Busbetrieb Grenchen und Umgebung

Busbetrieb Grenchen und Umgebung (BGU) was a regional public-transport bus operator serving the town of Grenchen and its surrounding area in the Swiss Canton of Solothurn. It traces its origins to 1918, when the first attempt at a public bus service in Grenchen was made; that early operation survived only three years because of financial difficulties. A new bus operation was launched in 1945 with the support of the local watch industry, which allowed it to forgo cantonal and state subsidies. In 1975, amid the financial pressures of the watch crisis, the present public-limited company (Aktiengesellschaft) was founded. Since then the company has been majority publicly owned, with the Cantons of Bern and Solothurn and the municipalities of the Grenchen region as shareholders. BGU operated a network of thirteen lines with a total length of 77.684 kilometres, linking the town of Grenchen with Lengnau BE, Bettlach SO, Selzach, Altreu, Lommiswil, Arch, Büren a. A., Rüti b. B. and the Grenchenberg. With a fleet of 20 buses and 42 employees, it carried 2,186,067 passengers per year. Its fleet consisted largely of Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 NGT natural-gas buses, supplemented by articulated buses, a diesel Citaro C2 G, a diesel C2 Ü for extra services, and from 2022 a HESS electric bus on a three-year trial. For school services it used a Setra double-decker coach. On 1 January 2025, BGU merged with Busbetrieb Solothurn und Umgebung (BSU) to form Busbetrieb Solothurn Grenchen und Umgebung AG, which operates under the new mobility brand AREMO. The merged company describes itself as the leading transport partner in the region, with around 230 employees, and presents AREMO as the new mobility brand for Solothurn and Grenchen. The BGU name and its history are now part of the AREMO corporate story, which traces two origins — Grenchen (formerly BGU) and Solothurn (formerly BSU) — that developed independently with the shared goal of making people mobile.

The history of Busbetrieb Grenchen und Umgebung (BGU) begins in Grenchen, where the first attempt at a public bus service was made in 1918. That early operation survived only three years because of financial problems. A new bus operation was founded in 1945, supported by the local watch industry, which enabled it to forgo cantonal and state subsidies. As the watch crisis made finances tight for the bus operator as well, the present public-limited company (Aktiengesellschaft) was founded in 1975. Its legal form has not changed since then, but there were successive improvements in timetables and the bus fleet. BGU developed alongside Busbetrieb Solothurn und Umgebung (BSU), which had its own origins: in 1930 the Autokurs Solothurn-Wasseramt (ASW) started with the first bus line (Recherswil–Solothurn), and in 1964 Busbetrieb Solothurn und Umgebung AG was founded. Both companies grew their networks over the decades, expanding lines and timetables, improving connections to rail and the region, modernising vehicles, and adapting to new passenger needs. With service concepts such as BGU90 and regional optimisations, both responded early to changes in mobility behaviour while remaining close to the people and the region. By the 2020s BGU operated thirteen lines with a total length of 77.684 kilometres, serving Grenchen and the places Lengnau BE, Bettlach SO, Selzach, Altreu, Lommiswil, Arch, Büren a. A., Rüti b. B. and the Grenchenberg. It had 20 buses and 42 employees and carried 2,186,067 passengers per year. The fleet consisted largely of Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 NGT natural-gas buses; in 2019 the first series of Facelift CNG buses (nos. 21–23) was replaced by C2 NGT (21–23), and in 2021 the remaining Facelift CNG (24–27) and the Citaro Ü (14) were replaced by new C2 NGT Hybrid (24–27, 32). There were also two articulated buses, a Citaro Facelift with natural-gas drive (no. 28) and a diesel Citaro C2 G (no. 8), plus a diesel C2 Ü (no. 20) used on the BGU network and for extra services outside it. In 2022 a HESS electric bus (35) joined the fleet for a three-year trial. For school courses BGU had a Setra 431 DT (no. 9), replaced at the end of 2021 by a Setra 531 DT. On 1 January 2025, BSU and BGU merged to form Busbetrieb Solothurn Grenchen und Umgebung AG. The merged company operates under the new mobility brand AREMO, described as the new mobility brand for Solothurn and Grenchen. It held its first general meeting in the Busgarage Waldegg in Zuchwil, where shareholders and guests were shown the first bus in the new AREMO design. AREMO presents itself as the leading transport partner in the region, with around 230 employees ensuring that passengers arrive safely, punctually and relaxed. The AREMO history page frames the story as two origins — Grenchen (formerly BGU) and Solothurn (formerly BSU) — that developed independently with the same goal of making people mobile, and notes that the two companies emerged from a clear need: people wanted to get to work, home and around, simply and reliably.

• 2025

  On 1 January, BSU and BGU merged to form Busbetrieb Solothurn Grenchen und Umgebung AG, operating under the AREMO brand.

• 2022

  A HESS electric bus (35) joined the fleet for a three-year trial.

• 2021

  Remaining Facelift CNG (24–27) and Citaro Ü (14) replaced by new C2 NGT Hybrid (24–27, 32); Setra 431 DT replaced by Setra 531 DT.

• 2019

  First series of Facelift CNG buses (nos. 21–23) replaced by C2 NGT (21–23).

• 1975

  Founding of BGU Busbetrieb Grenchen und Umgebung AG amid the watch crisis.

• 1945

  New bus operation founded in Grenchen with support from the local watch industry, allowing it to forgo cantonal and state subsidies.

• 1918

  First attempt at a public bus service in Grenchen; it survived only three years due to financial problems.

Regional public-transport operator and leading transport partner in the Grenchen/Solothurn region, now part of the AREMO mobility brand.

• Regional bus line network (13 lines, 77.684 km)

  Lines serving Grenchen and the places Lengnau BE, Bettlach SO, Selzach, Altreu, Lommiswil, Arch, Büren a. A., Rüti b. B. and the Grenchenberg.

• Bus fleet (20 buses)

  Largely Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 NGT natural-gas buses, plus articulated buses, a diesel Citaro C2 G, a diesel C2 Ü, and a HESS electric bus on trial.

• School bus services

  Operated with a Setra double-decker coach (431 DT, later 531 DT).

• Extra/charter services

  The diesel C2 Ü (no. 20) could also be used for extra services outside the BGU network.

1. 1AREMO – Busbetrieb Solothurn Grenchen und Umgebung AG: Unterwegs für die Regionaremo-mobil.ch
2. 2Geschichte AREMO – vom Arbeitsbus zum modernen ÖV-Unternehmenaremo-mobil.ch
3. 3Busbetrieb Grenchen und Umgebung – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Busbetrieb Grenchen und Umgebung – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org