1991-1999

From Vienna to Istanbul - Blaguss connecting Europe

In 1991 Blaguss became a member of the Eurolines Organisation, an alliance of 30 independent coach companies forming the largest system of coach lines in Europe. Since the founding of Eurolines Austria, passengers have had their choice of over 500 destinations from Austria.

In the same year, Blaguss took over Kraftfahrlinie Altenmarkt/Triesting – St. Corona/Schöpfl. This was the first line the company had acquired within the Eastern Region Transportation Association (known officially in German as VOR, or Verkehrsverbund Ostregion), which interlocks and organises transportation companies in Vienna, Burgenland and large parts of Lower Austria.

In 1992 Reiseservice der Austria-Hotels sold its incoming division to Blaguss. It has conducted business since then under the name ADM (Austrian Destination Management). The new company specialised in handling and organising incentive travel and special interest groups.

The coach company Mitsch in Loipersbach, Lower Austria, was taken over by Blaguss in 1993. Its fleet had twelve coaches. The company has conducted business since then under the name Neue Mitsch-Bus GmbH.

In 1994, the transportation associations for Lower Austria and Burgenland known as the VVNB began to cover parts of these two provinces not previously covered by VOR (regional buses were integrated in 1988). This process came to end in 1997 with the founding of a transportation association for southern Burgenland known as SBV. Negotiations were conducted with the authorities (federal government and provinces) and between the various transportation companies. Blaguss Reisen GmbH played an instrumental part in them under the leadership of Dr. Robert Blaguss, also president of Schutzverband österreichischer Autobusunternehmungen, the association for the protection of Austrian coach companies.

The company purchased its first low-floor busses from Mercedes und Gräf & Stift.

• The following bus lines went into service:
• 147 Hütteldorf – Hüttelberg, Vienna
• City transportation Marchegg, Lower Austria
• Express transportation St. Pölten (Wiesel Bus)
• Vienna – Berlin
• Vienna – Kiev
• Vienna – Verona – Milan
• Vienna – Frankfurt

During the modernisation of the bus stop area of Austratrans at Vienna’s south train station in 1996, additional retail outlets and bus stops were installed. Austratrans has developed into a modern service provider and sells tickets for all lines going to south-eastern and eastern Europe. These services are performed largely by Blaguss’s own bus terminal at the south train station. Thomas Blaguss joined the company in May 1996 and has further strengthened the management.

In 1997 the company concentrated the business activities of its various tour operators under the Blaguss brand. Office space had to be increased at Wiedner Hauptstrasse 15 to accommodate this step.

In 1998 the company unveiled the Champion’s Liner, the team coach for the SK Rapid soccer club. This coach is one of the most modern in Europe. In the same year, Blaguss acquired a majority stake in Pantours, a successful specialist in incoming travel for Spain and Latin America.

In 1999 the company purchased its first extra-long (13.70 m) coaches from Neoplan and Setra. The Carmelite Bus was put into service in the centre of Vienna. In 1999 Blaguss became the first Austrian coach company to receive the quality and safety award “Bus OK. Driver OK. Everything OK.” from KfV (Austrian Road Safety Board) and the Austrian motorists’ association ÖAMTC. Blaguss was also named a Climate Alliance Business in recognition of its environmental achievements.