Their silhouettes said to be imperial are already very familiar to the people of Brussels and yet, the Tootbus have only been crisscrossing the streets of the capital since the end of 2021. In the colours of the Region, they offer tourists a dedicated bus line serving the main points of interest of the city on the principle of “hop-on hop-off”: we go up and down at our convenience for one day. Well beyond the transport service, Tootbus asserts itself as a true player in local tourism with the ambition, as explained by Nyota Paulis, Sales Manager and Deputy Operations Department, “to create an experience that promotes memories and connection with the city.”
The world’s first 100% electric tourist fleet
After Paris, London and Bath, it is therefore Brussels that chose Tootbus in 2021 to operate its Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing service. What tipped the balance? The commitment to decarbonisation proposed by the “ international brand of RATP Dev” which translates in Brussels into a 100% electric fleet, “A world first for tourist buses.” In detail, this fleet includes 9 panoramic double-deck buses operating a regular line of 12 stops, “363 days per year, with a frequency of 15 minutes in high season and 30 maximum the rest of the time.” Atomium, Royal Palace, European Parliament, the course of the line is eminently strategic and was drawn after a complex cartographic examination taking into account «of what visitors will see from the bus, the access to the City’s attractions, the ease of access from the big hotels or even the traffic.» These buses therefore target international tourists, ‘the Anglo-Saxons and the French are particularly fond of them,’ but also national tourists, and even Brussels residents who wish to rediscover their city from another angle.
An onboard experience enhanced by digital technology and AI
As is the norm in the sector, an audio guide is available to visitors as soon as they board. In his language – 11 in total -, he will be able to listen to “comments on places they see in real time, the Belgitude, languages, royalty… everything that makes Brussels unique. This audio-guide, of which a version is available for children, is also accessible from the Tootbus App, available on the App Store and Google Play, and on which it is also possible to book your ticket, geolocate the buses or enjoy an interactive map. “And the Tootbus experience does not stop at the bus descent”, this application also offers Tootwalks, four pedestrian routes for an autonomous exploration of emblematic districts of Brussels that cannot be reached by bus, such as the Grand-Place or the Manneken Pis. “Our entire offer has been thought through to create a personalized exchange with each visitor in order to offer them a smoother and more enriching discovery.” Since the summer of 2025, the Tootbus App has even integrated Tootie, a conversational agent capable of answering all questions about Brussels, and even suggesting good addresses in line with users’ interests.
“Find new markets within a network with strong community of interest. ”
Link between hoteliers and attractions
Packages combined with Mini-Europe, the Beer Museum or even the Ferris Wheel at Place Poelart… It is enough to dissect the commercial offer of Tootbus to understand the importance of partnerships for this tourist actor who places himself “as a union between hotels and attractions”. More than 50 collaborations have already been concluded with hoteliers in the form of preferential rates for clients. The win-win that also opens up prospects for Tootbus to work on new markets, with MICE leading the way, “with specific offers such as the privatization of a bus after a day of seminars, for example.” It is therefore logical to find this operator among the members of the Hospitality cluster of hub.brussels, “a network with a strong community of interest that also allows us to stay in touch with market developments.”
