. The body with a welded space frame remained a signature feature of the brand.

The basis of the lineup was the S200 model, presented in 1972 at the Geneva Motor Show. The car had a revolutionary one-and-a-half-story design, which made it possible to provide passengers with special comfortable options during a long journey. On its basis, SETRA S215 HD models were built, as well as all machines with HDH and HDS model indices.

The release of "two hundred" consisted of the following set of models:

• S208, S209 - small-sized machines for local lines.
• S211, S212 - city buses.
• S213 and S215 - long-distance and tourist models.

Series 400 and 500

The release of all models of the "two hundredth" series was discontinued in 1997. It was replaced first by the "three hundredth", and then by the 400 and 500 series.

• Buses of the 500 series are luxury tourist vehicles. They are divided into two classes: Top and Comfort. Among the first there are not only traditional one and a half - (HDH index), but also two-story (DT). Representatives of the Comfort type are also divided into two subclasses - HD and MD, which differ in height due to the size of the luggage compartment.
• The 400 series belongs to the Multi class. These are urban (type UL) and intercity one and a half storey representatives of the medium comfort brand (type H). SETRA Multiclass S415 cars are average in terms of passenger capacity and therefore are the most common. They have 15 rows of seats and 53 seats a.

The layout of the seats in the model 400 is shown in the figure below.

Dimensions and number of seats in new buses:

Conclusion

Modern models of Setra buses are perfectly equipped for a comfortable ride on short and long routes. However, models of the 200th series are still in demand and are operated in Russia and other countries. The reason is their more cheap price, as well as the fact that the transport was originally well thought out for comfortable transportation.

Buses

Buses

Iveco Magelys (49 seats)

Bus
"Iveco Magelys" - tourist suite! Luxury tourist bus. The bus is equipped with a mini-kitchen, refrigerator, dry closet. In the cabin, plush upholstered comfortable soft folding chairs with adjustable backrest and armrest. The bus has wide aisles, two LCD monitors for broadcasting a video signal. Each seat is equipped with a guide call button and individual lighting. Tourist class bus "Iveco Magelys" is designed for travel with maximum convenience both in Russia and abroad!

MAN Lion's Coach (R08) (57 seats)

Bus

MAN Lion's Coach (R07) (49 seats)

Bus
"MAN" luxury buses are good for both short trips and long excursions and transfers. "MAN" is the European quality standard! Buses have the right to travel abroad, are equipped with orthopedic chairs - passengers will never get a backache. Buses "MAN" are equipped with modern multimedia system(DVD player, 2 TVs, sound system); orthopedic chairs with various adjustments; individual blowing; individual lighting; folding individual tables; toilet; kitchenette. Ideal for business transportation, including sophisticated foreigners.

NEOPLAN Tourliner L P22 (49 seats)

Bus

NEOPLAN Cityliner P14 (49 seats)

Bus
"Neoplan" luxury buses are good for both short trips and long excursions and transfers. "Neoplan" is the European quality standard! Buses have the right to travel abroad, are equipped with orthopedic chairs - passengers will never get a backache. "Neoplan" buses are equipped with a modern multimedia system (DVD player, 2 TVs, sound system); orthopedic chairs with various adjustments; individual blowing; individual lighting; folding individual tables; toilet; kitchenette. Ideal for business transportation, including sophisticated foreigners.

KING LONG KLQ6129Q (49 seats)

Bus
Bus "Higer" - already a well-known novelty Chinese made. A high level of build quality, rich basic equipment distinguish "Higer" from others famous brands buses. "Higer"- modern bus that meets all the requirements of world standards. Seats "Higer" - soft and comfortable, with all necessary adjustments: folding armrests, adjustable backrest. "Higer" buses are equipped with a modern multimedia system (DVD player, TV, sound system), individual air conditioning, individual lighting, folding individual tables. Bus "Higer" is ordered for excursions, business trips, organization of corporate events.

HIGER KLQ6129Q (49 seats)

Bus
The bus "Higer" is already a well-known novelty of Chinese production. A high level of build quality, rich basic equipment favorably distinguish "Higer" among other well-known brands of buses. "Higer" is a modern bus that meets all the requirements of world standards. Seats "Higer" - soft and comfortable, with all the necessary adjustments: folding armrests, adjustable backrest. Buses "Higer" are equipped with a modern multimedia system (DVD player, TV, sound system), individual airflow, individual lighting. Bus "Higer" is ordered for excursions, business trips, organization of corporate events.

HIGER KLQ6129Q (47 seats)

Bus
The bus "Higer" is already a well-known novelty of Chinese production. A high level of build quality, rich basic equipment favorably distinguish "Higer" among other well-known brands of buses. "Higer" is a modern bus that meets all the requirements of world standards. Seats "Higer" - soft and comfortable, with all the necessary adjustments: folding armrests, adjustable backrest. Buses "Higer" are equipped with a modern multimedia system (DVD player, TV, sound system), individual air conditioning, individual lighting, toilet. Bus "Higer" is ordered for excursions, business trips, organization of corporate events.

