Hanoi (VNA) – The first
double-decker bus to ferry tourists around the city started its trial run in Hanoi
on June 30 morning.
The bus, called City Tour, departs from Hanoi
Opera House and runs through Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh and Tay Ho districts, taking
tourists to popular attractions such as the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of
Literature and Old Quarters.
The bus, painted a cheerful red, has 14
seats at the lower level and over 30 seats on the open top level, which has a
mobile roof that can be closed during bad weather.
Nguyen Cong Nhat, Deputy Director of the Hanoi
Transport Service Company (Transerco), said only one bus has been put on trial
run to gather public opinion. “The city plans to have more double-decker buses
with open roofs. They will better serve tourists and help reduce traffic
density,” he said.
The bus, designed following all technical
safety standards, is equipped with 4G, Wifi, and has supportive devices for the
disabled.
The city plans to run the first 10 buses in
July. Passengers can either buy tickets for the city tour, or hire the entire
bus for different purposes.
Last year, the Prime Minister gave the go-ahead
to Hanoi, HCM City and five other areas to pilot double-decker bus for tourism
activities within five years. These buses will start operating in the capital
and HCM City in the next two months.
Other countries in the region where
double-decker buses are commonly used for city tours include Singapore, Malaysia,
Japan and Hong Kong.-VNA