Xuwen comes to rescue of stranded Hainan passengers

Passengers and vehicles are ferried from Hainan province to New Hai'an Port in Xuwen county. [Photo by Lin Shizhan/Zhanjiang Daily]

Xuwen county, Zhanjiang has responded quickly to the surging passenger flow from Hainan province after a daylong halt of ferry services across the Qiongzhou Straits on Feb 19 due to heavy fog.

More than 10,000 cars lined up for miles in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, as the ferry service is the only way to drive to and from the island. Xuwen, which sits across Hainan from the Qiongzhou Straits, is one of the major exit points for travelers.

Local transport and public security authorities have dispatched more than 100 officials immediately to help Hainan coordinate the passengers and vehicles which had been trapped in the island.

An official directs the traffic flow at New Hai'an Port on Feb 21. [Photo by Lin Shizhan/Zhanjiang Daily]

A total of 71 vessels, including 37 from New Hai'an Port and 34 from Old Hai'an Port have been sent to Hainan to relieve the traffic situation since the start of the Spring Festival travel rush on Feb 1.

The process was further sped up, as passengers are allowed to buy the tickets by using their mobile phone to scan the QR code displayed in the station. The fare will be deducted from their Wechat account automatically.

Meanwhile, drivers or passengers that are not familiar with online payments could still buy tickets from the self-service ticket machines. Four additional manual ticket windows were also opened during the travel rush period, extending the total to nine.

Passengers buy their tickets from the self-service machines. [Photo by Lin Shizhan/Zhanjiang Daily]