In its first eight days of operation, Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1 recorded over 900,000 passenger trips, with December 29 alone reaching 201,000 trips—higher than the opening day and six times the initial projected capacity.
During the free time, passengers take the train mainly to explore and experience the service. Photo: Duy Hieu.
HURC1 Co., Ltd., the operator of the Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien metro line, has released passenger data spanning December 22 to December 29.
During this period, the metro line operated a total of 1,562 trips, serving over 908,000 passengers—an average of more than 113,500 trips per day. This figure is three times the initial forecast of around 39,000 trips per day.
Notably, passenger numbers surged during the weekend of December 28-29, with daily figures reaching approximately 175,000 and nearly 201,000 trips—5 to 6 times higher than projected.
Currently, passengers do not require tickets; station staff assist with crowd management and guide passengers through control gates. However, the large number of passengers has led to overcrowding at some stations during peak hours.
To address this, a new access management system will be introduced starting January 2, 2025. Passengers can generate QR codes via the HCMC Metro HURC app to enter the stations.
Passengers wish to use bank cards for metro access can experience free rides from January 2 to January 9, provided they have a Mastercard. Those without a Mastercard can bring their national ID or chip-embedded ID cards, or use the VNeID app to apply for a card directly at the station.
From January 10 onward, additional card types, including Visa, JCB, American Express, UnionPay, and Napas, will be accepted at entry gates, depending on the coordination timeline with card issuers.
For the first six months, the metro will operate from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with intervals of 8-12 minutes between trains. After this initial phase, operating hours will extend to 11:30 PM, with peak-hour intervals of 5 minutes, 10 minutes during regular hours, and 15 minutes during off-peak times.
For passengers paying cash, ticket prices range from VND 7,000 to VND 20,000 per trip, depending on the travel distance. Non-cash payment users enjoy slightly lower fares, starting at VND 6,000 per trip and peaking at VND 19,000 per trip.
Day passes are priced at VND 40,000 (unlimited trips in a day), while three-day passes cost VND 90,000. Monthly passes for regular passengers are VND 300,000 (unlimited trips within the month), with discounted rates of VND 150,000 for students.
During the first 30 days of commercial operation, all passengers can enjoy free metro rides and free shuttle bus services connecting to metro stations.
After this promotional period, priority groups, including children under six, seniors over 60, war veterans, and individuals with disabilities, will continue to receive free access to metro services.
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Source: Vietnam Insider