PostBus symbol of Switzerland

Yellow Postbuses and their characteristic three-tone horn are distinctive symbols of Swiss public transport. More than 25% of the municipalities in Switzerland are connected to the public transport network exclusively via PostBus.

A bit of history

The history of PostBus, also called PostAuto (Romansh), AutoPostale (Italiano), PostAuto (German), CarPostal (French), began in 1849, when the Federal Post Office took over the cantonal horse-drawn carriage service. In 1906, the first motorised postal vehicle made its official journey between Berne and Detligen. After the First World War, with the opening of the Alpine passes to postal transport, the service was extended with the Simplon route in 1919 and the creation of the ‘Alpine Post’ in 1921, which inaugurated transport over the Grimsel, Furka, St. Bernard and Oberalp passes.

Over time, the PostBus network expanded throughout Switzerland, connecting even the most remote areas with the main urban centres. Initially, in addition to transporting passengers, the service also handled the dispatch of letters, parcels, milk cans, refrigerators and even chickens. In 2003, PostBus reached the milestone of 100 million passengers transported, establishing itself as a pillar of the Swiss transport system.

An icon of Switzerland

The yellow colour of the vehicles and the characteristic three-note horn have become distinctive symbols of PostBus. The famous three notes of the horn, ‘Du-Da-Doo’, are not just a simple sound, but a musical quotation from the overture to Rossini’s William Tell, used historically by horse-drawn carriage drivers to announce arrivals and departures.

The ‘postal yellow’ has historical roots dating back to the 15th century, when Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg commissioned the Thurn und Taxis brothers to transport his correspondence. Yellow and black were the imperial colours and became recognisable symbols of the postal service. Only in 1946 did yellow become the official colour of PostBus.

In 2011, hybrid diesel-electric buses were also put into service, reducing fuel consumption by 20-30%.

In 2016, PostBus became the first Swiss transport company to introduce fuel cell technology, with almost 100 per cent of its hydrogen produced from renewable hydroelectric power. In addition, electric buses were introduced in pilot projects such as the SmartShuttle electric shuttle project in Sion, Valais. These autonomous vehicles, the first in Switzerland to transport passengers without a driver, represent an important step towards the future of mobility.

The cow as ambassador of Switzerland

Difference between PostBus and traditional bus

PostBus is a public transport service operated by Swiss Post with a long tradition in postal transport. In addition to transporting passengers, it has historically carried parcels, letters and other goods, and is particularly well known for serving remote and mountainous areas of Switzerland, filling gaps in traditional public transport. Its network covers many rural and hard-to-reach areas, connecting small villages to larger towns and travelling along remote roads that other means of transport cannot reach. PostBus also offers sightseeing and tourist services, with its yellow buses, some of which are equipped with tour guides telling the history of the places they pass through.

Conventional buses operate mainly in urban or suburban areas, serving more populated areas, connecting city centres, districts, bus stops and main stations. These vehicles are intended for passenger transport and may be operated by local authorities or private companies. They have no historical or cultural background; they are simply public transport vehicles used for urban mobility. They are usually not used for tourist services, but only to transport passengers from one point to another in the urban network.

Today, the image of a PostBus travelling through narrow mountain curves with snow-capped peaks in the background is an icon of the Swiss landscape.