What is the ETS2 Coaches DLC?

The ETS2 Coaches DLC introduces a completely new way to play Euro Truck Simulator 2 by adding long-distance passenger transport as a full gameplay system. Instead of hauling cargo with trucks, players will step into the role of a coach driver, transporting people between cities using detailed, realistic buses.

This DLC is not just a new vehicle pack — it represents a new gameplay mode inside ETS2. Players will be able to explore the game world from a different perspective, focusing on routes, terminals, passenger comfort, and smooth driving, rather than freight delivery.

The project, officially called Project Coaches, is being developed by a dedicated SCS Software team, meaning it will not slow down truck updates, map expansions, or other core ETS2 content.

A new way to explore the ETS2 world

One of the main design goals of the Coaches DLC is to change how players experience the map. Instead of rushing to deliver cargo, coach driving encourages a slower, more scenic style of play. The developers want players to enjoy landmarks, landscapes, and city details while transporting passengers across long distances.

This makes the DLC especially appealing for players who enjoy:

• Relaxed driving
• Role-play and immersion
• Scenic routes
• Realistic transport simulation

Built from the ground up for buses

The Coaches DLC is not a simple reskin of trucks. SCS is developing new coach models with unique handling, along with a network of bus terminals across the ETS2 map. Many existing bus stations are also being rebuilt and upgraded to support the new gameplay systems.

Each coach is designed with:

• Detailed interiors
• Passenger seating
• Custom animations
• Optimized performance despite large interior spaces

The developers are even redesigning older station prefabs to properly support arrivals, departures, and passenger flow.

A long-requested feature

Long-distance buses have been one of the most requested features in the ETS2 community for many years. The Coaches DLC finally makes that idea a reality, giving players a new type of vehicle, new routes, and a new reason to revisit familiar parts of the map.

According to the development team, the goal is not only to add buses, but to expand the entire gameplay experience, creating a fresh layer of realism and immersion inside the ETS2 universe.

Passenger System & Satisfaction

One of the biggest differences between trucks and coaches in ETS2 will be the Passenger Satisfaction system. Instead of hauling cargo that does not care how you drive, coaches introduce real people inside the vehicle, and their comfort becomes part of the gameplay.

Each passenger is treated as an individual with their own tolerance level. Some passengers will be relaxed and barely react to what happens on the road, while others will become unhappy even after light braking or slightly aggressive steering. On top of that, passengers also start the journey in different moods, which means the driver is constantly trying to improve the overall atmosphere on board between every stop.

The goal of the system is simple but challenging:
drive smoothly, avoid harsh inputs, and keep passengers comfortable while still staying on schedule. If a section of the route is driven cleanly, the player receives a bonus that increases the overall satisfaction score.

This creates a completely new type of pressure compared to truck driving. In trucks, the fastest or most aggressive driving style often works. With passengers, the player must plan ahead, anticipate traffic, brake earlier, and take corners more carefully. At the same time, you still need to reach stops on time, which creates a natural conflict between speed and comfort.

How satisfaction is calculated

Passenger satisfaction is not a single bar for the whole bus. The game tracks each passenger separately, using:

• Individual sensitivity to driving
• Their current mood
• Events during the journey (braking, turning, traffic situations)

A perfect drive between two stops improves moods and adds a bonus to the total satisfaction score. Mistakes, however, can make unhappy passengers even worse, which lowers the final result for that trip.

During internal testing, the developers noticed that keeping this balance interesting was not easy. Making passengers happier turned out to be harder than making them angry. Because of that, the system was adjusted so that:

• Satisfaction changes are more noticeable
• Gains and losses feel meaningful
• Progress is based on distance driven, not time, which is fairer for players

Feedback during the drive

A large part of the system is not just how it works, but how it is shown to the player. The developers want players to clearly understand why passengers are happy or unhappy, without flooding the screen with too much information.

Satisfaction will be visible while driving, at stops, and after finishing a route. Boarding and exiting passengers will also show their current mood, helping players see how their driving style affects the people on board. The goal is to make passengers feel like individual people, not just numbers or progress bars.

Future expansion ideas

The Passenger System is designed to be expandable. While not all features are guaranteed, the team is already experimenting with ideas such as:

• Passengers requesting heating or air conditioning
• Temperature affecting comfort
• Emergency stop requests from passengers
• Individual passenger needs affecting satisfaction

These ideas show that the system is not meant to be a simple one-time mechanic but a foundation that can grow in future updates.

