Ho Chi Minh City put into operation its first-ever river bus route on November 25, hoping to ease road traffic loads.

The 10.8-km route connects Bach Dang wharf in District 1 with Linh Dong ward in Thu Duc district with one-way tickets priced at 15,000 VND (0.66 USD) and excluded for people aged above 70 and children with under-one-metre height. In its first ten days of operation, passengers can enjoy the bus service free of charge.

Three vehicles are run on the route, with two more set to be launched within the first half of 2018. Main stations of the route such as Bach Dang and Linh Dong have been connected with the city’s bus network to facilitate the movement of city dwellers.

Nguyen Kim Toan, director of Thuong Nhat company – the investor of the river bus project, revealed that five out of 12 stations along the route have been completed.

The company launched and conducted technical operation in August this year. The second river bus route in the southern city by Thuong Nhat will span 10.3 km, connecting Bach Dang wharf with Lo Gom area in District 6.

It takes passengers half an hour to cover the 11-km route which starts from District 1 to Thu Duc District.

After 10 days of running free of charge, the service will now cost each passenger 15,000 Vietnamese dong (66 U.S. cents) regardless the stops he or she gets on and gets off. The route has 12 stops.

Everyday, four 18-meter long boats run along Saigon River, with each carrying up to 75 passengers a time.

This year The Ho Chi Minh City municipal administration has approved two more river bus routes connecting the downtown with new urban areas in District 7, after the first two scheduled to flow this summer.

The new routes will link Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 with Phu Thuan Ward and Phu My Hung area in District 7, which is around six kilometers (4 miles) to the southeast.

The transport and investment departments will submit a proposal to the prime minister for consideration after the city’s mayor has approved the additional routes. No schedule has been announced.Ho Chi Minh City has decided to make better use of its waterways to clear clogged streets.

They have selected the investor for the first two ferry services, which are estimated to cost VND120 billion ($5.3 million) and slated to start this June.

One route will link the Bach Dang Wharf with Thu Duc District, passing through District 2 and Binh Thanh District over the Saigon River and Thanh Da Canal before reaching its final stop on the Binh Quoi River in the northeastern district.

Another route of more than 10 kilometers will run from the downtown wharf to District 8, passing through districts 4, 5, and 6 and docking at the Ben Nghe-Tau Hu canal. Tickets will cost VND15,000 ($0.7) apiece.

Ho Chi Minh City is also set to build extra piers to serve the new service, which is said to be well connected with bus and metro routes. The city also announced late last year plans to develop a floating market to boost tourism.

Source: Vietnam Plus