On December 12, Mr. Ngo Hai Duong - Head of the Road Transport Management Department (under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport) said that 17 bus routes for Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) will officially operate from December 20, two days earlier than the opening date of Metro Line 1.
17 bus routes are numbered: 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168 and 169.
There are a total of about 150 electric buses, including 30-seat and 60-seat types. The routes of these buses connect residential areas, schools, traffic hubs, commercial centers, high-tech zones and universities to Metro Line 1 stations.
The city will also use 4-wheel electric vehicles to connect underground stations of Metro Line 1, Ben Thanh, City Theater and Ba Son, with flexible routes and times based on passenger needs.
At the same time, the 4-wheel electric car also has a route connecting Ben Thanh station to Tan Son Nhat airport.
Ticket prices for passengers booking buses to and from underground stations in the city center are expected to be 5,000 - 10,000 VND/trip; to Tan Son Nhat airport 30,000 - 50,000 VND.
In addition to buses, Ms. Van Thi Huu Tam - Deputy Director of Urban Railway Company No. 1 (HURC1) said that this unit has just signed a cooperation agreement with Grab Vietnam Company Limited to encourage people to use metro as their main means of transportation.
The two-year cooperation agreement focuses on four key areas with the common goal of encouraging people to use the metro as a means of daily transportation.
Ms. Van Thi Huu Tam said that this cooperation aims to promote the Metro No. 1 brand, while encouraging people to access and use the metro line as a means of daily transportation. The two sides will deploy service buses for the first and last legs, helping passengers easily travel to the stations.
Grab also commits to offering many attractive promotions, with discount codes automatically displayed on the application when passengers select departure or destination points at metro stations. Both units will promote cooperation, share experiences, and contribute to building Metro No. 1 into a modern, efficient and sustainable means of transport.
Ho Chi Minh City also built private parking lots at 5 elevated stations to meet passengers' parking needs.
Van Thanh Station built a 1,596m² bus parking lot under the railway bridge and a 770m² private parking lot near the pick-up and drop-off area for buses and taxis.
Thao Dien Station has a 1,000m² private parking lot on the strip of land along Vo Nguyen Giap Street, connecting with the walkway to the pedestrian bridge.
Rach Chiec Station and Phuoc Long Station each have private parking lots of 1,500m² and 1,000m² respectively.
Binh Thai Station has a 3,000m² bus park and a 1,000m² private parking lot, along with a walkway to the pedestrian bridge.
Metro Line 1 has ticket prices ranging from 6,000 to 20,000 VND/trip.
Monthly tickets for regular customers cost 300,000 VND, while students get a discount of 150,000 VND.
Unlimited rides for one day are 40,000 VND and three days are 90,000 VND.
During the first 30 days of commercial operation, passengers on Metro Line 1 and 17 connecting bus routes will be exempt from fares.
