Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. Double-deckers are used primarily for commuter transport, but open-top models are used as sightseeing buses for tourists, and there are coach variants for long-distance travel. They appear in many places around the world, but are presently most commonly used as mass transport in cities of Britain as well as in Ireland, China, Hong Kong, Berlin and Singapore.
The earliest double-decker horse-drawn omnibus appeared in Paris in 1853 and were motorised in the 1900s. Double-decker buses were popularised in Great Britain at the start of the 20th century, with the best-known example being the red London bus, namely the AEC Routemaster. Double-deckers in urban transport were also in common use in other places, such as major cities of India, but were mostly phased out by the end of the 20th century. However, they remain common in Britain as well as Ireland and Hong Kong, while in Singapore and Dhaka they have been introduced and greatly expanded in the aftermath of British colonial rule.
Overview
There are several types of double-decker buses as shown in the imagebox below:Early double-deckers put the driver in a separate cab. Passenger access was via an open platform at the rear and a bus conductor collected fares. Modern double-deckers have a main entrance door at the front and the driver takes fares, thus halving the number of workers aboard, but slowing the boarding process. The rear open platform, popular with passengers, was abandoned for safety reasons, as there was a risk of passengers falling when running and jumping onto the bus.
By country
Cities listed here have double-decker buses as part of their regular mass transit fleet. Cities with only tourist and sightseeing double-decker buses are excluded.Europe
In the European Union, the maximum height for any vehicle is 4 metres, for motor vehicles in categories M2 and M3 and their trailers in category 0 and motor vehicles in categories N2 and N3 and their trailers in categories 03 and 04, in national and international traffic according to Council directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 and in continuity of council directive 85/3/CEE.The United Kingdom has a triple standard for the double-decker bus: highbridge bus, lowbridge bus and 4 metres height coach such as the Neoplan Skyliner that can traverse Europe.
Outside the British Isles in Europe double-decker buses are most prominent in Skopje and Berlin.
United Kingdom
The first commercial horse-drawn double-decker omnibuses were introduced in England in 1847 by Adams & Co. of Fairfield, Bow; it was then improved by John Greenwood, who introduced a new double-decker in 1852. William Gladstone, speaking of London's double-deck horse-drawn omnibuses, once observed that "...the best way to see London is from the top of a bus".Double-decker buses are in common use throughout the United Kingdom and have been favoured over articulated buses by many operators because of the shorter length of double-deckers and larger seating capacity; they also may be safer to operate through narrow streets and round tight corners. The majority of double-decker buses in the UK are between and long, the latter being more common since the mid-1990s, though there are three-axle models in service with some operators. Double-decker coaches in the UK have traditionally been in length, though many newer models are about.
The red double-decker buses in London have become a national symbol of England. Most buses in London, as in the rest of the UK, are double-deckers. A particular example was the AEC Routemaster bus, which had been a staple of the public transport network in London for nearly half a century following its introduction in 1956. The remaining Routemasters were finally retired from general service in 2005 because of the difficulty of accommodating disabled passengers. Transport for London kept these vintage buses in operation on heritage route 15H until 2020, when it was discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The contract expired in November 2020 and was not renewed; in 2021 it was announced that the service would no longer continue. There was formerly a second heritage route but this ceased operation in 2014 due to low patronage and increased operation costs.
In 2007, a hybrid-powered double-decker entered service on London Buses route 141. By late 2008, more hybrid double-deckers from three manufacturers had entered service in London. A New Routemaster was developed that year and entered service on 20 February 2012. In October 2015, London added five all-electric double-decker buses - the world's first - made by Chinese firm BYD.
The maximum permissible length of a rigid double-decker bus and coach in the UK is with 3 axles and metres with two. However, the total maximum dimensions, including trailer or articulated section, in normal circumstances are:
| Dimension | Value |
| Length | |
| Width | |
| Height | |
| Mass |
Coaches are normally built to high, while 'highbridge' buses are normally about taller. Articulated double-deckers are also allowed at a maximum length of.
