Drivers take a punt on tiny river ferry to beat Beijing’s traffic
Residents of Yanjiao say a backwater crossing cuts hours of grief commuting by car into the Chinese capital
To bypass the notorious traffic congestion in the Chinese capital, Beijing, car owners from a neighbouring town have turned to a traditional river ferry crossing to commute to the city, the Beijing Youth Daily reports.
A ferry that crosses the 50-metre-wide Chaobai river has gained increasing traction online in recent days after more drivers seek ways to bypass the traffic horrors between Beijing and Hebei province.
It first came to light after a social media user, Wang Bin, shared his experience online of driving into the city from Yanjiao. Instead of taking the highway, Wang crossed the Chaobai river, which divides Beijing and Hebei, on the ferry.
The ferry’s operator, Li Lian, said he has been crossing the river for more than 30 years and is the fourth generation of his family working to operated the ferry.
Wang said that the traffic jam at the Baimiao checkpoint can easily waste travellers more than an hour during rush hour.
Meanwhile, it only takes only a minute to cross the river, although the narrow vessel can only carry one vehicle at a time.