Seater or Sleeper? Analyzing and Modeling Passenger Preferences for Intercity Buses in India

This study explores seat-type preferences (seater vs. sleeper) in intercity bus travel in India using a two-stage modeling framework. An emission-attraction model first estimates intercity bus demand based on socio-economic indicators and travel impedance. Subsequently, a Nested Logit (NL) model examines hierarchical mode and seat-type choices using data from 2,130 valid survey respondents. Results indicate a clear preference shift toward sleeper buses beyond approximately six hours or 300 kilometers, particularly among older and female passengers, emphasizing comfort and privacy. Findings support distance-based pricing and seat differentiation strategies. Despite higher initial investment and reduced flexibility, sleeper buses align closely with long-distance travel demand and provide substantial environmental advantages over private cars and short-haul flights. Beyond the Indian context, the model can support demand forecasting and fleet optimization in markets with existing sleeper services, such as Southeast Asia and South America. In Europe, where sleeper buses are largely absent, the results highlight a policy opportunity to complement night trains with professionally operated sleeper buses, enhancing long-distance connectivity in a sustainable and flexible manner.