Abandoning personal vehicles
Every morning, Ms. Duong Thi Ngan (Duong Noi ward, Hanoi) and a friend walk to Yen Nghia station to catch an electric train to Cat Linh station. From here, she continues to take the bus to the office. The nearly 20km journey from home to work was once a nightmare when she still drove a car every day.
“Previously, I could take about 2 hours to travel by personal vehicle. But now taking the subway is only about 22 minutes, then taking the bus for about 10 minutes more. Including the walking time from the bus stop to the office, the total time is about 40-45 minutes. It has been reduced a lot compared to many years ago” - Ms. Ngan shared.
No longer worried about traffic jams, finding a parking spot or being stressed behind the wheel, every morning she can take advantage of reading news, handling work on her phone or simply resting before starting her working day. Moreover, the time to walk from bus stops to the office also helps me increase exercise, helping my health improve after many hours of working in the office.
Choosing public transport but in a different way, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai (Tay Mo ward, Hanoi) has been attached to electric buses for nearly a year now. Every morning, he walks for a few minutes to the stop, gets on the electric bus to the city center and then walks a short distance to the office.
At first, I just wanted to save costs. But after a while, I found the car running very smoothly, cleanly, with air conditioning, no smoke and dust. The most important thing is that I don't have to jostle in traffic or be stressed by traffic jams. That's why I still drive electric buses until now" - Mr. Hai shared.
Public transport ecosystem is gradually forming
Stories like Ms. Ngan or Mr. Hai show that people are willing to change their habits if public transport is convenient and reliable enough. After nearly 5 years of operation, the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway line has become a familiar choice for tens of thousands of passengers every day, contributing to changing the way many people move in the western Hanoi area.
Meanwhile, the Nhon - Hanoi station metro line is operating the elevated section from Nhon to Cau Giay and is expected to complete the entire line in the coming years. When put into synchronous operation, this urban railway line will connect the western area with the city center, significantly expanding the service scope of public transport.
According to the urban transport development plan, Hanoi also plans to invest in more metro lines. In June 2026, Hanoi simultaneously started construction of 5 urban railway lines (metro), including: No. 1, No. 2, No. 8, No. 10 and No. 14, with a total length of more than 300km. These railway lines will directly connect Noi Bai airport, Hanoi station, Ngoc Hoi, Hoa Lac, Thu Lam, Co Loa, Ocean Park and key development areas of the Capital.
In parallel with the metro, the city is also promoting the conversion of buses to using electricity and green energy. Many new electric bus routes will be put into operation in 2026, playing the role of passenger transit from residential areas to metro stations and vice versa.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Hoang Kien (University of Transport) said: Not only meeting travel needs, metro also contributes to forming a modern traffic culture, reflected in the image of people queuing to buy tickets, and civilized behavior at stations. Metro is playing an important role in the "Green Hanoi" construction strategy. With its non-CO2 emission characteristics, this type of transport is considered the key to helping the city move towards sustainable development goals.
Reality shows that Ms. Ngan or Mr. Hai's decision to leave their car at home did not come from calls for environmental protection, but from practical experiences: Going faster, less stressed and more economical. That is also the most important measure of green traffic.
