The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has just sent a document to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee proposing to support operating costs to serve people traveling on Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) for free during the New Year and Lunar New Year 2026.
According to the Department of Construction, previously, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025), International Labor Day (May 1, 2025) and National Day September 2, Hoa Sen Advertising Trading Joint Stock Company (Hoa Sen Company) sponsored funds for Urban Railway Company No. 1 (HURC1) to exempt tickets for people traveling on Metro Line No. 1 for three days (May 30, 2015 and September 2, 2025).
This activity has created a positive social effect, spreading the spirit of "a city of love" and encouraging people to experience modern public transport.
Recently, Hoa Sen Company continued to send a document to the Department of Construction, proposing to finance funding for people to travel for free on Metro Line 1 during the two New Year and Lunar New Year 2026. At the same time, businesses also hope to be decorated with political encouragement combined with advertising on trains.
On that basis, the Department of Construction has sent a document to the Department of Finance, the Department of Culture and Sports, the Urban Railway Management Board and HURC1 Company to seek opinions on the proposal of Hoa Sen Company.
Based on the opinions of relevant units, the Department of Construction proposed that the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee approve the policy of assigning HURC1 Company to coordinate with Hoa Sen Company to implement a free ticket program for people to take Metro Line 1 on January 1, 2026 (New Year's Day); February 16 - 17, 2026 (Lunar New Year, December 29 and January 1 of the Lunar calendar).
At the same time, the two units will coordinate to carry out decoration and political advertising activities on trains, to spread the spirit of welcoming the new spring and encourage people to use public transport.
Metro Line 1 will officially be commercially operational from the end of December 2024.
After nearly a year, the route has an average output of 53,440 passengers/day, peak hours serve up to 7,497 passengers/hour/way, with a total of about 14 million passengers using the service.
