Four double-decker sightseeing buses were put into service on April 28 in Yantai, Shandong province. The buses are the first of their kind in the area.

A double-decker sightseeing bus, the first of its kind in Yantai, Shandong province, is put into service on April 28, 2015. [Photo/shm.com.cn]

A total of 160 local residents were invited to ride the buses for free on the day. The buses run along a 21.5-kilometer route, which takes one and a half hours to complete. The route has 20 stops and covers over 20 scenic spots and 10 shopping malls, such as the Sea Bathing Spot, Yantai Mountain scenic spot, Yuhuangding Park and Wanda Plaza.

There are two types of bus tickets for the route: a 10-yuan ($1.64) day pass and a 5-yuan single pass. The single pass allows tourists to take a single bus journey, while the day pass allows tourists to embark and disembark the buses at each of the 20 stops multiple times throughout the day.

Each passenger will be offered a free tourist map and a pair of earphones. The earphones will allow tourists to listen to the audio tour guide information from a sound transmitter equipped on the back of each seat. The voice guide is available in three languages - Chinese, English and Korean.

The buses will each have an onboard attendant who will also serve as a tour guide, introducing the scenic spots along the route, selling tickets to the tourist attractions and taking care of special groups such as the disabled and pregnant women.

A bus attendant offers a cup of water to a passenger on a sightseeing bus in Yantai, Shandong province on April 28, 2015. [Photo/shm.com.cn]

The buses will run from April 1 to Oct 31 annually.

Edited by Jacob Hooson