HCMC, Vung Tau inaugurate new ferry service

The Departments of Transport of HCMC and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province on January 4 inauguarted a new ferry  route between the city’s outlying district of Can Gio and the province’s Vung Tau City.
The ferry service linking HCMC’s Can Gio District and neighboring Vung Tau City is put into operation. (Photo: SGGP)
The ferry service linking HCMC’s Can Gio District and neighboring Vung Tau City is put into operation. (Photo: SGGP)
Attending at the inauguration ceremony were Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of HCMC Tran Luu Quang; Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong; Secretary of the Party Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Pham Viet Thanh; Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Nguyen Van Tho.
It is the first sea ferry in HCMC, departing from Tac Suat pier in the coastal suburban district of Can Gio to the popular beach town of Vung Tau in the neighboring province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
The 15-km route will take around 30 minutes. There will be two ferries of 24 trips each a day. A voyage is carried out every 60 minutes.
A ferry is 45 meters long and 10 meters wide with a motor of 2,900 horsepower and speed of 24 knots (over 43km) per hour. The 2-storey ferry can accommodate 190 passengers, 10 cars and 100 motorcycles.
A one-way ticket price is VND70, 000 (US$2.9) per person. A 4-seat car or a pickup truck will be charged VND350,000 (US$14.6). The fare is VND450,000 (US$18.75)/ car from 7 to 20 seats; VND600,000 (US$25)/ 20-26 seat coach; VND800,000 (US$33.3)/ coach with 26 seats and over; VND400,000 (US$16.66)/ a less than 3 ton truck; VND1 million (US$41.66)/ a truck greater than 8 tons.
Other facilities, such as terminals and parking lots have been also put into operation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong stressed that the ferry service will reduce the distance between Can Gio and Vung Tau. Travelers can take only 30 minutes on their sea trips instead of 3 hours and 30 minutes by road.
It also creates advantages for Can Gio District to connect with neighboring localities to boost its socio-economic growth and tourism development. 
Additionally, the new service helps shorten travel time from provinces of Long An and Tien Giang to Vung Tau City by taking a cruise trip from Can Giuoc pier in Long An to Can Gio pier in HCMC and then travelling about 40km to Tac Suat pier for a total time of 2 hours and 30 minutes, he added.
HCMC has currently 30 ferry piers operating on Sai Gon and Dong Nai rivers, including the two largest wharves of Cat Lai connecting District 2 and Nhon Trach District in Dong Nai Province, and Binh Khanh linking Can Gio and Nha Be districts that carry about 80,000 passengers per day and 100,000-120,000 travelers on national holidays.
HCMC, Vung Tau inaugurate new ferry service ảnh 1 Leaders of HCMC and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province join the ribbon cutting ceremony.
HCMC, Vung Tau inaugurate new ferry service ảnh 2 Can Gio-Vung Tau ferry pier 
HCMC, Vung Tau inaugurate new ferry service ảnh 3 Ferry ticket prices
HCMC, Vung Tau inaugurate new ferry service ảnh 4 Leaders of HCMC and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province take a trip from Can Gio to Vung Tau.
HCMC, Vung Tau inaugurate new ferry service ảnh 5 Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong
HCMC, Vung Tau inaugurate new ferry service ảnh 6 Passengers on the first trip
HCMC, Vung Tau inaugurate new ferry service ảnh 7

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