A FERRY service between the Passenger Ferry Terminal of Shenzhen International Airport and Nansha Passenger Ferry Terminal in Nansha, Guangzhou, was officially inaugurated yesterday. It is the first passenger water route between Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

    It brings the water routes available from the Shenzhen airport to five, with the other four linking Hong Kong, Macao, Zhuhai and Zhongshan. All five destination cities are included in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

    The newly opened route connects Nansha Free Trade Area in Guangzhou and the Shenzhen airport, and will further enhance the airport’s radiative capability as an international aviation hub, the airport authority said in a release yesterday.

    Passengers from Nansha and its neighboring areas can use the ferry service to arrive at the Shenzhen airport to take flights. The trip is 35 minutes and costs 90 yuan (US$12.9).

    Using the ferry service, passengers can avoid possible congestion on Humen Bridge or Nansha Bridge they may encounter if driving, which will save at least 25 minutes on the trip to the airport.

    Today and tomorrow, passengers can ride for free.

    After passengers arrive at the ferry terminal of the airport, they can take free shuttle buses directly to Terminal 3. The whole trip is 45 minutes.

    At present, six ferry services are operating between the two cities. 

    The ferries leave Shenzhen at 10:10 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5:35 p.m. and for Shenzhen from Nansha at 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

    So far, the Shenzhen airport ferry terminal handles 60 ferry services a day with the five cities in the Greater Bay Area.

    It is also planning to open ferry routes to Pazhou in Guangzhou and Shunde City.

    (Han Ximin)