The Saigon – Con Dao route has been temporarily suspended due to operational inefficiencies. Specifically, the Saigon – Hiep Phuoc port is located far from the city center, requiring passengers to transfer or travel there themselves, which takes a significant amount of time. The operation of this route is also affected by weather conditions and other challenges. The company’s leadership has decided to pause operations to find a more suitable solution to better serve passengers.
Three days ago, the Phu Quoc Express High-Speed Ferry Facebook page also announced a three-day suspension of the same route on July 29, 30, and 31.
 Phu Quoc Express’s announcement of the temporary suspension of the Saigon – Con Dao route. Source: Phu Quoc Express High-Speed Ferry Facebook page
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Two months ago, on May 13, tickets for the high-speed ferry from Saigon to Con Dao went on sale. The service is provided by the Thang Long super high-speed ferry, which has 1,067 seats. It departs from Hiep Phuoc Port in Nha Be District and arrives at Ben Dam Port in Con Dao District, Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, after about six hours at sea.
The ferry operates three times a week, with departures from Saigon to Con Dao at 7:00 AM from Saigon – Hiep Phuoc Port in Nha Be District. The return journey from Con Dao to Saigon leaves at 1:00 PM from Ben Dam Port. With a speed of 35 nautical miles per hour and favorable weather conditions, it takes over four hours to travel from Saigon to Con Dao and over three hours for the return trip.
Ticket prices range from 615,000 VND to 1,100,000 VND per trip, depending on the class of ticket. This price is slightly higher than the Vung Tau – Con Dao route, but the departure point is more convenient for travelers from Saigon and neighboring provinces. The introduction of this route provides passengers with an additional travel option, as previously they could only fly or travel to Vung Tau and then take a ferry to Con Dao. It also improves the connectivity between Con Dao and the provinces in the Southeast region.
The Thang Long super high-speed ferry is equipped with modern facilities and incorporates the latest technologies designed by Vietnamese engineers. The ferry has a total of four decks, including two Eco cabin decks, one VIP cabin, and a top deck exclusively for a ‘Café Roof Top.’ It is powered by Rolls-Royce MTU engines from Germany, which are the most modern in the world, fuel-efficient, and environmentally friendly.
Phu Quoc Express has been working with the Public Passenger Transport Center in Ho Chi Minh City to develop a connection to Hiep Phuoc Port, making it more convenient for passengers to access the Saigon – Con Dao high-speed ferry route.
Additionally, to accommodate passengers using private vehicles, the Saigon – Hiep Phuoc Port Joint Stock Company has arranged a 20-seat electric car service for passengers, prioritizing the elderly and children. Phu Quoc Express also provides a 45-seat shuttle bus for passengers.
For passengers traveling by taxi or car to the port, the company has agreed to a 50% discount on service fees for the first three months of operation (May – July 2024). The port management unit has also arranged a parking lot for passengers using the high-speed ferry, charging 10,000 VND per day for motorcycles and 30,000 VND per day for cars.
Phu Quoc Express had previously announced that it would temporarily suspend its shuttle bus service from June 1, 2024, to allow a more professional unit to take over, but it has not yet found a suitable replacement.
In addition to Con Dao, the high-speed ferry operator also serves other island routes, including Phu Quoc, Ly Son, and Phu Quy. Occasionally, the company announces temporary suspensions of certain time slots, most recently for the Truong Nhi ferry departing from Tran De Port in Soc Trang Province to Con Dao and vice versa. Before that, the Vung Tau – Con Dao route was temporarily suspended due to weather conditions.
High-speed ferry operated by Phu Quoc Express on the Tran De – Con Dao route. Photo: TV
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Well-known for operating Vietnam’s largest twin-hulled high-speed ferry, Phu Quoc Express Joint Stock Company was established in October 2016 and is headquartered in Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province. Its main business is coastal and oceanic passenger transportation.
The initial chartered capital was 200 billion VND. Of this, Ms. Nguyen Thi Khue contributed 98%, Mr. Pham Van Hieu (Director and Legal Representative) and Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang each contributed 1%. In mid-2017, Mr. Tran Van Trung became the General Director and Legal Representative, and Mr. Vu Van Khuong became the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Mr. Vu Van Khuong – Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Phu Quoc High-Speed Ferry Joint Stock Company
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| Mr. Trung was a non-executive member of the Board of Directors of Vinacomin Industrial Automobile Joint Stock Company (UPCoM: VMA) during the 2018-2022 period. |
In July 2018, Mr. Vu Van Khuong took on the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director, as well as the legal representative of the company. In November 2022, the company increased its capital to 233 billion VND, which has remained unchanged to the present.
