Quality tours are the profession of Merz Reisen, based in Gnadenberg in the Upper Palatinate, Germany. "Top Class 2+1" tours stand for maximum comfort and a particularly high‑quality travel programme. Two Setra TopClass S 516 HDH coaches with luxurious 2+1 seating and Top Sky Panorama glass roof form the basis for this exceptional offer. But Setra coaches with high‑quality equipment are also used on all other journeys.

There’s no doubt about it: The two Setra TopClass S 516 HDH vehicles from Merz Reisen, based in Gnadenberg near Neumarkt in the Upper Palatinate, Germany cut a fine figure against any backdrop with their anthracite-coloured paintwork, high windows and metallic‑gloss La Linea. But – as the lettering on the side of the buses suggests – the real highlight lies inside these premium coaches. ‘Top Class 2+1’ can be read there in bright white letters – the formula for top-class comfort. While ‘Top Class’ as a category for particularly high‑quality travel offers at Merz Reisen is not entirely coincidentally based on the type designation of Setra's luxury coaches, 2+1 refers to the most luxurious seating variant that Setra has to offer in the TopClass: two passenger seats on one side and one passenger seat on the other side of the off‑centre aisle.

If you book a “Top Class” trip with Merz Reisen, you will not only enjoy plenty of side space between the comfortable Setra Ambassador seats, but also first‑class legroom. With only 32 passenger seats across a vehicle length of 13.32 metres, the distance between the seats is around 90 centimetres. But that's not all: the Top Sky panoramic glass sunroof creates an incomparable sense of space and contributes significantly to the feel‑good atmosphere when travelling.

"Our recipe for success for satisfied travel customers sounds simple, but it's not that easy to implement: good coaches, good drivers, good hotels, good tour guides and a high‑quality travel programme," says Patricia Ehbauer, who as Managing Director together with her husband Ralf Schneider is the third generation of the family to manage the business.

"Top Class 2+1" trips at Merz Reisen not only offer supreme comfort on board the coaches, but also selected 5‑star accommodation and various amenities: for example, the company books for guests to enjoy breakfast in a restaurant on the first day of their trip, and passengers can also help themselves to free coffee from the pad machine on board. And last but not least, the regional cuisine that guests get to enjoy is one of the highlights of every trip. “Guests who book a five‑star trip with us can expect a truly first‑class dining experience with our on‑board bistro”, Patricia Ehbauer explains. The Managing Director, who is also responsible for compiling the company's extensive travel catalogue, prefers to offer trips that she would like to take part in herself. Whether it be a day out in Weimar or a trip to see a concert at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, five days in Florence or a week on the Amalfi coast in southern Italy – Merz Reisen always has something special to offer its guests.

“It’s not without reason that we have a large number of regular customers who book a holiday with us or choose to travel with us when visiting a museum or going to a concert”, says Patricia Ehbauer. Trips from the Merz catalogue are very popular even though prices are on the high side… or even because of this. “There are very few competitors in our catchment area for the level of quality we deliver”, says Ehbauer. "Many of our customers come from the metropolitan region of Nuremberg. However, thanks to the Internet, our catchment area is growing and we now regularly welcome guests from Munich, Regensburg and other regions of southern Germany on board our coaches."

The high demand for high‑quality touring coach is also reflected in Merz Reisen’s fleet: Another premium touring coach has already been ordered and will be added to the fleet in the next season. There was never any question for Patricia Ehbauer that it would be a Setra TopClass 500 again: “The Setra coaches are an excellent match for our quality standards and, with their travelling comfort and high‑quality equipment, make a significant contribution to the satisfaction of our passengers.”