Hanoi to have two bus rapid transit routes | Look At Vietnam

Hanoi to have two bus rapid transit routes

June 14, 2012

LookAtVietnam – The construction of specialized roads for the first BRT (bus rapid transit) routes in Hanoi will be kicked off this July.

BRT buses in Guangzhou, China.

They are the Lang Ha-Giang Vo route, 17.4km, and Giai Phong, 10.9km. The first route will start from Giang Vo Street and end at Yen Nghia bus station in Ha Dong district. The second route will run from Van Dien town to Hoan Kiem Lake.
The two projects will be developed by the Hanoi Department of Transport, using loans from the World Bank (WB), aiming to solve traffic congestion in Hanoi.
Hanoi will also use the WB’s loans to build the belt road No. 2 of over 6km long, the Buoi roundabout, the extended Hoang Quoc Viet road, and Hoang Hoa Tham-Thuy Khue road.
The total capital for these projects is more than $452.42 million.
At a meeting on June 12, the WB’s representative said that the BRT projects were implemented slowly, with many changes in design and site clearance. After five years, only 15 percent of capital was disbursed.
Director of Hanoi Department of Transport, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung, confirmed that the road and stations for the BRT route of from Giang Vo to Khuat Duy Tien.
Hung explained that the project ran slowly because of the change of Hanoi’s border, the change of related urban railway project, difficulties in site clearance, etc.
Hanoi’s Chair Nguyen The Thao said that Hanoi was determined to carry out this project as fast as it could, aiming to finalize the construction of road by the end of December 2012 and to inaugurate the first BRT route in early 2013.
Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling. The goal of these systems is to approach the service quality of rail transit while still enjoying the cost savings and flexibility of bus transit.
In Vietnam, BRT is considered an optimal means of public transport as it facilitates 80-seat buses running on reserved or prioritized lanes to ensure an exact timetable.

Thanh Tung

Vietnam Travel tours increase price 15-20%

LookAtVietnam - Many travel companies in the country plan to increase the price of local tours by 15–20 per cent, following the rise in prices of many tourist services such as transport and accommodations.

Pham Duc Hoa, deputy manager of the HCM City-based Saigontourist, said prices for his company’s local tours would increase by 15–20 per cent in April.
According to many travel companies, the price of transport services has been soaring.
For example, the price for hiring a 45-seat coach from HCM City to Phan Thiet City for two days rose to VND7-VND7.5 million (US$350-$375), up from VND5-VND5.5 million ($250-$275) before the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.
The prices of meals and accommodations have also gone up by 15–20 per cent.
However, many travel companies are trying to maintain prices to be more competitive and encourage people to travel.
Cho Lon Travel Company said it would work with tourist service providers to negotiate prices on meals, transport and accommodations.
For some tour contracts signed in advance at former prices, which will depart in April and May, travel companies will have to face a loss.
Local promotions
According to the United Nation World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the Asia-Pacific region has recovered from the global financial crisis and led the world in tourism growth in recent years.
In 2010, Viet Nam’s tourism sector posted a growth of 30 per cent in international tourists.
The country welcomed 5 million international tourists and 28 million local tourists last year.
With this growth, the Viet Nam tourism sector expects to welcome about 5.3 million foreign tourists and 30 million local tourists this year with total revenue of VND11 trillion ($523 million).
Tran The Dung, deputy director of The He Tre (Young Generation) Travel Company, said during the last two years, the national carrier Vietnam Airlines had offered many inexpensive tickets for travel businesses that participated in a consumption-stimulus programme, which helped attract a large amount of tourists.
Though facing some difficulties at the beginning of the programme, many travel businesses last year co-operated with the airline to offer cheap tours with prices 30-35 per cent lower than market prices.
Travel firms have welcomed a total of 33,000 local tourists with cheap tours through tourism promotions.
In addition, the airline has agreed to continue another programme to stimulate local tourism this year.
It will introduce a programme to offer cheap tickets for travel businesses that participate in the stimulus programme later this month.
The airline will also operate more flights and offer more promotions for flights to Phu Yen Province and south-central provinces where there will be many cultural and tourist events for the tourism year festival to be held in the province.
Source: VNS

Drifting soul in canals and orchards in Binh Thuy

Binh Thuy, a newly-established district of Can Tho city, is enticing tourists with its primitive landscapes, canals, orchards and ancient pagodas and houses.

Foreign tourists take a boat trip on a canal in Binh Thuy district, Can Tho city.

Binh Thuy district is home to national relics such as Nam Nha Pagoda, Hoi Linh Pagoda, Binh Thuy Tower and Long Quang Pagoda, all elegant masterpieces of the human hand. Most interesting of all are the orchid tours by skiff on rivulets such as Nuoc Lanh, Long Ong, Cam, Mieu Ong, Hang Bang, Cai Son and Ba Bo. Reaching from the boat, tourists grab star apples, mangos, papayas, pomelos and oranges from the water’s surface. Sweet smells, charming ladies in traditional dress, fresh air and a poetic atmosphere make the day seem like part of a fairy tale.

Leisurely walks along winding village roads and across bamboo bridges can be relaxing. The bamboo bridges have been preserved to serve eco-tourism.

Binh Thuy is famous for its Ba Bo Flower Village in Long Tuyen Ward. Each spring the village becomes brighter and more animated as colorful flowers burst into bloom before being loaded onto boats and junks to be sold around the country.

Visitors to Can Tho should not miss the Vuon Lan ancient house, a rare and perfect example of the character of the Mekong Delta. The brick house is fronted by a wide flower garden and surrounded by rock-gardens and potted plants, and includes a three-door temple gate.

The house reflects the cultural exchange between the Orient and Europe. Craftsmen used valuable woods which were red-lacquered and gilded or encrusted with nacre and fine carvings depicting water activities, trees and fruits.

The house is furnished with many valuable antiques. A French film crew once shot a scene in the house for the film L’amant.

After a day of touring the district by boat or by bicycle, local restaurants are recommended for their indigenous specialties and seafood.

VietNamNet/SGT