Ferry service between Cần Giờ and Vũng Tàu opens

A ferry service between HCM City’s Cần Giờ District and Vũng Tàu City in the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu began on Monday.

The 15km trip will take half an hour compared to three and a half hours by road.

The service to Vũng Tàu from the outlying district’s Tắc Suất Wharf will initially have two ferries operating at one-hour intervals and making 24 trips a day.

With double decks, the 45m long and 10m wide vessels can carry up to 190 people at a maximum speed of 43km per hour.

They can also transport around 10 cars, 50 motorbikes and goods.

The fares will range from VNĐ50,000 to VNĐ1 million depending on whether customers use their own vehicles.

It does not carry container trucks. The fare is VNĐ50,000 for motorbikes and bicycles, VNĐ350,000 for four-seat cars and semi-trucks, VNĐ450,000 for seven- to 20-seat cars, VNĐ600,000 for 20- to 26-seat vehicles, and VNĐ800,000 for vehicles with 26 seats or more.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyễn Thành Phong, Chairman of HCM City People’s Committee, said the new ferry would offer a convenient means of travel between the two cities, for which there is huge demand.

It also helps ease the pressure on road routes like the HCM City – Long Thành – Dầu Giây expressway and Highway 51 in Đồng Nai Province, he said.

“The new service will improve Cần Giờ’s connectivity with neighbouring provinces and boost tourism in Cần Giờ and Vũng Tàu, top destinations in the south.”

The service was originally scheduled to start on April 30, but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Currently hydrofoil services and buses operate between the city and Vũng Tàu.

Developing waterway transport to reduce pressure on roads, especially on weekends and holidays, is one of HCM City’s major transport ambitions. — VNS