Bus Star-Rating Description
Did You Know that Buses Have Star Ratings?
There are so many charter bus categories available that passengers may get confused. Fortunately, there is also a system to help navigate them all. Just like hotels, buses get star ratings. And we’re going to explain them to you!
Coach bus, minibus, business van, double deck bus… The ground transportation industry has made a wide variety of options in terms of vehicles. BCS Travel embraces that diversity in its fleet because it helps cater to the needs of each passenger group, and because it makes trips more fuel-efficient.
The downside is that passengers may become confused, especially at the time they are booking the trip. Even though BCS Travel has representatives to offer in-person help with everything about your trip, we believe that you deserve all the information you can have. That is why we wrote this guide!
Common types of charter bus
Let us start by presenting one of the most popular categorizations in terms of charter buses:
- City bus: Rides only within the city limits. Uses fixed routes and specific stops along the way.
- Suburban bus: Rides up to 50 km beyond the city limits. Uses fixed routes and specific stops.
- Intercity bus: Dedicated to commercial services. Rides anywhere within the country’s limits.
- International bus: Dedicated to commercial services. Rides anywhere within the continent.
The first two categories are meant for short-term use; a city bus ride usually takes a matter of some minutes. As a consequence, their accommodations are limited to seats and, in some cases, climate control. At peak times, the drivers also allow passengers to travel standing up if all seats are taken.
BCS Travel works with the other two categories. Long-distance buses are meant to be on service for several hours, so they have better infrastructure. They may offer bathroom, climate control, fridge with beverages, tinted windows, and recliner seats. Some even offer pillows for you to take a nap!
Coach bus star ratings
The previous classification is enough for city and suburban buses because they have little variation in terms of amenities. Since that variation is much larger among intercity and international buses, it is convenient to use another, more specific, classification to understand what each of them offers.
Bus / Coach Star-rating description table
|
Stars |
Legroom |
Basic characteristic |
Suitable for |
|
64cm |
The lowest category is not so common. It comprises older coach and urban buses with legroom of up to 64 cm. They must offer the same cleanliness as the other categories. |
Short city tour or transfer. |
|
|
68 – 74cm |
This category gets newer buses, but they still lack recent items aimed at comfort and fuel efficiency. They have up to 74 cm of legroom and feature A/C and individual seats. |
Sightseeing excursions |
|
|
74 - 78cm |
These buses offer 78 cm of legroom and are more suitable for longer trips. They also bring a small kitchen for offering meals, and two armrests and a folding table per seat. |
Economy class long excursion tours. |
|
|
81 - 85cm |
Besides increasing the legroom to 85 cm and reducing the buses’s maximum age even further, this category adds air suspension, individual climate control, and video system. |
Long international trips. |
|
|
90cm |
The pinnacle in ground transportation offers 90 cm of legroom along with larger seats, bathroom, internal microphone, onboard Wi-Fi, and even a wardrobe in some cases. |
Exclusive tours or VIP excursions. |
