What is the most special means of transportation for visiting Hangzhou? Miss Mo Mo spent 3 yuan to take everyone to experience the water bus in Hangzhou.
Route 1314, known as the "most romantic bus" leading to Lingyin Temple and Faxi Temple, is also one of them.
What I want to introduce today is a double-decker bus that was introduced in Hangzhou this year. On weekdays, you can ride it to shuttle through the old city of Hangzhou. On weekends and holidays, you can ride it to visit most scenic spots in West Lake .
In addition to the beautiful scenery outside the window, this double-decker bus is also the most advanced bus I have ever seen. It is worth experiencing.
▲First a small spoiler about the carriage
The evolution history of Hangzhou double-decker buses
Before we begin, let’s take a look at the evolutionary history of Hangzhou’s double-decker buses.
In fact, Hangzhou first introduced a double-decker bus painted in blue and white from Hong Kong in 1988. This was a double-decker sightseeing tour bus that shuttled between Lakeside and Jiuxi. It was full of British style.
▲Due to the age, the pictures I found are all like this. Let’s just take a look.
In 1996, because the passenger flow of buses on some lines was very large at that time, Hangzhou Bus Company started using double-decker buses with a larger passenger capacity to replace the original ordinary buses to ease the passenger flow. So double-decker buses officially appeared on the streets of Hangzhou as ordinary buses.
On October 1, 2003, the only open-top sightseeing bus line "Y9 Line" in Hangzhou was officially opened. 10 stylish red convertibles began their sightseeing tour around the lake in Hangzhou. But the open-top sightseeing car is very dependent on the weather, it rains or snows, and it can be unbearable if it is too cold or too hot. After the novelty wears off, few people want to sit down.
In order to solve the problem of wind and sun exposure, in 2013, the bus company introduced Hangzhou's first batch of air-conditioned double-decker buses to replace the open-top sightseeing buses. In those years, Tuhao Gold was popular, and double-decker buses were painted gold to keep up with the trend. So this kind of double-decker bus also had its own nickname "Tuhao Gold".
On August 8, 2020, "Tuhao Jin" retired gloriously, and was suspended for several months. There is not a single double-decker bus on the road in Hangzhou. Until March this year, six brand-new double-decker buses reappeared in front of Hangzhou citizens. They were called "Big Red Beans" because of their round shapes and bright red paint.
Although Dahongdou started operating in March this year, there are still relatively few people who know about it. It was only after 3 months that we thought of trying it. Today we will bring you an experience report and tour guide.
First experience with Dahongdou
The starting station of Dahongdou is at the Huanbei Xincun bus station behind Wulin Square. Because I wanted to take a photo of several Dahongdou buses sitting in a row, I started from Huanbei Xincun. Normally, it is more convenient to get on the bus from Wulin Square Station . Of course, you can also get on the bus at passing stations.
After arriving at Huanbei New Village, I searched for a long time but couldn't find the big red beans. Then I discovered that all the big "red" beans had upgraded their new skins and turned into big mung beans, big blue beans, and big colorful beans.
LV even contracted half of Dahongdou and posted its own advertisements. I have to say that LV is quite good at advertising, and this painting makes it look like its own exclusive vehicle.
It can be seen that this batch of vehicles are all green-labeled new energy vehicles, and each vehicle has its own charging pile behind the butt.
The overall appearance looks like a relatively normal double-decker bus, but you will feel the difference only after entering.
Entering the interior of the car, the car is very clean and tidy. Because it has not been in use for a long time, the seats and everything are very new. If there is a best period for taking a bus, then Dahongdou is in this period.
All seats are specially customized, and the gray and beige leather soft seats are very high-quality. The ground stairs are all covered with elegant wooden floors, which are retro and high-end.
Going up the stairs to the second floor is the highlight of this bus. I guess many people think that the second floor is like an ordinary double-decker bus, so they all sit on the first floor for convenience. But the second floor of Dahongdou is not an ordinary second floor. Please take two extra steps to sit upstairs.
After coming up, you will find that the entire roof is almost entirely covered with sunroofs from beginning to end. Unless a train with a panoramic sunroof is introduced, this sunroof will be the ceiling of the sunroof industry in terms of size, killing all vehicles on the market in an instant.
When the weather is nice, you can see the blue sky and the high-rise buildings in Hangzhou when you look up. Although it is very hot outside, the air conditioner inside is turned on very well. Even if it is windy or rainy, it will not affect your enjoyment of the scenery along the way.
Although it has been running for several months, the glass is still very clean, and it can be seen that it has been specially maintained.
In addition to the outside scenery that can be seen from the front, sides, and top, there is also a window behind the butt to see the scenery behind the car.
There are some very thoughtful designs on the car, such as each seat is equipped with a seat belt, and the window seats are Equipped with a USB charging port . And the interior of the car is all leather, which makes it a luxury car among buses, and it is the top-of-the-line one.
When the sun is brighter at noon, the sunroof can also be closed with the original curtain to provide shade. I would like to manually @ some new energy car owners who also have large sunroofs but without original sunshades. Are you envious?
There are also two small tables in the front row, which are very suitable for children to lie down and do homework.
You can also buy a tea set and enjoy the scenery of Hangzhou while sipping tea (just kidding). Even if you are stuck in traffic, it will be pleasant. I dare say that sitting in a multi-million Rolls-Royce has never felt so condescending and enjoyable. Only Dahongdou can give you this kind of experience.
vehicle route
After talking about the interior configuration of the car, let’s talk about the driving route. This bus has two operating lines, called "Road 520" on weekdays, and "Dahongdou Digital Tourism Line" on weekends and holidays. The operating time and ticket price are somewhat different.
