The Big Bus Company
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| Parent | Exponet Private Equity (85%) Merlin Entertainments (15%) |
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| Commenced operation | June 1991 |
| Headquarters | London |
| Service area | Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Chicago, Dubai, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, London, Miami, Muscat, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, Rome, San Francisco, Shanghai, Sydney, Vienna, Washington, D.C. |
| Service type | Open top bus operator |
| Website | www.bigbustours.com |
Big Bus Tours (formerly The Big Bus Company), is an operator of open top bus sightseeing tours founded in London in 1991. The company operates in 20 cities of 11 countries with more than 150 buses around the world. The United States is the country with the largest number of cities with Big Bus Tours service. Typically, Big Bus Tours use open top double-decker buses in burgundy and cream-coloured livery.
The Big Bus Company first started operating in London, England in June 1991 with four buses by the Maybury family. It later expanded to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Philadelphia, and so on.
In May 2007, the Abu Dhabi company the Al Fahim Group purchased a 30% shareholding. Big Bus Tours was formed in May 2011 when The Big Bus Company of London merged with the Les Cars Rouges Company of Paris.
In February 2015, the business was sold to Exponet Private Equity. In February 2016, Merlin Entertainments bought a 15% shareholding.
Buses travel near major landmarks around the town or city it tours. Pre-recorded or live commentary about the landscape is provided through small headphones worn by each passenger. Users may leave the bus and board again without limit (hop-on, hop-off) at special bus stops on a circular route. In large cities, buses go on more than one route. In some cities (such as Hong Kong) some variants of the ride include travelling by boat.
In April 2010, The Big Bus Shanghai was established. It operates a fleet of eight Ankais.
On 15 December 2008, The Big Bus Hong Kong was established. With the largest fleet of open-top buses in the city, it serves three sightseeing routes: Hong Kong Island (Red Tour), Kowloon (Blue Tour) and Stanley (Green Tour). The tour offers a wide range of packages which include free travel on the Peak Tram, entry to the Sky Terrace on Victoria Peak, a traditional Sampan ride, and a Star Ferry harbour tour.
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Wikipedia