Published: 20:09, February 21, 2025
Panda-themed open-top bus to serve cross-harbor sightseeing route
By Fang Xue in Hong Kong
Mable Chan, secretary for Transport and Logistics delivers a speech during the Launching Ceremony of HK City Sightseeing "Panda Surfer” at the Citybus Ocean Park garage on Feb 21, 2025. (ADAM LAM / CHINA DAILY)

Citybus announced on Friday that a panda-themed open-top bus will be deployed on sightseeing routes H1, H2 and H2K, all of which connect Hong Kong Island with Kowloon Peninsula, effective Saturday.

The bus will be transited to routes on Hong Kong Island in mid-March, spreading the charm of giant pandas amid the city’s strings of grand events that month, the bus company said.

At a launching ceremony on Friday, Citybus unveiled the design of the open-top bus, a double-decker with designs from Ocean Park’s “Panda Friends” theme.

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Passengers will also be able to enjoy upgraded facilities inside the panda bus, including Asia’s first fully transparent glass canopy, allowing for a panoramic view of the city’s skyscrapers and coastlines, the bus company said.

Beginning Saturday, the panda-themed bus will serve on three cross-harbor sightseeing routes — H1 and H2, between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui; and H2K, from Central to WestK, formerly known as the West Kowloon Cultural District.

The service is expected to add new vibes to the city’s panda fever, which has been escalated by the birth of the panda twins in August and the arrival of two pandas that the central government gave the city in September.

In collaboration with the Southern District Office and Ocean Park, the panda bus will be transited to two newly established sightseeing routes, H3 and H4, starting on March 17.

This photo shows the panda-themed open-top bus at the Citybus Ocean Park garage on Feb 21, 2025.  (ADAM LAM / CHINA DAILY)

The two new routes will connect major attractions in the Southern district, such as Ocean Park, Aberdeen, Repulse Bay, and Stanley, offering travelers a new option for sightseeing.

Passengers will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery, delicious food, and unique shops along the sightseeing routes. They can also buy full-day passes to hop on and off the buses at any time during their journey for in-depth exploration, according to Citybus.

Citybus will distribute 500 limited-edition passes to residents in the Southern district, providing users with 48 hours of unlimited rides on sightseeing buses and other local routes.

At Friday’s event, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said Citybus’ sightseeing routes have recorded over 560,000 passenger trips last year, more than double the number in 2023, indicating the bus trips have been well-received by travelers.

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This photo shows the panda-themed open-top bus at the Citybus Ocean Park garage on Feb 21, 2025.  (ADAM LAM / CHINA DAILY)

Chan also said that the six pandas the city currently has play a significant role in enhancing the city's tourism appeal. Therefore, the panda-themed sightseeing bus routes, which combine local cultural features with natural landscapes, not only provide convenient transportation services, but also add fun to the journey through their unique themed designs, Chan said.

Chan also said that the government actively encourages franchised bus companies to explore new routes and service models beyond regular services to promote the development of tourism and public transportation.

Citybus Managing Director Richard Hall hailed the panda bus as the fruit of cross-sector efforts that inject new momentum into the city’s tourism industry and wider economy.

 

Contact the writer at fangxue@chinadailyhk.com