On the morning of January 1, 2026, Lao Dong's records in the western gateway area of Ho Chi Minh City such as National Highway 1, roads leading to the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong expressway, Mien Tay Bus Station,... the traffic situation was stable and smooth despite the increase in vehicle volume on New Year's Day.
At Mien Tay Bus Station, the atmosphere is quite bustling as a large number of passengers move to return to the western provinces for the New Year holiday.
The ticket office area and waiting hall were crowded, but the shuttle operations took place orderly, without any jostling or congestion of vehicles entering and leaving the station.
Ms. Thu Suong, a ticket sales staff for the Ho Chi Minh City - Ca Mau route, said: "Up to now, the number of tickets sold has reached a relative level, not all bus tickets have been sold. Some peak hours in the evening have a better number of customers, while during the day there are still tickets.
On National Highway 1 and the road leading to the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong expressway, car traffic increased compared to normal days, but the flow of vehicles moved continuously. Vehicles easily reached the expressway, without prolonged congestion or traffic jams.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa (An Lac ward), who returned to Can Tho to visit his family on the first day of the year, said: "I left early in the morning, the bus was crowded but I ran quite comfortably. The road to the expressway is clear, not jammed as worried. Traveling at the beginning of the year like that is very convenient.
According to the Traffic Police Department (CSGT) - Ho Chi Minh City Police, before entering the 2026 New Year holiday, the unit has proactively developed and implemented many plans to ensure traffic order and safety throughout the city.
Accordingly, the traffic police force focuses on deploying troops to organize traffic diversion and regulation in the central area, New Year's Eve event venues, bus stations, train stations, airports, as well as city gateways and access roads to expressways.
At the same time, patrol and control work is strengthened, focusing on strictly handling violations that are direct causes of accidents and traffic congestion such as alcohol concentration violations, drugs, carrying more people, stopping and parking and picking up and dropping off passengers not in accordance with regulations.
Functional forces recommend that people raise awareness of traffic law compliance, not drive vehicles when using alcohol, proactively monitor traffic information and comply with traffic police instructions to ensure safety for themselves and the community during the holidays.