▲Exclusive pink stop sign for Route 520
Route 520
On legal working days, the route code of Dahongdou is Route 520. The origin station is Huanbei New Village in the old city and the terminal station is the Civic Center of Qianjiang New Town. The fare is 2 yuan , Operating routes, Stop station and pass by scenic spot as shown below .
Site:Huanbei New Village→Wulin Square→Yan'an New Village→Haier Lane→Shengli Theater→Hubin→Yan'an Road Jiebai→Yinmajing Lane→Yaojiang Guangsha→Chaiduo Bridge→Shisan Hospital → Zhangjiaqiao → East entrance of Xincheng Tunnel → Jiefang Road Qianjiang intersection → West gate of Civic Center → Jiangjin Road Minxin intersection → Fuchun Road Dangui Street intersection → Civic Center
Departure time:
Huanbei Xincun is 7:30-18:00
Civic Center is 8:30-19:00
Dahongdou Digital Travel Line
On weekends and statutory holidays, Dahongdou is the "Dahongdou Digital Tourism Line" that runs along the main scenic spots of West Lake. The ticket price is 5 yuan . The operating routes, stops and the scenic spots passed are as follows picture.
Site: Huanbei New Village→Wulin Square→Yan'an New Village→Haier Lane→Victory Theater→ Lakeside→One Park→Yinmajing Alley→Qingbo Gate→Jingsi→Su Causeway→Zoo→Hangbang Cuisine Museum→Bagua Tian
Departure time:
Huanbei Xincun is 9:00-16:00
Bagua Tian is 10:00-17:00
Payment method: All vehicles support online payment.
Dahongdou site guide
Considering that most people take Dahongdou for sightseeing purposes, let’s start with the digital travel line site.
Although the Dahongdou has two different routes on weekdays and holidays, the first half of the route is basically the same, from Wulin Square all the way south to Yinma well The alleys are all running through the old city of Hangzhou.
If you want to see the musical fountain by the West Lake, just get off at 📍Hubin station. From here, walk along the pedestrian street towards the West Lake. It is the most lively and prosperous area in Hangzhou. It is also the holy place for street photography in Hangzhou. , it can be said to be the place with the highest density of young and fashionable young brothers and sisters in Hangzhou.
📍Yi Park is the closest stop to the West Lake. After getting off the bus, you can walk a few dozen meters to the lake. You can also take a boat tour of the West Lake at the pier here. There will be fewer people than at the lakeside.
📍Jingsi After getting off the bus, you can reach the Leifeng Pagoda. You can climb up to the Leifeng Pagoda for a distant view, or you can walk to the lake to see the "Three Pools Reflecting the Moon", which is the pattern on the back of a dollar.
I think the scenery when getting off the bus at 📍Su Causeway is the most beautiful in the West Lake. The nearby Huagang Fish Watching and the Spring Dawn at Su Causeway are among the "Ten Scenes of the West Lake" that cannot be missed.
There are fewer tourists in Sudi Causeway than in Bai Causeway, and the scenery is more beautiful. Although Sudi Causeway is very long, many people choose to take tour buses, but I highly recommend that you visit on foot. There are many seats along the lake. Take a rest when you are tired from walking, and you will find a different West Lake.
Continuing to drive south from Sudi, Dahongdou will shuttle between the large green mountains and forests in the West Lake Scenic Area. You can choose to get off at 📍Hangbang Cuisine Museum to see the development history of Hangbang cuisine. Let’s have a meal of Hangzhou cuisine.
But if you want to eat, I recommend you to take one more stop and get off at 📍 Bagua Tian . Get off at Bagua New Village, where you can find many high quality and low price Hangzhou private restaurant. Deming Hotel, Jinzhongbang, Fangjia Kitchen, and Mu Mu Noodle House are all good choices. Ms. Duorou has written about these restaurants before. If you are interested, you can click here to view ( I will give you the most down-to-earth Hangzhou experience. Food Map).
After eating in Bagua New Village, if you still have the energy, you can climb to the top of Yuhuang Mountain to see the Bagua Tian ruins and the scenery on both sides of the Qianjiang River in the distance.
Operating on weekdays Route 520 Although the second half is not in the West Lake Scenic Area, I think it is worth taking a ride. You can ride from the old city of Hangzhou all the way to the Qianjiang New City, the CBD of Hangzhou, and watch the buildings on the roadside gradually change from old to new, from short to tall. It is simply a condensed history of Hangzhou's development.
Get off at the terminal of Route 520📍Citizen Center. After getting off the bus, Hangzhou’s landmark buildings such as the Golden Ball and the Twin Towers will unfold in front of you one by one.
Walk to the City Balcony to take a look at the dusk scenery of the Qiantang River. When it gets dark, the tall buildings on both sides of the bank all light up with landscape lights. The most beautiful night view of Hangzhou is here.
Every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday at 19:30 and 20:30, there will be a light show that lasts for half an hour . The buildings on both sides join together to form a huge curtain, which looks very shocking. At the same time, there will be a musical fountain performance in the square of the Civic Center, so remember to make time to see it.
If you have enough time, I think it would be quite comfortable to spend two yuan to sit from the starting point to the end without doing anything. Just treat it as a city tour and appreciate Hangzhou from a different perspective.
Have you ever experienced any special public transportation? Feel free to share it with us in the comment area~