Nhon-Hanoi Metro starts Thursday, offers free rides for first 15 days

The much-awaited Nhon-Hanoi Railway Station metro will begin commercial operations on its elevated section from 8 am Thursday, the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board announced on Wednesday evening.

This is the second metro line to be operational in Vietnam.

Passengers of the Nhon-Hanoi Railway Station urban railway line will enjoy free travel for the first 15 days, per the resolution from Ha Noi People's Council.

Following the initial period, the standard monthly fare will be VND200,000 (US$8). A 50 % discount will be available for students and industrial workers.

The ticket will be VND140,000 ($5.5) for those purchasing group tickets of 30 or more.

Single journey tickets will be priced at VNĐ24,000 ($1), allowing unlimited travel for the day.

Tickets for travel between stations will range from VND8,000 ($0.3) to VND12,000 ($0.5). A day pass with unlimited rides costs VND24,000.

In the first three months, the opening time will be 5.30am and the closing time will be 10pm, with a train available every 10 minutes.

In contrast to the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway line, passengers on the Nhon-Hanoi  Railway Station urban railway line will use circular tickets which resemble coins.

To pass through ticket barriers, passengers will scan their tickets to open the gates and insert them into a validating machine at their destination to exit.

Tickets are valid for 20 minutes from purchase - failure to board the train within the period requires a visit to the ticket counter for validation.

“Initially, the elevated section of the Nhon- Ha Noi Railway Station will adopt a provisional pricing model for fares and maintenance, similar to the Cat Linh-Ha Dong line,” said Vu Hong Truong, General Director of Hanoi  Metro Company - the unit which is responsible for managing, operating and maintaining the urban railway line.

Reducing traffic congestion

Traffic experts believe that the operation of the Nhon-Hanoi Railway Station urban railway line will significantly alleviate traffic congestion in the city.

Khuong Kim Tao, former Deputy Chief of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, said the new metro line would have great value in transporting passengers on the routes the train passes, thereby reducing traffic jams and environmental pollution in the city. However, "tight integration with bus services near metro stations is crucial,” he said.

Buses should be strategically positioned to facilitate easy transfers to the metro line and to aggregate passengers for onward journeys within the city.

Additional bus routes connecting the Cat Linh-Ha Dong and Nhon-Hanoi Railway Station lines were essential for maximising operational efficiency once both lines were run, he said.

Tao also said well-planned parking facilities for private vehicles such as cars and mopeds, were needed at metro stations to encourage transport behaviour shifts.

The strategy should include medium to long-term plans with projections for passenger demand growth.

Phan Le Binh, from Consultants Global Co., Ltd., said that the ticketing and validation systems of the Nhon-Hanoi Railway Station and Cat Linh-Ha Dong lines were different, which might pose initial challenges for passengers.

He said that the city should explore solutions for a unified payment system across different public transport modes to make travel more convenient and secure for residents.

Binh also recommended that the city allocate land for pickup and drop-off points for taxis, buses, ride-hailing services, and motorbike taxis, segregated from general traffic to ensure safety and order.

Prepared for launch

The Hanoi  Metro Company has trained 353 train drivers and is fully prepared with operational staff, supported by contractors and consultants.

The technical design of the elevated section of the Metro Nhon-Hanoi  Railway Station urban railway line features trains with four cars, each carrying 236 passengers, with a total capacity of 944 passengers per train.

The company plans to operate four to six trains, with a six-minute interval during peak hours, with ten trains an hour in each direction.

The line’s maximum transport capacity is projected at 9,440 passengers per hour, per direction.

The Hanoi Traffic Management and Operation Centre has also finalised plans to enhance passenger connectivity and transfers via buses.

Currently, 36 bus routes are operated along the metro corridor, with 32 bus stops, and 16 with shelters at key transfer points in Cau Giay and Nhon.

Eight metro stations are located within 50 metres of the nearest bus stop.

Notably, nine bus routes connect the Cat Linh-Ha Dong and Nhon-Hanoi Railway Station lines, meeting approximately 15-30 % of the total travel demand along the route.

The Nhon- Hanoi Railway Station urban railway line spans 12.5 km, with the elevated section covering 8.5 km and the underground section covering 4 km.

The metro project started in 2009 and was originally slated to be finished in 2015 but after delays and setbacks, the completion date is now 2027. 

Viet Nam News

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