Golden Dragon (57 seats)

Bus
The Golden Dragon bus is a reliable and modern new generation bus designed for comfortable and safe transportation of passengers to their destination. 57 passenger seats with the possibility of adjusting the angle of the backrest and the width towards the central aisle, with footrests. Corrugated curtains on the windows of the passenger compartment. Individual lighting and ventilation system for passengers. Video-audio system TV/DVD, two monitors 19 inches LCD. Anti-slip quartz flooring. Ten cabin heaters and air conditioning will provide passengers with comfort in the bus at any time of the year. The bus has a refrigerator, a cooler and a toilet. Each seat is equipped with two USB ports. Any journey will be comfortable thanks to comfortable seats and good review opening for passengers in panoramic windows!

Hyundai Universe (43 seats)

Bus
"Hyundai Universe"- a tourist bus with increased comfort. The bus is equipped with a large number of high-tech equipment that will make the trip as comfortable as possible for both passengers and the driver. The Hyundai Universe bus meets all modern safety requirements for cars of this class. This is according a truly functional and comfortable bus with a modern design.

Yutong (45 seats)

Bus
The bus "Yutong" can rightly be called the most compact and maneuverable of a number of tourist models, it is adapted to Russian climatic and road conditions. "Yutong" buses are equipped with a modern multimedia system (DVD player, TV set); soft folding chairs; individual blowing; individual lighting.

Accidents involving tourist buses make travelers think about how not to become their victim. How to choose the safest places?

In principle, the bus is considered sufficient. Due to its size and weight, it is almost impossible for him to meet with smaller brothers, such as cars. The real threat is only heavy vehicles and loss of control, which can be caused by anything and is fraught with a rollover. Even in the worst case scenario, the rigid hull struts are pretty good at protecting occupants, especially those who have prudently chosen the safest seats.

Most buses long distance equipped with seat belts, which passengers for some reason ignore. But in vain. After all, their use several times reduces the likelihood of serious injury in a collision.

Inspect emergency hatches and emergency exits. In order not to appear paranoid and sow panic, do it discreetly to the neighbors. Believe me, in a critical situation, you will have no time to consider the instructions near the hatch, and “pulling out the cord and squeezing out the glass” is easy only in theory.

Documents and money during the trip should always be kept with you. This is an axiom that everyone knows. But for some reason, a tourist first-aid kit carefully prepared at home is thrown to the very bottom of the suitcase, which, of course, is in the trunk. And, by the way, even an elementary bandage or tourniquet, which is at hand in the event of an accident, can save someone's life. So carry it in your hand luggage.

Where is the safest place to sit on the bus?

With a frontal impact, which is considered the most common and dangerous, the passengers of the first rows are least likely to survive, so we brush them aside right away. In particular, the seat to the right of the driver should be avoided..

• Firstly, foreign objects often fly into a huge windshield and fragments fly right at you.
• Secondly, in the event of an accident, you will be the first applicant for a flight through the same glass.
• And, thirdly, in a critical situation, when the driver realizes that a collision is inevitable, he will instinctively deflect the blow away from himself, exposing you to it.

For the same reason, the only safe places at the front of the bus are the seats behind the driver. If, moreover, they are located back to front, then this is generally a chic option.

The next in “popularity” is a blow from behind by a gaping sponsor of the future bus repair. Well, if it will be "Oka", but if a crane with an arrow or a pipe carrier? Therefore, for reinsurance, we discard as dangerous, not only places on last row, and the entire "stern" entirely (3-4 rows of seats). In addition to this, the rear seats can not be called not only safe, but also comfortable. Sitting there is uncomfortable, because shaking is most felt, and in addition, exhaust gases enter.

Thus, we are left with the middle of the cabin. But let's not forget about the likelihood of a side impact. Which side is more likely to get it? That's right, from the side of the roadway, that is, on the left. Who will suffer first? Of course, sitting by the window. So, by elimination, we figured out which seats on the bus are the safest.

It is safest to occupy the seats located in the middle of the cabin, to the right of the aisle.

Even if, by unbelievable chance, the blow falls on the right side of the bus, you will have additional protection in the form of a more inquisitive passenger who, at the expense of safety, prefers to admire the scenery outside the window.

An additional bonus of these places can be considered that, in case of loss of control, when the bus is thrown in different directions, the amplitude here will be minimal. This means that you will have more chances to “stay in the saddle” than the front and rear passengers flying around the cabin. And if there is an additional door in the middle of the bus, consider it a jackpot. Because sitting in the safest seat on the bus is only half the battle, you still need to be able to quickly get out of it in the event of an accident.

If a collision is inevitable...

The first sign of an approaching disaster is that you begin to move towards the side of the road or the oncoming lane. First of all, you need to call the driver to see if he fell asleep. This is not uncommon on a long distance bus. If not, then he already sees the threat and is trying to avoid it. In the remaining seconds, you need to have time to group up and take the most secure position.

