HCM City is set to launch a ferry route linking the city's Can Gio District and the popular beach city of Vung Tau in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province from September.

Bui Hoa An, deputy director of the municipal Department of Transport, said that the work on the project has mostly been completed for the operation scheduled to start from September 2.

Six ferries will be used for the 15-km route which will take around 30 minutes. They can transport 350-500 passengers, 100 motorbikes and 20 cars and make 24 return trips a day.

The proposed one-way ticket is VND50,000 (USD2.17) per person.

The service will help to shorten the travel between HCM City and Vung Tau City.

At present, the wharf construction is underway which is slated for completion for nearly one month to come.

The ferry route is also expected to promote tourism in the HCM City’s coastal suburban district of Can Gio where owns great potentials for tourism development.

According to experts, the ferry service will help to ease pressure on roads connecting HCM City and Vung Tau City, including the HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway which often faces traffic congestion during holidays.

Tran Song Hai, general director of Cong Nghe Xanh DP Ltd. Co. which operates the high-speed HCM City-Vung Tau catamaran said that the travel demand between the two cities has been on the rise. So, it is necessary to open the ferry route which can carry bulky goods.