This system is what makes the Coaches DLC fundamentally different from trucking. It turns driving into a balance between precision, smoothness, and timing, adding a layer of realism and tension that has never existed in ETS2 before.

How Driving Coaches Is Different From Trucks

Driving a coach in ETS2 is designed to feel fundamentally different from hauling cargo. With trucks, the main focus is weight, traction, and route efficiency. With coaches, the focus shifts to smoothness, stability, and passenger comfort.

A fully loaded coach is lighter than a heavy trailer, but it behaves very differently. The long wheelbase, high center of gravity, and large window area make the vehicle more sensitive to sudden steering and braking. Sharp inputs that would be acceptable in a truck can easily disturb passengers in a coach and reduce their satisfaction score.

Braking and smoothness

Braking also becomes more delicate. In truck driving, hard braking is often necessary to avoid traffic or meet deadlines. With passengers on board, heavy braking creates discomfort and penalties, so the player is encouraged to anticipate traffic earlier, slow down gradually, and keep momentum under control. This makes urban driving, intersections, and motorway exits far more tactical.

Cornering and stability

Cornering is another major change. Coaches are long, tall, and designed for stability rather than agility. Taking corners too fast or with aggressive steering can upset the passengers and increase the risk of penalties. Players will need to take wider lines, slow down earlier, and keep the bus stable through curves.

The timetable adds another layer of tension. Just like trucks, coaches must reach their destinations on time, but now the player is forced to balance punctuality with comfort. Driving too fast upsets passengers. Driving too slow risks arriving late. The core challenge becomes finding the smoothest possible driving style that still keeps the schedule.

All of this makes coaches feel less like heavy transport and more like precision driving. Instead of fighting weight and traction, the player is constantly managing momentum, braking distance, and steering smoothness to keep the ride comfortable for everyone on board.

Buses & Manufacturers

The Coaches DLC will introduce fully licensed long-distance coaches built to feel and look distinct from trucks. Instead of one “generic bus,” the DLC is being developed with multiple real-world vehicles, each with its own configuration options and interior details. This also leaves space for future expansion, including additional manufacturers and models after release.

Scania Touring

One of the first confirmed coaches in development is the Scania Touring, a long-distance vehicle designed around comfort, safety, and efficiency. In real life, the Touring has been in service since 2009 and is commonly used across Europe for intercity and international routes. In the Coaches DLC, the focus is on recreating both the exterior shape and the driver/passenger space with close attention to the original design.

MAN Lion’s Coach

The MAN Lion’s Coach is one of the headline long-distance vehicles coming to the ETS2 Coaches DLC. It’s a modern touring coach known across Europe for its blend of efficiency, practicality, and passenger comfort—exactly the kind of vehicle that fits ETS2’s new comfort-focused passenger gameplay.

In real-world operations, the Lion’s Coach is valued for being comfortable without being complicated. The interior is built around a clean, spacious feel with large windows, well-arranged seating, and a layout designed for relaxed long-haul travel.

Performance-wise, it’s powered by MAN’s reliable D26 engine, delivering strong long-distance capability. In ETS2 terms, this should translate into a coach that feels stable at motorway speeds, pulls confidently on inclines, and rewards smooth throttle and braking—because keeping passengers comfortable will matter as much as staying on schedule.

Safety is also a key part of the Lion’s Coach identity. In real life, operators rely on modern driver assistance systems to support the driver on busy roads and long motorway journeys. Even if not every system becomes a direct gameplay feature, the design direction is clear: this coach is meant to feel like a refined, safe, professional touring machine.

SCS is recreating the Lion’s Coach with high accuracy and is developing both 4×2 and 6×2 variants, giving players a choice between a standard configuration and an extended-length setup. That choice should also change the driving feel:

• 4×2 variant: a more classic touring configuration, typically easier to maneuver in tighter station entrances and city turns.
• 6×2 variant: an extended configuration with more road presence, encouraging wider lines and more careful station approaches.

Customization will be visible and practical rather than over-the-top. Inside, players will be able to choose from five different colour variants for the seats and curtains, helping you match a fleet style or create a specific operator vibe. On the exterior, the wheel cover will also include a changeable colour option, adding more visual combinations while staying realistic.

