Making a Splash: Sky Duck amphibious bus tours launch in Tokyo (PHOTOS)

Get short URL

Published time: March 17, 2013 13:11
Edited time: March 17, 2013 18:47

The thrill of catching a bus in Tokyo has gone nautical with the arrival of 'Sky Duck,' a 12-meter-long, 2.5-meter-wide bus that is an amphibious ‘smooth operator,’ holding 32 passengers and traveling up to 100 kph on land and 13 kph on water.

Japan’s Hinomaru bus service company began its unconventional sightseeing tours in Tokyo, with two amphibious buses entering service starting on March 17.

Sky Duck boasts tires and a screw propeller so it can function equally well as a bus and a boat. The vehicle could also be used as a delivery car in case of emergency.

The multitasking Duck can enter and exit waterways without a hitch, giving tourists a chance to zigzag Tokyo by both road and river in the same journey.

The journey begins in Sumida, where travelers are welcome to catch a glimpse of the Tokyo Skytree tower, the tallest tower in the world standing at 634 meters. Sky Duck also takes tourists to enjoy Zen views of the capital’s picturesque Arakawa Natural Park.

Similar tours are also offered in Kobe, Japan’s fifth-largest city.