Do you know that the city of Hangzhou has two bus lines, which not only have romantic names, but also have very beautiful sights along the way? As flowers are in full bloom in the warm spring breeze, follow me to check them out.
No. 520 Double-Deck Bus
No. 520, Hangzhou's internet famous double-deck bus, is back! With a new catchy name Big Red Bean and a delightful route, now it goes from the city center to the lakeside and then to Qianjiang New Town.
Priced almost the same with other regular bus lines in Hangzhou, however, it probably marks the highest level of comfort and style.
And of course, seats on the second floor are even more sought-after as there is a panoramic skylight. On a clear day, passengers could look up and see the blue sky and white clouds! Let's get on the bus and tour Hangzhou together!
In spring, the city indeed has a lot of flowers, and the view from the second floor is unbeatable, with fragrances of flowers coming to the face almost all the time.
The West Lake Avenue looks like being embraced by cherry blossoms, which appear everywhere as far as the eye can see and make a perfect match with the sky blue road signs. If we ignore the busy traffic, it really looks like a forest path lined with cherry blossoms.
Sit on the bus and go past the bustling Yan'an Road, the clean West Lake Avenue under good weather conditions, and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal which is full of spring colors, and the big golden ball at Qianjiang New City... Enjoy the beautiful springtime thoroughly along the way.
No. 520 Double-Deck Bus
A regular bus line from Monday to Friday
First Stop: Huanbei New Village 环北新村
Last Stop: Civic Center 市民中心
Ticket Price: RMB 2 yuan
Hours of Operation: 07:30-19:00
Big Red Bean Digital Tourism Line
No. 520 becomes the Big Red Bean Digital Tourism Line on weekends and public holidays.
First Stop: Huanbei New Village 环北新村
Last Stop: Bagua Field 八卦田
Ticket Price: RMB 5 yuan
No. 1314 Love Bus
Hangzhou has always been a romantic city. There is a romantic landmark with its own story by the West Lake wherever you go.
Lady White Snake and Xu Xian met at the Broken Bridge while Beishan Street saw the love story of Shen Qiushui and Shi Liangcai. Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, the butterfly lovers, studied together for three years at Wansong Academy, and Xiling Bridge witnessed Su Xiaoxiao’s heroic love...
This is a superb bus route that includes almost all the romantic attractions of the West Lake, making each stop an excellent choice for a stroll around the lake.
Starting from the 1st Park, we will firstly go to the Long Bridge Park, where the famous “18 Miles of Send-off” of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai took place. Now it is the best spot to photograph Leifeng Pagoda with sunset glow. And on a sunny day, many photographers will also come to shoot the zigzagging bridge together with Xiying Pavilion during sunset.
Next, we will stop at Jingci Temple which is separated from Leifeng Pagoda by Nanshan Road. Thus we could explore them together. Renowned for the love story between Lady White Snake and Xu Xuan, Leifeng Pagoda offers an excellent view of the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon from its top.
In the warm breeze of spring, peach blossoms are blooming dazzlingly and willows are swaying gracefully on Su Causeway, where willows are inter-planted with peaches, attracting people to stay.
Walk further inside to the Flower Habor Park and have a nice stroll around the shimmering Small South Lake. There is a tea house named Hu Pan Ju. The lake-view rooms on the second floor face the Small South Lake and Su Causeway. With Nanshan Road on its side and Leifeng Pagoda in the distance, it offers superb views!
If you prefer to stay away from the crowds, you may get off at Yuhu Bay Stop. Situated between Yang Causeway and Shantaishan Road and favored by locals, the less touched and extremely beautiful Yuhu Bay is a hidden gem of the West Lake far from the bustling crowds and traffic.
It is well worth visiting. And you may as well rent a bike to visit the Turtle Pond, Maojiabu, Yu Qian Temple and Huiyin Goryeo Temple, etc.
As a back garden of locals, Maojiabu has cherry blossoms in spring, hydrangeas and lotus flowers in summer, reeds and dawn redwood in autumn and snow in winter and it deserves to be deeply loved.
After exploring the attractions at the West Lake, the bus will drive along Meiling North Road to the mountains. The three Tianzhu temples, namely the Lower Tianzhu Fajing Temple, the Middle Tianzhu Fajing Temple and the Upper Tianzhu Faxi Temple are all on the way.
After Faxi Temple, the bus will take you to more places like Meijiawu Tea Village which is far away from the bustle and hustle of the city, Yunqi Bamboo Path, 9 Creeks and 18 Gullies, Song Dynasty Town and Zijiang Road, etc.
Is it much fun to take these bus lines with romantic names and explore the less-visited attractions of the West Lake leisurely in spring?
No. 1314 Love Bus
1st Park ② 一公园 ② ⇋ Song Dynasty Town 宋城景区
Hours of Operation: 08:30-18:30
Ticket Price: RMB 2 yuan for a single way
Information partially from the internet and 杭州我最懂