Volvo 9700 Double Decker (9700 DD)

The Volvo 9700 Double Decker is a true long-distance legend coming to the ETS2 Coaches DLC. Built for passenger comfort, smart flexibility, and effortless highway cruising, its bold double-deck design is guaranteed to stand out on the road.

Designed to meet the demands of modern coach operations, the 9700 DD is a familiar sight across Northern Europe. It focuses on comfort, efficiency, and high-capacity intercity travel—bringing a premium long-haul experience with Scandinavian design, refinement, and strong safety features.

Comfort & capacity
Comfort is a key part of the Volvo 9700 DD. Operators can configure different layouts and equipment, and the coach is designed to keep the cabin calm and relaxing on long trips. In ETS2, it features an ergonomic seating layout for up to 96 passengers with a low interior noise level feel.

Driver-focused visibility & safety systems
Up front, the elevated and spacious driver’s area provides excellent road visibility. The coach is supported by modern driver assistance systems such as collision warning with emergency braking and electronic stability control for confident handling.

In-game specs

• Configuration: 6×2
• Height: 4.0 m
• Length: 14.3 m

The vehicle team is working to recreate the defining characteristics of the Volvo 9700 Double Decker as accurately as possible, capturing its impressive presence on the road.

Customization options
The Volvo 9700 DD will include multiple customization choices, including:

• Official Volvo paint colors
• Interior options for curtains
• Different passenger seat variations

Whether you want a clean, classic look or a finish that stands out, you’ll have several options to make this coach feel uniquely yours.

Coach Stations, Stops & Map Changes

Coaches require much more than just new vehicles. To make this mode work naturally inside ETS2, SCS is building a wider network of coach stations, stops, and map adjustments so passenger routes feel believable across the existing game world.

A big part of this work is focused on the places where journeys begin and end. According to the developers, many bus station prefabs were already scattered around the ETS2 map long before Project Coaches was officially announced. However, those locations mostly worked as scenic background elements and were never designed for full passenger gameplay. Because of that, the Coaches team has been reworking older stations, refreshing their layouts, and in many cases rebuilding them from the ground up so they better match real-world locations and fit more naturally into the surrounding cities.

A network of coach stations and stops

Unlike cargo delivery, coach driving depends on a clear system of passenger hubs. That means the DLC needs:

• Coach terminals in cities (dedicated stations or updated existing ones)
• Smaller coach stops for regional routes
• Functional layouts that support passenger boarding and disembarking in a believable way
• Coverage across as much of the ETS2 map as possible, including older map DLCs

SCS says one of the biggest goals from the beginning was expanding the network of bus stations and stops across Europe. In some existing map DLCs, bus infrastructure was limited or missing entirely, so the team first focused on covering key cities. This is especially important because it should allow players to take coach jobs even in map DLC areas that may currently feel less connected to the rest of the road network.

After that, the focus shifted toward covering as many capital cities as possible and finding additional places where bus infrastructure could realistically fit into the map.

Reworking older cities for Coaches

Adding coaches to a truck-focused game also forces major adjustments in areas where ETS2 was originally built around freight transport. The developers say this has been particularly challenging in older expansions such as Italia, Beyond the Baltic Sea, and Road to the Black Sea, because these maps were created long before Coaches gameplay existed as a concept.

That means adding stations is not always as simple as placing a new prefab. In many cities, the map team has had to revisit older areas, carefully adapt road layouts, and work within older design limitations so the new infrastructure does not feel out of place. In dense urban environments, space is often extremely tight, so fitting a large coach terminal into an already established city can become a technical puzzle.

In some cases, this has even led to cities being expanded to include more of their town centres, allowing coach stations to be placed in more natural and authentic locations.

Map modifications for smooth coach gameplay

Adding coach routes to ETS2 also means rethinking how certain parts of the map function for passenger travel. The map team is working on changes needed for coaches to operate more naturally, including:

• Border crossing adjustments, because coaches follow different travel patterns than trucks
• Route logic that better supports timetabled passenger transport
• City access that feels correct for coaches, with stations and terminals instead of freight depots
• Support for older and newer map DLCs so coach jobs are available across a broader area

The key point is that the Coaches DLC is not just “drive a bus on the same roads,” but a mode that needs proper infrastructure so the gameplay loop makes sense: stop → boarding → travel → next stop.

Why this matters for immersion

Coach driving only becomes believable when the world acknowledges it. Stations, stop layouts, expanded city areas, and route-specific map changes are what make the DLC feel like a real passenger transport system rather than a simple truck reskin.

