HCM City to adjust bus routes during Tết holiday

Buses at Miền Tây (Western) Bus Station in HCM City’s Bình Tân District. — VNS Photo Nguyễn Diệp

HCM CITY — The HCM City Management Center of Public Transport has announced the adjustment for some bus routes in the city to meet passenger demand during the upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year).

The Tết holiday will last seven days from February 8 to 14, 2024.

The adjustment will start from January 31 to February 19 (from the 21st day of the last lunar month of 2023 to the 10th day of the first lunar month of 2024).

Accordingly, bus route No. 60-1 between Miền Tây (Western) Bus Station in the city’s Bình Tân District and Đồng Nai Province’s Biên Hòa Bus Station will increase its frequency to 66 trips per day from February 6 to 8 and from February 13 to 14.

Bus route No. 109 between Sài Gòn Bus Station in District 1 and Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Tân Bình District will increase its frequency to 72 trips per day, operating 24/7 before and after the Tết holiday to meet the high travel demand of passengers and reduce traffic pressure in the area around the airport.

Operation of the bus routes No. 76, 93, 150, 55 and 26 connecting with the new Miền Đông (Eastern) Bus Station in Thủ Đức City must follow the directions of the city’s Department of Transport and the schedule issued by the Management Centre of Public Transport.

The Sài Gòn Railway Joint Stock Company said it added many trains, and major bus passenger companies also increased vehicles from the city to the Central region during Tết, but many sleeper tickets were sold out due to high demand.

Train tickets for routes from HCM City and the provinces of Bình Dương and Đồng Nai to the Central region are fully booked on the peak days from the 24th to 28th days of the last lunar month of 2023.

After opening ticket sales in mid-October 2023, the railway industry has increased trains three times with many routes from the south to Quảng Ngãi, Quy Nhơn, Vinh and Hà Nội.

However, there are only tickets left for the off-peak period from the 12th to 20th day and the 29th and 30th day of the last lunar month of 2023.

According to Nguyễn Lâm Hải, deputy director of the New Eastern Bus Station, the total number of seats provided by transport companies at the station in the 10 days before Tết is about 87,000, of which, more than 39,000 have been sold, most of which are sleeper tickets.

On the peak days, sleeper tickets for some routes to the Central region such as Đà Nẵng City and the provinces of Quảng Ngãi, Quy Nhơn and Phú Yên are no longer available due to huge demand.

Meanwhile, transport companies still have many beds available to serve customers during the off-peak period.

“There are still many tickets for seat buses, ensuring safety and comfort. Passengers can have peace of mind buying the tickets because the transport companies have invested in improving their quality,” he said.

He recommended passengers use authentic websites to purchase bus tickets to avoid overcharging, low-quality or fake tickets.

According to Đỗ Ngọc Hải, head of the city’s Department of Transport’s road transport management division, the city’s interprovincial bus stations are expected to serve nearly 72,000 passengers per day this Tết, a year-on-year increase of 18 per cent.

The above number of passengers is equivalent to about 3,030 bus trips per day. The bus stations have prepared plans to increase vehicles, trips and routes during Tết in case there is rising demand from passengers during Tết.

In order to control ticket prices, drivers between stations in HCM City and other provinces and cities will update the traffic situation and prepare for scenarios of congestion on their journey to pick up passengers.

In addition, the city Public Transport Management Centre has increased buses to entertainment areas and interprovincial stations to relieve passengers when congestion occurs. — VNS