Third state to offer Hop-On Hop-Off bus service

PERAK’s very own Hop-On Hop-Off bus service is expected to commence middle of this month.

State Tourism Committee chairman Tan Kar Hing said the launch was planned for March 16 with service starting the next day.

He said there would be three buses operating daily; the first bus will depart Amanjaya Bus Terminal at 8.30am and its service to end at 10.30pm.

“We will have one modified bus, with an open top at the back of the vehicle, while the other two are normal city buses,” he said when contacted.

“The city buses will be replaced gradually with the open-deck buses later on,” he said, adding that the Hop-on Hop Off buses can accommodate 38 passengers each.

“The buses will be managed by Tourism Perak,” he added.

Tan announced the service last year, noting that Perak would be the third state to offer it, after Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

The bus went for its third and final on-the-road simulation on Feb 23 to test out the service during peak hours, and to look into issues to be improved on.

Tan said the 28km-route would have 13 stops over a journey of 1.5 hours. 

“From the bus terminal, it will pass through the Ipoh High Court, Little India, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, Jalan Sultan Iskandar and back to the terminal,” he said, adding that the fare had yet to be determined.

-thestar online.