Brian Jeffrey
| A photo showing the station of the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station urban railway line. —VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh |
The long-awaited Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station metro will start its commercial operations on the elevated section starting at 8am on Thursday, as announced by the Hà Nội Metropolitan Railway Management Board.
This marks the second operational metro line in Vietnam.
Passengers on the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station urban railway line will have free travel for the first 15 days according to a resolution from Hà Nội People’s Council.
After the initial period, the standard monthly fare will be VNĐ200,000 (US$8) with discounts for students and industrial workers.
Single journey tickets for unlimited travel in a day will be priced at VNĐ24,000 ($1).
Different fares ranging from VNĐ8,000 ($0.3) to VNĐ12,000 ($0.5) will apply for travel between stations.
The operating hours in the first three months will be from 5:30am to 10pm with trains available every 10 minutes.
Unlike the Cát Linh-Hà Đông urban railway line, passengers will use circular tickets resembling coins on the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station urban railway line.
Passengers will scan their tickets to pass through barriers and will insert them into a validation machine at their destination to exit.
Tickets are valid for 20 minutes from purchase and failure to board within this time requires validation at the ticket counter.
The provisional pricing model for fares and maintenance in the initial phase will be similar to the Cát Linh-Hà Đông line, according to Vũ Hồng Trường, General Director of Hà Nội Metro Company.
Alleviating Traffic Congestion
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| A photo of the ticketing system at a station of the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station urban railway line on Wednesday. —VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh |
Experts believe that the Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station urban railway line will greatly reduce traffic congestion in the city.
Khương Kim Tạo emphasized the importance of integrating bus services near metro stations to enhance operational efficiency once both lines are running.
Tạo also suggested strategic placement of buses for easy transfers and the need for additional bus routes connecting the two metro lines.
Phan Lê Bình recommended exploring unified payment systems for various public transport modes for convenience and safety of residents.
Bình also proposed designated areas for pick-up and drop-off services to ensure safety and order.
Preparation for Launch
The Hà Nội Metro Company is fully prepared with trained staff, operational plans, and technical designs for the metro line.
Plans include operating four to six trains with a capacity of 944 passengers per train during peak hours.
The line’s maximum transport capacity is estimated at 9,440 passengers per hour, per direction.
The Traffic Management and Operation Centre in Hà Nội has also finalized plans to enhance connectivity through buses.
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| A worker cleaning the station before the commercial operation. —VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh |
The Nhổn-Hà Nội Railway Station urban railway line spans 12.5 km, with an elevated section of 8.5 km and an underground section of 4 km.
The project, which began in 2009, is expected to be completed by 2027 after facing delays and setbacks. — VNS