What stands out from the latest developer update is the scale of the work behind the scenes. SCS is not only adding new coach stations, but also reworking legacy prefabs, rebuilding older bus terminals, and even reshaping parts of existing cities to support them. That gives the impression that Coaches is being treated as a serious new gameplay layer for ETS2, not just a side feature.

The end goal appears to be a clean, immersive addition that fits naturally into the ETS2 world while giving players a believable long-distance passenger transport experience.

Sounds, Immersion & Interior Details

Coaches are being built to feel different from trucks not only through gameplay systems, but through sound design, passenger presence, and highly detailed interiors. SCS has been collecting real-world references to make the Coaches DLC feel authentic from the moment you enter the cab.

Real-world sound recording and scanning

For the Scania Touring, the development team visited a real coach in Sweden (Södertälje) to record sounds and capture physical reference data. This includes both exterior and interior elements, so the coach does not just look right, but also sounds right while driving, idling, and interacting with the environment.

The goal is to replicate the subtle details that define a modern coach experience—sounds that players usually do not notice in trucks, but will immediately feel when driving a passenger vehicle.

Passenger presence through audio

Passengers are not only visual. SCS is also designing audio so the player becomes aware of passengers through the soundscape. This supports the core idea behind coaches: you are responsible for a vehicle full of people, and the game should constantly remind you that they are there.

In practice, this can mean the cabin feels more “alive,” and player actions (braking, turning, sudden maneuvers) can be reinforced by passenger-related sounds to increase immersion and make the comfort-driven playstyle more natural.

Interior complexity and detail

Coach interiors are significantly larger than truck cabs and contain far more visible space: seating rows, passenger areas, curtains, overhead storage, lighting, and a longer visible cabin depth. SCS has stated this makes coaches more complex to build than trucks in terms of geometry and detail.

To keep performance stable, the team has been working on new optimization approaches—maintaining high visual fidelity while controlling polygon counts and rendering cost. That matters because the player can see a lot more at once inside a coach than inside a truck cab.

At the same time, the team is building the coach visuals with a strong focus on atmosphere: small interior details, believable materials, and passenger-area elements meant to make the space feel like a real long-distance vehicle, not a simplified shell.

Animations and “living vehicle” feel

Coaches also require a different approach to animations compared to trucks. The interior is larger, the passenger space is visible, and the vehicle is expected to feel more like a moving environment than a cockpit. This includes not only standard vehicle elements, but also the way the coach interior responds visually during gameplay.

Modding, Map Mods & Coach Compatibility

Coaches won’t arrive into an empty ecosystem. ETS2 already has a long history of coach and bus mods, and the new DLC will reshape modding in three key areas: vehicles, maps (stations), and gameplay systems. Long before the official Coaches DLC was announced, the community was already driving buses in ETS2 — and sites like ets2.lt have been sharing coach and bus mods since 2016, with nearly 2,000 mods available today, making it one of the largest collections of coach content in the ETS2 scene.

Coach mods already exist

Right now, the community already drives coaches via mods—high-quality bus/coach vehicles with interiors, sounds, skins, etc.
What’s missing in vanilla ETS2 is a fully integrated scheduled passenger transport loop (stops, boarding, satisfaction, timetable, etc.), which is exactly what the Coaches DLC is adding.

What will change for coach mod authors

• More demand for higher realism (interiors, passengers visible, soundscape).
• A new standard for UI/UX integration (if SCS exposes hooks for satisfaction/timetable).
• Potentially easier adoption if SCS provides official templates/prefabs for stations and passenger logic (depends on what becomes moddable).

Bus stations will matter a lot more for map mods

The biggest “map” difference is not roads—it’s stops and terminals. SCS has confirmed that Project Coaches includes large-scale work on bus infrastructure across the ETS2 world, including reworked legacy bus station prefabs, newly built terminals, and map changes inside older cities that were never originally designed for passenger gameplay. That matters for map mods because stations are becoming a much more important part of the shared world structure.
That’s important for modders because it means stations can become part of the shared world baseline, not a DLC-only island.

Also: the broader community has noticed bus-station-style areas in the map for years, but they were effectively inactive for passenger gameplay.
With Coaches, those locations (and new ones) become real gameplay nodes.

