With seating for more than 100 people, around 11 of these vehicles were reportedly produced in Germany
To increase bus seating, manufacturers often build upwards (double-decker) or lengthen the body (articulated). In the 1970s, Neoplan, a bus maker in Stuttgart, innovatively combined both concepts to create the Jumbocruiser, a massive bus with more interior space than many houses.
This “delightful people-moving monster,” as highlighted by a Reddit thread, emerged during the booming era of long-distance road travel. The logic was simple for tour operators: maximizing passenger capacity on a single trip could significantly offset fixed costs like driver salaries, fuel, and maintenance—a similar principle behind the later development of the Airbus A380. Neoplan’s experimentation with a double-decker articulated bus began in the late 1960s, culminating in the Jumbocruiser’s debut at the 1975 Frankfurt auto show.
Maneuvering this behemoth into the convention center must have been a feat. The standard Jumbocruiser was an astounding 708 inches long, 98 inches wide, and 157 inches tall, offering nearly 1,000 square feet of floor space. While theoretically capable of carrying up to 144 passengers, most were built with around 110 seats, with the remaining space dedicated to the trunk and a bar.
The name “Jumbocruiser” was a clear nod to Boeing’s jumbo jets. Internally, it was designated N 138/4, where N signified Neoplan, 1 denoted its luxury status, 38 indicated the maximum seat rows, and 4 represented the number of axles.
Powering this giant at its launch was a Mercedes-Benz 19.1-liter turbodiesel V12 engine producing around 400 horsepower and 948 lb-ft of torque. The OM404 engine was positioned near the articulated joint, driving the second axle through a five-speed automatic transmission, as Neoplan couldn’t find a manual transmission capable of handling the V12’s power at the time. Later models offered additional engine options.
However, the golden age of bus travel was relatively short-lived, and demand for the Jumbocruiser declined by the end of the 1970s. A significant blow came in 1980 when France banned articulated buses on certain roads due to safety concerns. This posed major logistical challenges for Jumbocruisers traveling from Germany to popular holiday destinations like Spain and Portugal, as the alternative ferry routes through Italy were lengthy and expensive.
Neoplan produced the final Jumbocruiser in 1991, which was first registered in 1992. This last model featured several modifications, including a rear-mounted Mercedes V8 turbodiesel engine linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Interestingly, some bus historians believe that nine of the eleven Jumbocruisers ever built still exist today, although many are no longer used for passenger transport. The very first Jumbocruiser was converted into a massive RV with a built-in garage in the 1990s. The second served as a tour bus for the band The Kelly Family, and at least one resides in a museum. Others have found new life as event vehicles.
Neoplan itself was acquired by MAN, a truck and bus manufacturer owned by Volkswagen, in 2008, and continues to produce touring buses. Recently, a bus enthusiast provided a detailed overview of the Jumbocruiser, offering even more context about this remarkable giant bus.
