Every year the Breton coach operator Salaün Holidays undertakes a once-in-a-lifetime trip: from Brest on the Atlantic through nine countries to Vladivostok, the most easterly city in Russia, on the Pacific Ocean. The passengers do not have to forego comfort on the journey. They travel in a luxuriously equipped Setra TopClass S 517 HDH.

Anyone wanting to travel halfway round the world has to take their time. The coach journey, on which the Breton company Salaün Holidays drives passengers from the Atlantic coast in Brittany to the Russian Pacific coast, takes 49 days. The coach covers 16,000 kilometres with 32 passengers during this period. Paris, St Petersburg, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk and Ulan Bator are just a few of the exciting and culturally significant travel stops on the route.

Luc Le Saos, head of Production at Salaün Holidays and the person responsible for special projects like the one-off Brest–Vladivostok trip, is convinced that journeys of this kind are best undertaken in a Setra TopClass: “We chose the Setra S 517 HDH due to the comfort that it offers both the passengers and drivers. To make it as comfortable as possible for our passengers, we have equipped the coach with two club corners in the rear, an espresso machine and Wi-Fi with a router for Europe and another for Russia, as well as a toilet of course. The number of seats was reduced from 80 to 42 for the world tour. For the seats we chose leather and velvet with infinitely adjustable headrests for an even greater level of comfort. Every seat is equipped with a USB port; three 220-volt sockets complete the interior equipment.

Four drivers, a hostess, a Russian logistics specialist and six tour guides take turns on the route to introduce the passengers to the countries and cities that the coach drives through and to organise leisure activities and cultural visits. Overnight stops in selected hotels, as well as meals in restaurants along the route or even the odd picnic together with locals, are also taken care of. “We want our passengers to enjoy the trip and to learn a lot about the cultural highlights of the cities and regions visited on the way,” explains Luc Le Saos.

The concept appears to be on the rise, as Henri, a passenger, confirms. Together with his wife, he completed the whole journey from the first to the last day: “This trip is incredibly well organised. The time has flown by and the coach operated by Salaün is tremendously comfortable.”

Daily stages from 300 to 700 kilometres need to be overcome on this long trip. At the same time, the road conditions are not always the best. Siberia and Mongolia in particular repeatedly provide challenges for the drivers and vehicle. “The roads there are partly littered with huge potholes which you have to avoid as much as possible,” reports driver Jean-Pierre Labat. Particularly on difficultto-drive stretches, the Setra’s driving properties are shown off in the best light. The vehicle’s powerful engine and well-coordinated automatic transmission enable excellent handling in any situation. “Even after a whole day in the coach, I am not tired,” adds Labat. “That applies equally to the passengers.”

Naturally Labat will also be behind the wheel again next year on the world coach trip. Naturally in an S 517 HDH once again. “I have worked for Salaün for 37 years and am totally convinced by Setra coaches,” says Labat in summary. “There is nothing better for me.”