An
intercity bus service (
North American English) or
intercity coach service (
British English and
Commonwealth English), also called a
long-distance,
express,
over-the-road,
commercial,
long-haul, or
highway bus or coach service, is a
public transport service using
coaches to carry passengers significant distances between different
cities,
towns, or other populated areas. Unlike a
transit bus service, which has frequent stops throughout a city or town, an intercity bus service generally has a single stop at one location in or near a city, and travels long distances without stopping at all. Intercity bus services may be operated by
government agencies or
private industry,
for profit and
not for profit. Intercity coach travel can serve areas or countries with no
train services, or may be set up to
compete with trains by providing a more flexible or cheaper alternative.