CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Sansheng Shuitu Ferry in Beibei is the only vehicle ferry for public good currently operating in Chongqing. Recently, the “living bridge over the river” has gone viral again on various online platforms and has become a new tourist destination in Chongqing. For many Chongqing people, the vehicle ferry is not only a means of transport, but also a form of sentiment and memory. During the Chinese New Year holiday, more than 15,000 people visited this ferry terminal to experience.

Sansheng Shuitu Ferry in Beibei is the only vehicle ferry for public good currently operating in Chongqing.

The “living bridge over the river” in Chongqing ferries more than 100,000 vehicles a year

On February 22, the sun shone brightly and the blue sky and white clouds reflected in the Shuitu Wharf in Beibei, Chongqing. The Jialing River was filled with a steady stream of people taking a trip, as well as a long line of vehicles ready to board a boat to cross the river.

On one bank of the river is Shuitu Town, Beibei, and on the opposite bank is Sansheng Village, Shijialiang Town, Beibei. Sansheng Shuitu Ferry, which opened in 1960 and stopped charging in July 2011, is the only vehicle ferry for public good currently operating in Chongqing. In Chongqing, with its increasingly developed transport and bridges, this traditional means of allowing vehicles to cross the river is still a great convenience and is therefore known as the “living bridge over the river”.

In the past 60 years, both sides of the Jialing River have changed dramatically, but Sansheng Shuitu Ferry in Beibei is still fulfilling its mission as a “living bridge over the river”.

Accompanied by a long blast of the whistle, the ferry from the other side of the river docked and the vehicles lined up neatly on board came out... Then the vehicles lined up on this side of the river drove onto the boat in turn and it headed back across the river. Such scene has been repeated every day for more than 60 years of this ferry’s operation, with an annual average crossing of up to 100,000 vehicles.

After parking her car on the boat, Ms. Zheng stepped out and stood on the deck to take a few deep breaths of the river air. She said that she has two places of residence in Shuitu and Caijia and often has to travel between the two sides of the river, and that taking the vehicle ferry is the most convenient, whereas if she drives around the road to the other side of the river, she has to travel more than 10 kilometers.

The Ferry only runs on the river for about 5 minutes, so passengers take advantage of this break to get off their cars and enjoy the scenery on both sides of the Jialing River from the boat.

The Vehicle Ferry only runs on the river for about 5 minutes, and many passengers choose to step off in this very short time to stand on the boat and enjoy the scenery and the pleasant breeze on the river. Mr. Liang from Nanping learned about this new tourist destination in Chongqing from the Internet and drove his family here specifically to experience it that day. He said that although the waiting time in line before boarding the boat was quite long and he was only on board for 5 minutes, the ride across the river was really cool and worth it!

The Ferry operated 35 additional trips during the Chinese New Year holiday, transporting 15,000 passengers

For many Chongqing people, the vehicle ferry is not only a means of transport, but also a form of sentiment and memory. According to the relevant person in charge of Chongqing Vehicle Ferry Management Station, the history of Chongqing vehicle ferry began in the 1930s, and in the past, there were car ferries running from Yudong - Diaoyuzui, Lijiatuo - Jiudukou, Caiyuanba - Tongyuanju, Chuqimen - Haitangxi, Zhongdukou -Shimen, etc.

With the development of the times, cross-river bridges have gradually replaced vehicle ferries. Nowadays, the only remaining vehicle ferry for public good in Chongqing is Sansheng Shuitu Vehicle Ferry, which serves as a social welfare ferry, where vehicles can cross the river for free. The Ferry not only concentrates the characteristics of Chongqing landscape, but also records its profound human history, and every year many visitors make a special drive to experience it.

The person in charge said that the ferry service is from 7:30 to 18:30, with a frequency of every half hour in the morning and evening peak hours and about one hour in the rest of the day. When the number of passengers is high, the vehicle ferry will increase the frequency according to the actual situation and depart as soon as it arrives in order to reduce the waiting time. During the seven-day Spring Festival holiday this year, due to the large number of vehicles, 35 more trips (one round trip counted as one trip) were made than usual, reaching a total of 133 trips, carrying more than 5,000 vehicles and 15,000 passengers in total. (Translated by Wang Huixin, Fathom Language Limited)

After the Vehicle Ferry has docked, the vehicles drove off the boat one after another.