Phan Rang: 350km in 8 hours, so scary!

Passengers go from other transit stations in Ho Chi Minh City to the new Eastern Bus Station to take routes to the Central region.

The route was like this: 7:30 a.m. I got on the bus at An Suong Bus Station (one of the four major bus stations in Ho Chi Minh City, in District 12). The bus ran slowly and arrived at the new Eastern Bus Station (Thu Duc) at around 9:30 a.m. This was the main station and it turned out that I got on the bus at An Suong Station, like a transfer bus. Then I officially went to Phan Rang.

From Thu Duc, the bus went onto the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay - Phan Thiet expressway. I was sure that if I took this route, I would arrive in Phan Rang in about 4 hours. But no, when I arrived in Phan Thiet, the bus slowly started to drop off passengers. Every few kilometers, every few dozen kilometers, a few people were dropped off, just like the buses of the past.

The rest stop is terrible, the meals are 50-60 thousand VND but very few. The toilets are dirty. The same bus company but the routes to the West or Da Lat are better, the buses don't drop off passengers along the way and the rest stops are also of better quality and cleaner.

I didn't understand why the car dealership of a top brand in the country was doing business like that, so I called the CEO. He just "thanked me and asked for my acknowledgement for adjustment".

They probably also have difficulties in serving the majority, making a profit and paying taxes. Not to mention some unreasonable routes, parking lots... which, as businesses, they often do not dare to speak up about because of their sensitivity.

But whatever you say, it is very difficult to accept a service that takes 8 hours continuously to travel 350km, in this era of high speed and highways. 8 hours means losing an entire working day.

With the current road conditions on National Highway 1 (QL1) and services, on April 30, when the Cam Lam - Vinh Hao expressway connects the entire route from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang, it will be good news for many people.

At that time, if you go by private car and choose the highway, it will only take 5 hours, reducing nearly half the time compared to taking a branded bus (because they often choose to go on National Highway 1 to pick up and drop off passengers).

The Cam Lam - Vinh Hao Expressway will be completed and open to traffic on April 30 this year. In the photo is the Du Long intersection from National Highway 1 connecting to the expressway. Photo: Vinh Phu.

As of April 17, the Cam Lam - Vinh Hao route has almost completed all construction work, only adding signs and completing small parts at intersections. The two investors, Deo Ca Group and Company 194, breathed a sigh of relief after more than 30 months of construction at full speed, overcoming price storms and the pandemic.

On April 30 and May 1, tourists at both ends of Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang can travel quickly, not taking much time compared to flying, only 5 hours compared to 4 hours by plane (2 hours to travel to the airport at both ends, sitting at the waiting room, 1 hour flight, 45 minutes from Cam Ranh to Nha Trang).

When the highway is connected, people and businesses will have more choices. That is the principle of fairness. Going on the highway by private car or bus will cost more (after collecting tolls), but in return it is quick and convenient.

For logistics businesses, they will consider more because of the highway fees involved. However, less time consuming, less machine wear and tear and more profitable fuel are also things for them to calculate.

In general, by April 30, in the South, from Nha Trang, you can go straight to Can Tho by expressway. Two or three years ago, no one would have believed this, because the 51km Trung Luong - My Thuan expressway, which was built 10 years ago, was just a patchwork of rough patches, and construction had started... 3 times.

But the pace then accelerated; weak contractors and investors were transferred. In some projects, contractors supported each other, helping each other to reach the finish line, which is a rare event. The speed of completing highway sections across the country has changed very clearly and brought enormous benefits to development.

The highway has the role of the highway. National Highway 1 has the role of National Highway 1. Although old, National Highway 1 has its irreplaceable mission. Businesses operating and providing services on this route, just need to adjust their services in a better direction to serve many people with their own segments.

And having two parallel roads to share with each other will certainly make the country's economic and social activities smoother, instead of making passengers spend 8 hours traveling 350km in misery like the scene that is happening every day today.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/tphcm-phan-rang-350km-di-mat-8-tieng-dong-ho-hai-qua-192240417081143182.htm