After the HP15 - HP16 train officially operated from September 22, many officials and people chose trains as their means of transportation. However, it was noted that in the following days, the number of passengers at Hai Duong station was somewhat smaller than the first time when it was crowded.
On September 22, the HP15 train (Hai Duong - Hai Phong afternoon) began picking up and dropping off passengers, mainly officers and employees on their way to work. According to the schedule, HP15 departs from Hai Duong Station at 6:00 a.m., arriving at Hai Phong Station at 7:10 a.m., stopping to pick up and drop off passengers at Thuong Ly Station at 6:55 a.m. In the afternoon, HP16 departs from Hai Phong station at 5:15 p.m., arriving at Hai Duong station at 6:20 p.m., stopping at Thuong Ly at 5:25 p.m.
The ticket price is applied at 55,000 VND/trip. Passengers who buy round-trip tickets during the day will receive a 20% discount on their return. In addition, the railway industry also has a group ticket policy: buy 4 tickets for only 3 tickets.
During the trial run, Vietnam Railway Corporation will analyze and evaluate periodically every 10 days to promptly adjust the train schedule, fare policy and consider putting it into official operation. At the same time, Hai Phong city also arranged additional buses connecting from the station to the workplace and vice versa to facilitate staff and people.
According to the leader of Hai Duong Station, on Monday morning (September 22), Hai Duong Station had 180 passengers taking the train, mainly officers and civil servants going to work. But by Friday morning (September 26), that number had dropped to 86. In the opposite direction, HP16 departed from Hai Phong at 6:35 p.m. on the same day with 106 passengers on board. The leader of Hai Duong Station said that the number of passengers has decreased after the first days, but the trains still maintain a stable number of passengers.
On the morning of September 26, many passengers still chose trains for safety and convenience. Ms. Nguyen Thu Huong (Tan Hung ward) said: "I work in Hai Phong, and used to take my personal car. Recently, trying to take a train has been more comfortable, without worrying about rain or wind. Although not every day is suitable for working hours, I will continue to take the train when it is suitable.
The representative of Hai Duong Station said that recording the number of daily passengers is an important basis for the railway industry to assess actual needs, thereby proposing to adjust schedules, ticket prices and accompanying services. We hope to maintain this train line as a safe and convenient choice for officers and people, said a representative of Hai Duong Station.
