HCMC – Vam Cong ferry service on the Hau River in the Mekong Delta is set to resume on September 2 after a four-year hiatus induced by the completion in 2019 of the Vam Cong Bridge.
The decision comes in response to the increasing demand from residents living near the ferry terminal, said Le Hoang Bao, director of the Dong Thap Department of Transport.
Residents in the local area often travel an additional 10-kilometer distance to cross the river as the Vam Cong Bridge was situated four kilometers from the ferry terminal location, the local media reported.
To address this, the authorities will initially operate three ferries of 40 to 60 tons from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m. The ferry service will only accommodate automobiles with 30 seats or less and trucks weighing less than seven tons.
Fares for the ferry service will vary depending on vehicles. For motorcycles, the fare starts at VND6,000, while vehicles with seven seats or less and trucks under three tons will be charged VND25,000. Trucks weighing 5-7 tons or coaches with 16-30 seats will be charged VND60,000 per trip.
The ferry service connects two parts of National Highway 80, one in Lap Vo District, Dong Thap Province, and one in Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province. It had been operational for a century until local authorities decided to halt the service after the inauguration of the Vam Cong Bridge on May 19, 2019.
The bridge, which links Can Tho City and An Giang Province, cost VND5,700 billion.
