Official Coaches DLC not out yet: This is how you can already drive scheduled buses in ETS2 anyway!

Many are waiting for the official Coaches DLC from SCS Software in Euro Truck Simulator 2. Understandable, because the idea is exciting: No longer only driving freight from company to company, but traveling through Europe with coaches and passengers. So far, however, this DLC has not been released yet. There is also still no release date. SCS has already shown that not only buses, but also bus stations, stops, and existing map areas are being reworked, but you cannot drive coaches in the official ETS2 yet.

This is exactly where D-Bus World comes in. This is not an official SCS DLC, but a community project. Nevertheless, it is interesting for many ETS2 players because it already lets you drive bus routes. So you no longer get into a truck, accept cargo, and drive only from depot to depot. Instead, you drive fixed routes with a bus, stop at bus stops, and use your own system with registration, client, and driver profile.

That sounds a bit more technical than it is. Basically, D-Bus World works like an additional platform around ETS2. You register, connect your profile, use the D-Bus World client, and can then start route services. Your progress runs through this system. So it is more than just a simple bus mod where you buy some vehicle and freely drive around the map. D-Bus World tries to bring proper scheduled bus operation into ETS2.

The big appeal is that ETS2 suddenly feels different as a result. Normally, in the game you think of jobs, freight, trailers, and delivery times. With D-Bus World, it is more about stops, lines, passengers, and routes. So you are not simply driving somewhere, but working through a bus route. Especially for players who love ETS2 but have long wanted something different, this is a pretty exciting change of perspective.

The scope is now also considerable. D-Bus World supports various maps and combinations, including the normal ETS2 map, DLC areas, and well-known map mods such as ProMods. Depending on the map, different routes are available. This means you can drive not just a small test route, but really travel on many routes. Especially with large map mods, the whole thing quickly gets a proper long-distance bus or regional bus character.

Important, however: D-Bus World is not the same as the upcoming Coaches DLC from SCS. The official DLC is being built directly by SCS and is intended to be integrated into the game. There, bus stations, stops, and map areas are directly adapted for the new gameplay. D-Bus World, on the other hand, works as a community solution on the existing ETS2. That can be very exciting, but it also requires a bit more initiative.

So you have to expect to deal with installation, client, matching bus mods, and possible compatibility issues. Anyone who simply wants to buy a DLC in the Steam shop, install it, and start driving will probably be better off with the official Coaches DLC. But anyone who is curious and likes trying community projects can already experience with D-Bus World what bus driving in ETS2 could roughly feel like.

That is exactly why D-Bus World is interesting again right now. The Coaches DLC is not out yet, many players are curious, and the question is obvious: How well does bus driving actually work in a world that was originally built for trucks? D-Bus World has been answering this question in its own way for some time now. Not perfect, not official, but playable and much more extensive than many might expect.

Of course, you should not expect too much either. ETS2 remains a truck simulator at its core. The roads, cities, and rest stops were originally not built for classic scheduled bus operation. The passenger feeling is also not comparable to a pure bus simulator like OMSI 2 or The Bus. But that is exactly what makes D-Bus World exciting anyway: It uses the huge ETS2 world and gives it a new task. Suddenly, cities, bus stations, and intermediate stops become more important, things you might otherwise only notice on the side.

For many, D-Bus World will therefore probably not be a replacement for the official Coaches DLC, but rather a good bridge. You can already try out whether bus driving in ETS2 is fun for you at all. You can drive routes, get used to other vehicles, and see how different the game feels when you are traveling not with freight, but with passengers.

In the end, the situation is quite clear: The official Coaches DLC from SCS has not been released yet. Anyone who wants to wait for a cleanly integrated official solution has to remain patient. But anyone who already wants to drive buses in ETS2 should take a look at D-Bus World. It is a community solution, but a pretty exciting one.

And maybe this exact project shows why the official Coaches DLC has so much potential. Because as soon as you no longer transport only goods in ETS2, but people, the driving feel changes noticeably. The route gets a different purpose, stops become more important, and the familiar ETS2 world suddenly appears from a new perspective.

Would you try D-Bus World – or would you rather wait for the official Coaches DLC from SCS?