HCMC launches water bus service in June

HCMC launches water bus service in June

HCMC launches water bus service in June

Le Anh

HCMC – HCMC will put its first water bus route into operation in June in an effort to ease road traffic congestion, according to the HCMC Department of Transport.

Water bus route No.1 from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to Thu Duc District is expected to be operational in June, Phan Cong Bang, head of the department’s river traffic management, said on February 16.

Route No.2 from the wharf to District 8 will be in service three months later. However, the ongoing construction of a tidal sluice along Ben Nghe Canal prevents ships and vessels crossing.

“The transport department will work with the investor to find a feasible solution as the second water bus route commences,” he said.

The ticket price is expected to be VND15,000 per person. The water bus route will be linked with overland bus routes to allow passengers to travel to other destinations citywide.

The first route will start from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 and cruise along the Saigon River to enter the Thanh Da Canal, and then move towards a wharf on the Binh Quoi River in Linh Dong Ward of Thu Duc District. The route will be nearly 11 kilometers in length and have seven stops.

The second, stretching around 10.3 kilometers, will also depart from Bach Dang Wharf on the Saigon River through the canals of Ben Nghe and Tau Hu via districts 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8.

In the first phase, the investor Thuong Nhat Co Ltd will supply 10 boats that can accommodate 60 persons. With a distance of 11 kilometers, it will take around 30 minutes each trip. The two routes are expected to serve about 5,000 passengers a day.

These routes are expected to improve road traffic, and reduce congestion in the city’s inner districts.

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