Green traffic opens way to reduce congestion in Hanoi
Statistics show that Hanoi Capital currently has more than 8 million vehicles, including about 6.9 million motorbikes and more than 1.1 million cars. Meanwhile, public passenger transport only meets about 20% of travel demand. The rapid increase in personal vehicles not only puts pressure on infrastructure but also increases emissions, affecting urban air quality.
In that context, developing green transportation is identified as one of the fundamental solutions. However, according to experts, green transportation is not only about converting vehicles to clean energy, but the core is to build a public transportation system that is attractive enough for people to change their travel habits.
Dr. Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association - said that the urban traffic problem cannot be solved by just expanding roads. The important thing is to reorganize the urban space in the direction of prioritizing public transport, creating favorable conditions for people to access modern means of transportation.
Reality in many major cities around the world shows that no city thoroughly handles congestion just by developing road infrastructure. The sustainable solution is still to increase the rate of people using public transport - the direction that the Hanoi People's Committee is persistently implementing.
Metro and electric bus create momentum for Hanoi's green traffic
In recent years, Hanoi City has accelerated investment in public transport types in a green and modern direction. One of the highlights is the process of converting buses to using clean energy. From pioneering units, many transport businesses have now participated in the roadmap for "greening" the fleet.
Currently, Lien Ninh Transport and Service Joint Stock Company has completed the conversion of 100% of its fleet to electric buses with 111 vehicles operating on 9 routes, and at the same time invested in a synchronous charging station system. At the same time, the key unit of the Capital bus network, Hanoi Transport Corporation (Transerco), is actively implementing the conversion roadmap according to the direction of Hanoi City.
In parallel with electric buses, the urban railway system has gradually affirmed the "backbone" role of public transport. In 2025, Hanoi's two metro lines served more than 20.6 million passenger trips, exceeding 7.13% of the plan. In the first 4 months of 2026, transport volume reached nearly 6.6 million trips, an increase of 3% compared to the same period.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc, Member of the Member Council - Deputy General Director of Hanoi Metro, the goal is not only to increase transportation volume but also to attract people to switch from personal vehicles to public transport, which is a fundamental solution to reduce congestion and develop green cities.
Not only developing each type individually, Hanoi City is focusing on building a multi-modal public transport network, connecting metro, electric buses, electric taxis and public bicycles. In which, public bicycles play the role of connecting the "final stage", helping people easily access transit points.
Reality shows that people are only willing to give up personal vehicles when the public transport system is convenient, synchronous and accessible. Therefore, along with investing in green vehicles, improving service quality, expanding networks and strengthening connectivity is a key factor.
According to the orientation, by 2030, the proportion of public passenger transport in Hanoi will meet about 35-40% of travel demand. This is not only the goal of the transportation industry but also an important step to control personal vehicles, reduce congestion and improve the living environment.
It can be seen that developing green transportation is not simply an energy transition in the transportation sector, but also a change in urban development thinking. When public transport becomes a priority choice, Hanoi will have more conditions to build a civilized, modern and sustainable city.
