A sightseeing bus connecting 17 scenic spots in Huangpu District including People's Square, Yuyuan Garden and the Bund will be put into operation in the fourth quarter of this year, Shanghai government officials has said.     

The new route will start from the sightseeing bus center on Waima Road under the Nanpu Bridge in the district and pass by Peace Hotel, the Bund tourist tunnel, People's Square and some other major commercial and cultural tourist areas before circling back to the bus center.     

Tourists can get on and off the buses at each of the 17 scenic spots as many times as they like in one day using the same ticket, Xia Juping, an official with the tourist bureau of Huangpu District, said last Friday.     

He added tourists with a bus ticket can also enjoy discounts at the scenic spots and some hotels.     

The buses will run every half hour and the ticket will cost upward of 40 yuan ($5.85 U.S. dollars) per person.     

Four double-decker buses with open tops will be used and commentary will be given in eight languages including English, French, German, Italian and Arabic.     

Xia had great confidence that the new bus route would be popular among local tourists, although several similar sightseeing bus routes in the city have been closed or fallen into bad repair.     

"We have learned a lot about running sightseeing buses from countries such as Italy and Britain," he said.