What this means for ProMods and other map projects

• Map teams may need to add/adjust:
  • coach station prefabs
  • stop triggers / spawn points
  • route-friendly access and AI paths around terminals
• They’ll likely need to ensure coaches can reach stops cleanly (turn radii, lane logic, blocked areas).
• Expect “compatibility patches” early on, similar to how big map combos usually need updates after SCS map changes.

Some map mods already include bus stations

Several custom maps already experimented with bus stations / bus stop systems for bus driving communities—especially outside the classic Europe layout.
Even discussions around driving buses on ETS2 maps mention stations existing but being inactive for proper passenger jobs.

For big Europe expansions like RoExtended, it’s reasonable to expect they’ll align with whatever station/stops system Coaches introduces—but the exact implementation will depend on how SCS structures stations and what modders can access.

Gameplay mods: passengers, satisfaction, schedules

Coach gameplay introduces new “systems” that the modding scene will try to extend:

• passenger density/variety
• station frequency
• timetables and route difficulty
• comfort/penalty balancing

There are already mods that add passenger-themed elements in ETS2, but Coaches makes this a first-class feature.
So you’ll likely see:

• realism packs for satisfaction/penalties
• custom passenger audio packs
• station/route expansion addons for popular maps

Coach model mods, tuning/parts & interior add-ons

Coaches DLC will likely create a “second vehicle modding lane” next to trucks: coach-specific models, parts, and cabin/interior customization. Even if SCS keeps the official coaches relatively “stock,” modders usually fill the gaps fast.

Coach model mods

What will expand:

• More coach brands/models as standalone vehicles (long-distance, regional, double-decker, etc.)
• Multiple length/axle variants (4×2 / 6×2 style options) and different body configs
• “Fleet packs” (several coaches with shared parts/materials for performance and consistency)

What to expect after DLC launch:

• Quick conversions/updates of existing coach mods to match the new coach mode expectations (stops, routes, “feel”)
• Higher demand for correct animations (doors, wipers, dash, interior elements), because passengers and interior visibility matter more than in trucks

Coach tuning/parts mods

Trucks have huge tuning culture (lights, bars, bumpers, etc.). Coaches can grow a similar ecosystem, but coach-themed:

Typical tuning categories modders will likely push:

• Exterior: mirrors, wheel covers, mudflaps, destination boards, roof details
• Lighting: marker lights, interior ambient lighting, DRL variations
• Brand/Operator details: badges, plates, route signage, company decals
• Wheel/tire packs optimized for coaches

If SCS provides official coach accessory slots, tuning mods become clean. If not, expect more “custom slot” frameworks from modders.

Interior add-on mods

Coach interiors are large and visible, so interior addons will matter more than ever.

Common interior addon targets:

• Seat fabric/texture swaps, curtain variants, floor materials
• Dashboard screen themes, instrument cluster styles
• Cabin lighting presets (night driving ambience)
• Small props: fire extinguisher placement, bags, papers, drink holders, etc. (kept tasteful and performance-friendly)
• “Passenger atmosphere packs” (subtle interior sounds, ambience layers) that complement the satisfaction system without changing gameplay logic.

Skins & fleet packs (operators, countries, route identity)

Coach skins will explode because operators are recognizable across Europe.

Expect:

• Real-world operator liveries (and fictional variants for safety/permissions)
• Country/region packs (Baltics, Nordics, Balkans, etc.)
• “Tourist bus” packs vs “intercity line” packs
• Consistent AI traffic coach skins if SCS allows/uses coaches in AI (even limited)

ETS2 Coaches DLC vs Other Bus Games (OMSI 2, The Bus, Fernbus)

Even though ETS2 is mainly a truck simulator, the upcoming Coaches DLC is shaping up to compete with dedicated bus games in one key area: long-distance driving across huge maps. However, each bus title has a different focus. Here’s a quick comparison so players know what to expect.

Quick comparison table

Where ETS2 Coaches DLC can be better

• World size: ETS2 already has a huge drivable map with many countries and DLC expansions.
• Exploration loop: coach driving naturally fits scenic routes and “relaxed travel” gameplay.
• Mod ecosystem: ETS2 already has massive modding culture (maps, traffic, weather, vehicles), which can boost coach gameplay after release.

Where dedicated bus games can be better

• City bus operations: OMSI 2 and The Bus are built around stops, schedules, and dense urban driving as the main gameplay.
• “Bus-first” features: door logic, stop requests, depot workflows, and city-bus details are usually deeper in dedicated bus sims.

