8am on August 8, the Nhổn - Hà Nội metro line began commercial operation on the elevated section after nearly 14 years of construction.
The elevated section from Nhổn to Cầu Giấy is 8.5 km long, including 8 stations: Nhổn (S1), Minh Khai (S2), Phú Diễn (S3), Cầu Diễn (S4), Lê Đức Thọ (S5), Đại học Quốc Gia (S6), Chùa Hà (S7), and Cầu Giấy (S8).
According to Lao Động's observation from early morning on August 8, hundreds of people were present at Nhổn station, waiting to board the train. During the first 15 days of commercial operation, all passengers were served free of charge.
Accompanied by a friend to Nhổn station from 7am, Mr. Nguyễn Việt Dũng (60 years old, Hoài Đức) said he was very excited because he had been waiting for over 10 years to see the Nhổn - Hà Nội metro line in operation.
"The train is clean, airy, runs smoothly, and the waiting area, lobby, and elevator are arranged reasonably and conveniently for passengers" - Mr. Dũng said.
When this project was launched in 2010, Ms. Lê Ngọc Thúy (Bắc Từ Liêm) gave birth to her first child. To date, when she has already given birth to her third child, she has finally been able to fulfill her dream of commuting to work by train.
After experiencing the train ride this morning, the time from Ms. Thúy's house near Nhổn station to her workplace (at the beginning of Kim Mã Street, Ba Đình District) was shortened to nearly 20 minutes, down from 30 minutes of travel by motorbike as before.
"On the route from my house to my workplace, I will be able to admire the city through the train's windows, escaping the chaotic traffic scene during peak hours" - Ms. Thúy said, adding that she will choose this mode of transportation for her daily commute in the future.
According to the Hà Nội Urban Railway Management Board, during the first three months, the operating hours are from 5:30am to 10pm, with a train departing every 10 minutes. In the future, the operating hours will be adjusted according to passenger demand.
After 15 days of free service, the Nhổn - Hà Nội metro line will apply the same fare policy as the Cát Linh - Hà Đông line.
According to this policy, the fare for a single trip on both lines is 8,000 VND per trip, while the monthly pass is 200,000 VND. Students and students are given a 100,000 VND discount per month. Only the one-way fare and daily pass on the Cát Linh - Hà Đông line are higher (15,000 and 30,000 VND, respectively) due to the longer distance (13 km).
Children under 6 years old, people with meritorious services, people over 60 years old, and people with disabilities are exempt from paying the fare.
According to Lao Động's observation, there are 36 bus routes operating along the Nhổn - Hà Nội axis, including 33 subsidized routes and 3 non-subsidized routes; 2 passenger transfer points at Cầu Giấy and Nhổn; and 32 bus stops (16 stops on the Cầu Giấy - Nhổn route and 16 stops on the Nhổn - Cầu Giấy route).
The Nhổn - Hà Nội metro line has 10 trains, with a maximum speed of 80 km/h and an average operating speed of 35 km/h. Each train has 4 cars, with a capacity of 236 passengers per car, and each trip carries approximately 950 passengers.
