On August 23, Datong Public Transport officially launched its new Yungang Special Line, featuring a fleet of premium Ankai E12S battery-electric double-decker sightseeing buses. The route links two of Datong's most iconic cultural landmarks—the Ancient City and the Yungang Grottoes—offering residents and tourists a seamless, immersive travel experience that blends heritage with modern mobility.
Datong, a city steeped in history, is defined by its ancient city walls—echoes of the Pingcheng era—and the awe-inspiring Yungang Grottoes, a testament to the Northern Wei Dynasty's artistic and spiritual legacy. Together, these sites form the cornerstone of Datong's cultural tourism identity. Yet for years, inconvenient transfers and poor connectivity between the two attractions have hindered the city's efforts to deliver a truly integrated visitor experience.
Addressing this gap, Datong Public Transport has built on its existing themed services—including music-themed and Chinese-style travel-shooting buses—to introduce the Yungang Special Line. Operated exclusively by Ankai's premium double-decker sightseeing buses, the new route enhances service quality through upgraded hardware, injecting fresh energy into the city's cultural-tourism transport network and bringing the "fast arrival, slow sightseeing" concept to life.
The new Ankai double-deckers feature two eye-catching exterior designs—Ancient Charm of Datong and Flavours of Datong—ensuring high visual impact. Inside, the layout balances comfort with practicality. The upper deck is fitted with panoramic windows, allowing passengers to soak in sweeping cityscapes and rural vistas along the way. The lower deck is designed for everyday travel convenience, catering to both sightseers and regular commuters.
As fully electric vehicles, the buses produce zero emissions, low noise and minimal energy consumption—fully aligned with Datong's green and low-carbon development goals. Smart voice announcements and passenger comfort amenities further enhance the travel experience, while intelligent and human-centric design ensures stable, reliable operation.
One bus connects past and present; one route links two cultural treasures. The Yungang Special Line currently operates daily from 08:00 to 17:00, departing from Taiping Tower in Datong Ancient City, passing the Bell Tower, and terminating at the Yungang Grottoes. The one-way journey takes approximately 50 minutes and costs 15 RMB. The thoughtfully planned route not only offers a new travel option for locals and visitors but also weaves together the cultural fabric of the ancient city and the grottoes, truly bringing Datong's millennia-old heritage to life.
The launch of the Yungang Special Line marks another milestone for Ankai in the cultural-tourism transport sector, and serves as a compelling example of how robust product strength can drive high-quality urban tourism development.
For years, Ankai Bus has remained attuned to market trends and customer needs, focusing on the double-decker sightseeing niche. The company refines its products with craftsmanship and pursues continuous innovation. More than just vehicles, Ankai double-deckers function as mobile carriers of urban culture, essential components of the tourist experience, and moving showcases of city identity.
To date, Ankai double-decker sightseeing buses have been deployed in cities across China—including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Taiyuan, Harbin, Hefei, Xiamen, Haikou, Yantai, Weihai and Lhasa—covering a vast geographic footprint. They help cities build integrated "transport + cultural-tourism" frameworks and have become a go-to solution for urban tourism upgrades.
While strengthening its domestic presence, Ankai has also taken its green battery-electric double-deckers global. Leveraging advanced all-electric technology, superior product quality and proven operational reliability, the company has entered overseas markets, bringing Chinese-made green mobility solutions to the international stage and delivering comfortable, intelligent travel experiences to tourists worldwide.
Cultural-tourism integration begins with sound transport infrastructure. Following the launch of Datong's Yungang Special Line, Ankai Bus will continue to expand its reach both at home and abroad. With solid manufacturing capabilities and thoughtfully designed products, the company aims to empower more cities in their cultural-tourism integration efforts, carry urban heritage and scenery forward, and contribute to the high-quality development of cultural-tourism transport around the world.
