Mysuru’s Ambaari double-decker bus, inspired by London’s Big Bus, hits the road

After a long wait, Mysuru has finally got its first double-decker tourist bus decked up colourfully for a trip around some of the city’s iconic landmarks. An initiative by the Tourism Department and KSTDC, Ambaari is the first double-decker hop-on hop-off bus in Mysuru wit the sole aim to attract tourists.

The bus, which was on trial run for more than a year now, has finally hit the roads today. Bright purple in colour, with the majestic ‘Ambaari’ elephant drawn over the body, Yakshagana and other such folk art references to the State’s culture, highlights the visual attraction of this customised hop-on hop-off double decker bus.

The Ambaari double-decker bus is an open-roof customised bus inspired by the London’s Big Bus model. The double-decker bus is based on the Eicher bus chassis. It stands 15 feet tall. It has a capacity of 40 seats, divided equally between the upper and lower decks. The lower deck has air conditioning facility.

While the upper deck has open roof, the lower deck is air-conditioned. (Photo courtesy: Twitter/@kstdc)

The state government has already sanctioned around ₹5 crore to deploy at least six such tourists buses for Mysuru and Hampi. It will travel around the two iconic cities in Karnataka as a vehicle for sight seeing purposes.

The state tourism department is planning to promote this double-decker bus by offering online reservation facility and guided tour offers. The buses will begin a trip every 30 minutes and the price of ticket per person is fixed at ₹250.

The Ambaari bus will cover several tourists attractions including Crawford Hall, Kukkarahalli Lake, University of Mysore, Folklore Museum, Ramaswamy Circle, Mysuru Palace, Mysuru Zoo, Karanji Lake, Sangolli Rayana Circle, Chamundi Vihar Stadium, St Philomena’s Church, Bannimantap among others. A similar plan has also been undertaken for Hampi, though the launch of the service in the historic town is yet to happen.