Lean forward slightly and rest your arms slightly bent at the elbows on the back front seat. Tilt your head to your hands, as close as possible. Straighten your legs and rest them on the floor, while trying not to push them too much under front seat. It is in this position that you are most likely to survive and not get seriously injured.

If the bus “remained on its feet” and remained operational, consider that you got off with a slight fright. If it lies on its side or roof, the most interesting thing is yet to come. At any moment, a fire can break out and in a matter of minutes the salon will turn into ashes. No need to succumb to general panic and break into a locked door, creating a crush.

Remember, at the very beginning, we examined emergency exits and hatches? Now is the time to do them. If they do not give in, you need to break the glass. Just do not try to do it with your foot or, moreover, with your hand, as they do in the movies. At best, you'll waste your time; at worst, you'll get hurt.

If the accident was really serious (and, judging by the layouts, it is), then, looking around, you will find pieces of handrails, fragments of racks, or other heavy metal objects. Use them to hit the glass, after closing your eyes.

Help the wounded get out, move to a distance inaccessible in the event of an explosion, and wait for the rescuers. And remember, your trip could have ended much worse if you didn't know which bus seats are the safest...

So, you are probably wondering - what are these buses on which you will make your wonderful trips to different cities and countries?
These are cars specially designed for tourism, which are produced by a wide variety of companies. You certainly know some, for example, Mercedes, Neoplan, but most of the companies that produce tourist buses (Van-Hool, Setra) are usually little known among people not related to the tourism business, but at the same time - these companies are "monsters " in your area.

Moving away from stereotypes and big names, let's find out what buses exist for tourist trips? First of all, they can be divided into one-story, one-and-a-half and two-story. In decent companies that take care of their customers, only one and a half and double-decker buses are used, which are considered the most convenient for tourist purposes.

Differences between one and a half and double decker buses

The difference between these buses is that in a one-and-a-half bus the floor with passengers is raised relative to the level of the drivers and is the only passenger floor, while on a 2-story bus there is a first floor where passengers can also sit. Now let's move on to the interior of the bus. It is quite standard, although it may differ in some not very significant details. The seats are always the same, as shown in the photo, only the distance between them differs.

Interior of a modern bus

It depends on the class of the bus - the more stars, the greater the distance between the seats and the fewer seats it has. But in any case, there is enough space, in addition, you can always recline or push the seats apart. As for the number of seats on the bus, the number of seats varies slightly depending on the manufacturer, but on average for a one and a half bus it is 42 seats, and for a two-story - 62 seats. There are also places with a table on the buses, depending on the type of bus, there may be a different number of them.

In addition to external data and the number of seats, buses differ in their configuration, i.e. the presence of an acoustic system (music), video system (set: color monitors suspended from the ceiling, usually 2, 3 or 4, and a video recorder), air conditioning, bio-toilet (although there is always a toilet).

This is how the TVs in the cabin now look

And finally, it is worth adding that the undoubted advantages of tourist buses include luggage compartment, which accommodates a very large amount of a wide variety of luggage.

So, this is the main thing that can be said about the buses offered by travel companies.

The long-distance bus is highly comfortable vehicle transporting passengers over long distances.

Differences between long-distance buses and city and suburban buses

The long-distance bus has a number of features:

Long travel times and infrequent stops;
- you can carry a large amount of luggage in a special compartment under the floor; there are shelves in the cabin for hand luggage;
- lack of standing places;
- the seats are equipped with soft armrests, the passenger can take a semi-lying position thanks to the tilt-adjustable backrest, and a small folding table with a cup holder is often mounted in the back of the seat;
- at each place there are individual lighting lamps and ventilation curtains;
- the bus can be equipped with a chemical toilet, water dispenser, refrigerator, microwave oven, a small bar, wardrobe, air conditioning, sometimes even a shower.

Safe and dangerous places on the bus

If the bus is equipped with a reliable system with advanced security or not, the passengers are trying to choose the right place in the bus so far the road was very safe and not particularly tedious.

You should not choose the very last seats on the bus, because that's where a lot of burning gets into. After sitting in the back seats for 3-4 hours, you can get serious poisoning of the body with exhaust gases, and besides, there is severe motion sickness. And in case of sudden braking of the bus or an accident, you can easily jump off your seat and fly into the aisle, getting injured.

It is not advisable to occupy the first row of seats located next to the door. If you have paid attention to windshields scheduled buses- there are practically none of them.

The windshield often get small stones, and in rare cases they can flash through it and injure a passenger.

The safest places on a long-distance bus are considered to be those in the center of the passenger compartment, since in an accident, collisions are often head-on, or a blow occurs in the back of the car. Safe and those places that are located on right side salon, at the aisle - they are located further than others from oncoming traffic.

Well, the opinion of almost all drivers is the same - the safest place is located behind driver's seat, because in an unforeseen situation, a person will intuitively save himself first of all.