Channel Islands
Tower Transit UK operates the Liberty Bus in Jersey, with buses.gg doing the same in Guernsey, both as part of Kelsian Group.Gibraltar
In the territory of Gibraltar, Calypso Transport operates using double deckers in red livery. Notably, this is the only British territory in Europe that drives on the right and hence the buses are left-hand drive.Isle of Man
operates about 24 double-deckers on routes all across the island.Republic of Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, the majority of the buses operated in and around the Greater Dublin area are double-deckers, operated by Dublin Bus. There are 1,000 double-decker buses in the company's fleet of 1,008. The private operator Go-Ahead Ireland also operate a mixed fleet consisting of both double and single deck vehicles.Bus Éireann also utilises double-decker buses on some of its commuter routes, such as the Dublin to Wicklow service. Double-deckers are also common on some of the company's city routes in Cork, Galway and Limerick. More luxurious double-deckers are used on inter-city routes, such as the X1 Dublin-Belfast or X3/X4 Dublin-Derry routes.
Austria
Double decker buses were in use on city services in Vienna between 1960 and 1991. They are used on services between Vienna and its airport, and also operated by Ötztaler Verkehrsgesellschaft under contract to ÖBB-Postbus on service 4420 between Innsbruck and Lienz.Bulgaria
Double decker buses are in service in Sofia since 2024 for tourist and some express lines.Czech Republic
Since 2020, two Scania UNVI Urbis DD CNG buses have been running on public transport lines in Ostrava. During working days on line 78. Over the weekend and holidays during the summer season on line 88.Denmark
Since 1970, various operators of Copenhagen city transport were using double-deckers—originally Leyland, in the 1980s–1990s MAN and in the 2000s Volvo, derivates of model B7.Finland
Double-decker buses are relatively rare in Finland, but there are known to be at least four Routemasters in Finland: one in Helsinki, one in Heinola, one in summer tourist charter in Espoo and one in summer tourist traffic in Kuopio. In the autumn of 2019, Public Transport of Turku, also known as Föli, was the first city to officially incorporate double-decker buses into local traffic.France
The first French double-decker bus was brought into service in Paris in 1853; it was a horse-drawn omnibus. The upper floor was cheaper and often uncovered.The first double-decker motor bus in Paris, the Schneider Brillié P2, appeared in 1906. It was designed to carry more passengers and to replace the horse-drawn double-decker omnibus. Like trams and omnibuses, double-decker motor buses included two classes of travel: first class inside the car and second class outdoors on top. But this type of vehicle was withdrawn in 1911 because one of them overturned at place de l'Étoile; following this incident the P2s lost their upper deck and were renamed P3s.
It was not until 1966 that the RATP re-tried double-deckers on two lines in Paris. A prototype built by Berliet, was put into service in 1966, with an order being placed for 25 vehicles. The first production car was commissioned on 19 June 1968 for line 94, Gare Montparnasse - Levallois. On 17 February 1969, line 53, Opera - Porte d'Asnieres was in turn equipped with this model. But traffic problems caused RATP to definitively abandon this vehicle in 1977, because this type of bus was found to be poorly suited to the structure of the Paris network, the stops being too close to each other, preventing people from going upstairs. Consequently, there are no Parisian bus routes using double-deckers.
SITAC operates a service 5 between Calais and Sangatte using a double decker bus.
Germany
In Germany, double-decker buses in Berlin are operated by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe. Berlin has had the largest double-decker fleet on continental Europe with 197 vehicles operating as of 2023. However it used to be higher: 1,000 in 1992, reduced to 450 in 2002. The city originally had double-decker buses at least since the 1920s.The models in operation in 2004 were long and held around 95 passengers. The replacements, which are supplied by Neoman Bus, are longer. The new buses are able to hold 128 passengers.
Italy
During the 1960s and 1970s, major cities like Turin, Milan, Rome, Florence, Verona, Bologna, Rimini, Naples, Bari and Palermo adopted Fiat double decker buses.The most common model was the Fiat 412 Aerfer, and in 1961 it was replaced by Fiat 413 Viberti Monotral CV61.