# Lavish Luxury Buses Japanese Bus Line Willer Express Takes It to the Next Level By Andrew Kao | Published 2011-04-25 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luxury-buses References: [dvice](http://dvice.com/archives/2011/04/first-class-bus.php#1) & [travel.willer.co.jp](http://travel.willer.co.jp/seat/cocoon.html) You've heard of, and maybe rode in, what are deemed "luxury buses" in North America; they have comfier seats, personal TV screens and maybe a cleaner washroom. Compare those buses to what Willer Express of Japan is offering and you'll be floored. Willer Express has extremely decked-out buses, each with 12 "cocoons" designed for comfort. Each of the "cocoons" feature [personal entertainment systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aria-suite), power outlets, free Wi-Fi and seats that recline up to 140 degrees (try even 30 on a Greyhound) -- all in the privacy of nicely partitioned spaces. And oh, they're *all* window seats. The Willer Express bus line currently only runs from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, and a one-way ticket will cost you about $130, which is much cheaper than the bullet train for the same trip. However, luxury buses are still buses, and a trip will still take 6 to 7 hours, compared to the bullet train at around two. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.3/10 - Popularity: 77% | Activity: 74% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Luxury Buses:** The trend of offering luxurious amenities and enhanced comfort in bus travel experiences. - **Personalized Entertainment Systems:** The trend of providing individual entertainment systems on buses for customized passenger experiences. - **Private Partitioned Spaces:** The trend of creating partitioned spaces in buses to provide privacy and exclusivity to passengers. ### Where This Applies - **Transportation:** The transportation industry can explore opportunities to introduce luxury bus services with enhanced features and comfort. - **Entertainment:** The entertainment industry can partner with bus operators to offer personalized entertainment systems on luxury buses, providing new platforms for content distribution. - **Interior Design:** The interior design industry can develop innovative partitioning solutions and seating arrangements tailored for luxury bus experiences, creating unique and comfortable spaces. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Double Bed Airline Upgrades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/japan-airlines-2.md) - [Elevated Private Train Accommodations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/european-travel.md) - [Progressive Sleeper Transit Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2050-lab.md) - [Hotel Room Vehicle Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mercedes-x-belmond-vision-pullman-express.md) - [Entertainment-Integrated Luxe Vans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vision-v.md) - [Enhanced Safety Bullet Trains](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/e10-shinkansen.md) - [Luxury Electric Van Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mercedes-vision-v.md) - [Luxe European Train Routes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paris-to-portofino.md) - [Opulent Hotel-Like Jumbo Jets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lufthansa-technik-explorer.md)