Which one should you play?

• If you want long-distance coach trips across a huge world and love ETS2 driving — the Coaches DLC will likely be the best fit.
• If you want hardcore city routes with timetables and deep operations — OMSI 2 is the classic choice.
• If you want a modern city-bus experience with current visuals — The Bus is a strong option.
• If you want coach-only long-distance gameplay in a dedicated environment — Fernbus-style sims are worth trying.

Update 1.58: Physics & Collision Changes

SCS has confirmed that the upcoming 1.58 update includes major changes to the in-game physics and collision simulation, specifically to prepare Euro Truck Simulator 2 for new vehicle types such as Coaches (and Road Trip). These improvements also benefit trucks, but the key point is that the physics foundation is being expanded beyond “truck-only” tuning.

What SCS is changing in 1.58

• Refined throttle response (based on a throttle torque engine map) + more realistic engine resistance off-throttle, making coasting and cruising feel more natural.
• Suspension/steering nuances like wheel camber off-road (solid axle behavior) and caster on turning wheels, improving vehicle feel on uneven surfaces.
• Audio improvements (e.g., turbocharger sounds better matching what the engine is doing) for more connected driving feedback.
• Hill start assistant added to improve reliability when pulling away on inclines after changes to how torque builds when starting.
• Optional “double throttle” for keyboard users: hold = partial throttle for smooth acceleration, double tap = full throttle for power when needed (off by default).
• Collision/road contact work: SCS describes smoothing issues in road curvature representation (“sawtooth” effect) that could reduce friction in some cases, aiming for more predictable stability and wheel contact.

Why this matters for the ETS2 Coaches DLC

Coaches will likely feel lighter and more sensitive to inputs than heavy trucks, and passenger gameplay depends on smooth acceleration, braking, and stable cornering. With 1.58, SCS is essentially improving the physics “base layer” so that driving smaller/lighter vehicles can feel believable and controllable inside ETS2 — which is exactly what a coach mode needs.

Open Beta and feedback

SCS encourages players to try the Open Beta when available and share feedback, as community input is part of how they refine these deeper simulation changes.

Release Plans

Right now, SCS has not announced an official release date for the Euro Truck Simulator 2 – Coaches DLC. On the Steam store page, the release date is listed as “To be announced”.

ETS2 DLC pricing varies by type (small cosmetic packs vs large content DLCs), and Coaches pricing will be confirmed closer to release.

FAQ

Is the Coaches DLC a separate game or part of Euro Truck Simulator 2?

The Coaches DLC is being developed as a new driving experience inside ETS2, not as a separate game. It adds long-distance coach driving alongside the existing truck gameplay.

Will there be passengers and a passenger satisfaction system?

Yes. Coaches are designed around passengers and their comfort. Driving style (braking, cornering, smoothness) is expected to affect passenger satisfaction and route results.

Will Coaches replace trucks or slow down truck/map development?

No. SCS has said a dedicated team is working on Project Coaches, while ongoing ETS2 development (trucks, map expansions, and core updates) continues.

Will the DLC include bus terminals and map changes?

Yes. Coaches require infrastructure, so SCS is building a network of coach terminals and stops across the ETS2 world. The developers are also reworking older bus station prefabs, upgrading layouts, and in some cases expanding parts of cities so the new passenger gameplay fits more naturally into the map.

Do I need to own map DLCs for coach routes to work?

Coaches will drive across the ETS2 world, so routes will depend on the areas you own. If a route uses a region from a map DLC, you will need that DLC to drive there.

Will the Coaches DLC have an official release date?

Currently, SCS has not announced a release date. On Steam, the release timing is listed as to be announced. This page can be updated as soon as new information appears.

Which coaches (buses) are confirmed?

SCS has shown multiple licensed coaches in development, including Scania Touring, MAN Lion’s Coach and Volvo 9700 Double decker. Additional vehicles may be revealed over time as development continues.

Will mods work with the Coaches DLC?

Coach mods already exist in the ETS2 community, but the big change is the new official passenger gameplay loop (stations, schedules, satisfaction). After release, many existing coach mods will likely be updated for better compatibility, and new mods will appear to expand vehicles, interiors, sounds, and map support.

Will ProMods and other big map mods need updates?

Most likely yes. Because coaches rely on terminals and map logic, large map projects will probably need compatibility updates to support new stops, station access, and coach-friendly routes.