HCMC pilots electric buses for tourists in coastal district

By Gia Minh May 25, 2021 | 08:09 pm PT

Can Gio coastal district of HCMC is seen from above, July 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

HCMC authorities have approved the trial operation of electric buses with less than 15 seats for tourists in the coastal Can Gio District.

During the two-year trial, Gia Nghia Transport Tourism Limited Company will operate 20 buses between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily except in bad weather.

It will begin with six buses departing from Tac Suat Wharf and passing through tourist destinations such as Sac Forest Tourism Area, April 30 Tourist Area, swiftlet farming village, and Vam Sat Ecological Tourist Site.

In a later phase the number will be increased to 20.

Since 2017 tourist electric buses have also been operating on three routes in District 1 and Phu My Hung in District 7.

Can Gio, some 50 km from the city’s downtown, is its only coastal district.

It is home to the Can Gio Mangrove Forest, a bioreserve recognized by UNESCO.

Earlier this year a ferry service between Can Gio and the resort town of Vung Tau was launched, reducing the travel time from 3.5 hours to 30 minutes.