The red buses are run by Hanoi Transerco and the green and yellow ones are run by Vietnam Sightseeing. Both are operational during national holidays, including this long weekend.

The Hanoi City Tour bus route run by Hanoi Transerco was the first route to be launched in May 2018.

Red two-deck hop on hop off by Hanoi Transerco was the first of its kind in the city for tourists. VNS Photo Truong Vi

The Hanoi City tour bus No 01 passes 25 streets with 13 stops, from where tourists can access 30 must-see destinations in the city.

There are headphones with audio guides in Vietnamese, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Japanese and Russian.

Hanoi City Tour buses run non-stop, with a new bus coming every 30 minutes between 9am and 5pm. Each bus can host up to 80 people.

From the bus, one can have a different view of the streets. VNS Photo Trung Hieu

“Hanoi City Tour bus by Hanoi Transerco is the first of its kind in Hanoi using two-decked buses and various modern facilities,” said Nguyen The Hung, deputy chairman of the city’s People’s Committee. “The bus has brought tourists one more high quality tourism product.”

The buses pass various sight-seeings of the city. VNS Photo Trung Hieu

The ticket price ranges from VND196,000 (US$8.4) for a two hour-tour; VND300,000 for four hours; VND450,000 for 24 hours; and VND650,000 for 48 hours.

The 24 and 48 hour tickets also allow riders free access to the two-way buses from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi and vice versa and a 'night tour' of the city worth VND200,000.

Route of two-deck bus No 1

Weekday: Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square (Bo Ho Bus stop)- Le Thai To- Trang Thi- Dien Bien Phu- Doc Lap- Hoang Van Thu- Hung Vuong- Thanh Nien- Yen Phu- Thanh Nien- Hung Vuong- Phan Dinh Phung- Hoang Dieu- Le Hong Phong- Hung Vuong- Nguyen Thai Hoc- Van Mieu- Quoc Tu Giam- Ton Duc Thang-Nguyen Thai Hoc- Cua Nam – Phan Boi Chau- Ly Thuong Kiet- Phan Chu Trinh- Hai Ba Trung- Lê Thanh Tong- Trang Tien- Dinh Tien Hoang- Bo Ho Bus stop.

At the weekend due to the pedestrian zone surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake, the route has some changes: Nha Hat Lon- Trang Tien- Ngo Quyen- Ly Thuong Kiet- Quang Trung- Trang Thi- Dien Bien Phu- Doc Lap- Hoang Van Thu- Hung Vuong- Thanh Nien- Yen Phu- Thanh Nien- Hung Vuong- Phan Dinh Phung- Hoang Dieu- Le Hong Phong- Hung Vuong- Nguyen Thai Hoc – Van Mieu- Quoc Tu Giam- Tôn Duc Thang- Nguyen Thai Hoc- Cua Nam- Phan Boi Chau- Ly Thuong Kiet- Phan Chu Trinh- Hai Ba Trung- Le Thanh Tong- Nha Hat Lon.

Second route

Since November 2018, another open-topped hop on hop off bus route marked 'Vietnam Sightseeing - Thăng Long Hà Nội City Tour', painted green and yellow, has been spotted around the city.

Green & yellow hop on hop of of the Vietnamtourism Hanoi. VNS Photo Truong Vi

Starting at Vuon hoa Con Coc (Dien Hong Park), the tour passes the city’s top sightseeing spots like Viet Nam Museum of Military History, Thang Long Citadel Complex, Cua Bac Church, Quan Thanh Temple, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh President’s Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature, Saint Joseph’s Cathedral, the Museum of Vietnamese Women and ends at the Ha Noi Opera House.

The passengers are mostly foreigners, who can choose various tickets, 4 hour – 24 hour and 48 hour at three price ranges of VND219,000 –VND329,000 and VND479,000. They can get off and on at any stop.

Free drinks, raincoats, bamboo hats are offered on the bus.

According to Vietnam Sightseeing, the firm that runs the route, on average as many as 70 tourists take the tour every day. Each day the bus runs for eight hours. There are 55 seats on each bus including special seats for people with disabilities.

vietnamnet.