Stan: "Them! Don’ listen properly, do they? Don’ look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don’"
— Harry talking to Stan the Knight Bus Conductor in 1993[src]
The Knight Bus is a triple-decker, purple AEC Regent III RT that assists stranded individuals of the wizarding community through public transportation. It operates at a very fast speed and obstacles will jump out of its way. To hail the bus, a witch or wizard must stick their wand hand in the air in the same manner that a Muggle might do to hail a taxi. The Knight Bus' conductor is Stan Shunpike, who greets passengers and handles baggage. It is driven by Ernie Prang.
Inside, during the night, the Knight Bus has beds, curtained windows, candles burning in brackets beside each bed, and fourteen Sickles buys a cup of hot chocolate, while fifteen gets a hot water bottle and a toothbrush in any colour. During the day, there are just seats that are apparently not bolted down. The bus does not seem to have much in the way of safety features, as passengers and luggage alike are being thrown around the inside of the bus during its haphazard manoeuvres.
The Knight Bus is possibly named after London's Night Bus, which operates a reduced service in the early morning hours when the London Underground is closed.
Another possibility is the Night Bus service in Edinburgh, which also runs during the early hours of the morning.
The Knight Bus seen in the 2004 movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban used a body constructed from three seperate RT-class AEC Regent III buses. The triple-deck body was then fitted to a Dennis Javelin bus chassis.
Since Apparition would be a faster and more practical way of transportation, the Knight Bus may be used for those who cannot use Apparition or Portkeys, and therefore need the bus, and may even be accessible to Squibs.
In the book, items appear to jump away to avoid collision. In the film, the bus just swerves around or squeezes past (or through) obstacles, and in terms of the latter, the driver is shown throwing a switch that causes the bus to contract.
In the book, Harry identifies himself to Shunpike as "Neville Longbottom." In the film, he does not give a name.
One notable feature of the film adaptation of the Knight Bus is the large chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
Two buses were made for the film: one for the exterior shots and one for the interior shots.
In 2010, for the grand opening ceremony of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, in Orlando Florida, some of the actors from the film series arrived at the ceremony in a replica of the Knight Bus.
In a International trailer for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry says to Stanley Shunpike while riding the Knight Bus: "Isn't this a bit dangerous?" to which Stan replies: "No. We haven't had an accident in about a week." These lines were cut from the final version of the movie.
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