Saigon’s river bus service in the making

Construction at Bach Dang Wharf along the Saigon River in District 1, where hydrofoils used to set off to the nearby beach town of Vung Tau. The Bach Dang-Linh Dong public river bus route will connect the wharf with a stop on the Binh Quoi River in Thu Duc District to the northeast of the city, passing through District 2 and Binh Thanh District.

This is where passengers will embark. The first route spans 10.8 kilometers (nearly seven miles).

Workers dismantle an old boathouse which was used by the hydrofoil service.

All the old banners will be taken down. Some could be reused and redesigned for the new service, which is expected to cost VND15,000 ($660) per trip.

The final stop in Thu Duc District is taking shape.

The pier has been completed.

The route with a total of 12 stops is expected to take half an hour, cutting a third of the time it would take to travel by for road.

Workers build a waiting room for passengers at the Thu Duc terminal.

The first route will use five 80-seat boats. The second route from Bach Dang Wharf to District 8 is scheduled for early 2018. The two routes are expected to cost an estimated VND120 billion ($5.28 million).