the price of a new 70-seater coach in France is between €230,000 and €350,000 for combustion engines (diesel or CNG), and €400,000 to €500,000 excluding VAT for electric vehicles.
This capacity corresponds either to a coach (50-70 seats, 12-13m, intercity or school use), or a standard urban bus such as the Mercedes Citaro or Iveco Urbanway.
Keypoints
- the price of a new bus in France is between €230,000 and €350,000 for internal combustion, and €400,000 to €500,000 excluding VAT for electric.
- This capacity corresponds to a coach or a standard city bus (12m, Citaro/Urbanway type).
- On occasion, the range explodes: from €2,000 (10+ years, high mileage) to €100,000+ for a well-maintained recent model.
Price of a new 70-seater bus, depending on engine type
The price of a new 70-seat bus varies according to its engine. Here are the price ranges on the French market:
- Diesel : 230 000 € à 280 000 €
- CNG : 250 000 € à 300 000 €
- Hybrid : 280 000 € à 350 000 €
- Electrical: 400,000 to €500,000 before tax
❓ Who can drive this bus
Driving a vehicle with more than 9 seats requires D license. To obtain this permit, and thus access to driving this type of coach, you need to be at least 24 years old, hold a B driving license and pass a medical examination.
The age may be lowered to 21 for candidates who have completed a FIMO Passenger (Formation Initiale Minimale Obligatoire), with a course restriction up to the age of 23. This FIMO remains compulsory for professional passenger transport.
Prices according to available bus sizes
As mentioned above, buses for sale vary in size. The price of a new 70-seater coach also varies according to several factors, including technical specifications and equipment.
Similarly, urban transport networks in France can influence the cost of a new bus, especially according to the specific requirements of each network. Here are some examples templates bus available :
How much do articulated buses cost?
An articulated bus (one joint, up to 18.75 m) carry around 120 to 150 passengers. The biarticulated versions (two joints, up to ~24 m) can carry up to 200 passengers, with a GVW of up to 32 tonnes.
In France, the Bordeaux network operated bi-articulated buses in the 90s. The Citea electric articulated buses are around 1.1 M€/unit according to the Bordeaux markets in 2021.
What is the price of a standard bus?
Standard buses can carry more than a hundred passengers. Their length is less than 13.5 metres, with a width of 2.55 metres.
The maximum permissible GVW is 19 tonnes. Prices start at from €230,000. It should also be noted that engine power is an important criterion: it influences the price of a new 70-seater bus, since a more powerful engine means higher costs.
How much does a minibus cost?
A new minibus starts around 100 000 € in standard version. Up to 130 000 € for a 22-23-seater pro version with school facilities (air conditioning, adapted seats, PMR accessibility). This is the least expensive size presented here.
👉 To note : a midibus is a small vehicle (8 to 11 m). Its capacity ranges from around 30-40 seats in tourist configuration to 70-80 in urban version with standing places.
Price of an RATP bus
A new standard bus, such as the Iveco Urbanway or Mercedes Citaro 12 m, like those operated by the RATP, costs 230,000 to 280,000 euros diesel. For the electric version, expect to pay 400,000 to 500,000 euros ex-VAT: the 2018-2022 RATP tender for 1,000 buses averaged around 400,000 euros per unit.
Bus fares that might interest you
In this section, we have brought together various bus fares also worth knowing!
Price of a new electric bus
The purchase of an electric coach costs around 310,000 euros excluding VAT, excluding batteries. That's around 400,000 to 500,000 euros including batteries, which is in line with the range announced above. Batteries are estimated to add around €100,000 to the purchase price.
70-seat Mercedes bus: new price
For this new 70-seat Mercedes, the price is between €200,000 and €300,000. Depending on use, these are the Citaro (urban) or the Tourismo / Intouro (coach).
Manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz and Iveco offer different versions of this size, and each range has its own options, with a direct impact on the final price.
Price of a used bus
You don't have the budget for a new coach ? Second-hand is a real alternative. The price of a used bus fluctuates widely according to make (Iveco, Mercedes-Benz, SETRA...), model, year, mileage and general condition.
Some ads display a used buses at 2,000 euros, while other sellers ask for more than 75,000 euros.
Requirements for a bus
If you want to operate a bus network, you should opt for adapted coaches line constraints.
This applies not only to size, but also to the number of seats and capacity. The fleet must therefore include a sufficient number of coaches for operate the network, We also provide reserve vehicles for maintenance, servicing and repairs.
In France, the decree of July 2, 1982 on public passenger transport sets out the following requirements imposed requirements buses and coaches.
For equipment
The coach must be equipped with safety equipment, These are subject to annual inspection.
the comfort also counts: long-distance models feature reclining seats, sometimes on-board toilets, and a number of seats adapted to intercity or school use.
For the templates
Buses of European origin are offered in various sizes and several sizes, to meet the needs of our customers. The models on sale vary according to these dimensions, as do their prices.
A few tips for buying a new bus
As we have seen, the fares for a new bus can fluctuate considerably depending on size, make, engine power, etc.
Since it's a significant investment, here's how to get started a few tips to help you make the best possible purchase of a new bus:
- The Pictures Available buses can help assess the condition and specifications of new 70-seat models offered by different manufacturers.
- Before purchasing a new 70-seat bus, Check the manufacturer's advertisements to compare prices and equipment.
Where to buy
A number of specialist vendors distribute advertisements for new buses and pre-owned. You can choose from the following sellers:
- Truck1 ;
- Mascus; ;
- Europe-Trucks ;
- Via-Mobilis.
Compare the offers of several sellers before you decide.
The criteria
The main control criteria if you wish to purchase a coach are :
- the mileage engine compared to gearbox km ;
- The type of box, manual or automatic; ;
- the control technique recent ;
- The Recoverable VAT (for pros).
What is the lifespan of a bus?
In France, a bus generally has an average operating life of 15 to 17 years. However, it should be stressed that this estimate varies according to the type of vehicle and its use.
For example, a minibus will have a shorter operating life than a conventional bus. An articulated bus that operates only during peak hours (morning and evening) will have a longer operating life than one that provides services over a longer period. busy line with a wide operating range.
Likewise :
- Legal warranty of conformity extends over 2 years from delivery throughout the European Union. .
- For a new property, any defect appearing during these 24 months is presumed to have existed from the time of delivery.
- In the case of used goods, this presumption covers First 12 months, and no longer 6, since the January 1, 2022 reform.
In a nutshell :
- the price of a new 70-seater coach varies according to motorization.
- the price of a new bus also varies according to its size and the number of places available.
- There are also used buses which you can buy at lower prices than new buses.
To find out more: if you're considering financing rather than cash, find out more about how to lease a car in Poland.
English
I had no idea that the price of a 70-seat bus could vary so much depending on the equipment. It gives a good perspective on the investment required.