Implementing Directive 20 of the Prime Minister: Waiting for a breakthrough from Hanoi public transport

In addition, the Prime Minister also requested Hanoi to focus on developing a multi-modal public transport network, covering all routes, connecting key areas, charging station systems, services for vehicles using clean energy, prioritizing the use of electric buses and trains.

Hanoi Public Transport - innovated but not enough

"I dream that one day when my daughter grows up, she will not need to learn to drive a motorbike, but just need to scan the card to take the electric bus or train to be able to go anywhere in the city" - Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh (35 years old, living in Cau Giay ward) shared a simple dream that many Hanoians are sharing the same aspiration for.
At 6:45 a.m., Mr. Tuan Anh woke his little daughter in grade 6 to prepare for school.Father and son go to the bus station right at the beginning of the alley - route 05 But after 25 minutes of waiting during the car horn, he had to return to get his motorbike because the bus...did not come.

"It's not that I don't want to use public transport, but it's that I can't wait forever. Traffic jams, many vehicles, children go to school late. What is needed is not the slogan "Hanoi encourages bus travel" but is to truly have a cleaner, more punctual, and more accessible electric bus network" - he confided.

Mr. Tuan Anh's story is also the reality of millions of Hanoians - those who want to give up their motorbikes to take the train and bus, but are hindered by the patchwork and unsynchronization of the current public transport network.

Since the Cat Linh - Ha Dong metro line was put into operation, many people in Ha Dong and Thanh Xuan areas have begun to "tester" the feeling of civilized, punctual, and smoke-free travel. Ms. Do Thi Ly (70 years old, Ha Dong) excitedly said: "I am subject to the policy of free bus tickets. My house is really convenient, but my child in Gia Lam has to take two routes, take the elevated train to Kim Ma and then continue to wait, taking the bus to Gia Lam is quite tired".

Many transportation experts also believe that the train will only truly be effective if it is planned into a widespread network - connecting stations, transit points, buses, public bicycles and residential areas. This is a problem of Hanoi's public transport, causing growth to not be as expected.

Yesterday, July 15, Hanoi announced a draft political report preparing for the 18th Hanoi Party Congress. The draft stated: The passenger transport rate of public transport only accounts for 20% of demand, quite low compared to the target set for 2025 of 30-35%.

The latest report from Transerco - the leading public passenger transport unit by bus - in the first 6 months of 2025, this unit transported more than 125 million passengers, accounting for 56% of the total network output. The system currently has 154 routes, reaching an output of over 227 million passengers in 2024 and is expected to reach 250 million in 2025.

Notably, investment in electric buses is being strongly promoted. Transerco has operated 63 electric buses on 4 routes and cooperated to invest in 132 charging stations, preparing for the green transformation process. At the same time, AI technology is applied to customer care, improving service quality.

Experts say that in the next 1-2 years, buses will only be able to meet a maximum of 50% of daily travel needs, easily falling into a state of overload. In particular, many workers cannot wait long, when only a few metro lines are operating.

As of early 2025, the Cat Linh - Ha Dong route has transported more than 36.8 million passengers. The Nhon - Hanoi Railway Station route is only exploiting the elevated section, while the remaining metro lines are still in the investment preparation stage. The density of inner-city traffic routes is only about 1.7km/km2 - too low compared to developed cities such as Singapore, Paris...

Traffic expert Nguyen Xuan Thuy believes that the Hanoi metro network needs to be accelerated and well integrated with buses, BRT, taxis, bicycles for rent... However, with the current metro project implementation period lasting from 7 to 17 years, the goal of increasing the public transport use rate to 30 - 35% in the coming years is very difficult to achieve.

There have been positive signals

In the past 2 years, Hanoi has piloted and put into operation many electric bus routes. Green, clean, smooth and dusty buses are gradually becoming a familiar image on Nguyen Trai, Kim Ma, My Dinh streets...

Ms. Tran Ngoc Bich - an office worker in Linh Dam - said: "The electric bus runs smoothly, is odorless, clean and is especially friendly for children and the elderly. I hope the city will replicate this model and gradually stop running buses because they are too noisy and emitting a lot of smoke and dust."

The appearance of Vinbus with electric cars creates positive competition in Hanoi's public transportation. Small electric buses such as VinFast EB6 have recently opened up opportunities to connect small alleys, schools, hospitals - places where large buses are difficult to access. If there are support policies, investments and reasonable organization, electric buses can completely become the "backbone" of the Hanoi public transport system.

A notable bright spot is that from September 2, 2025, Hanoi will put into operation an electronic ticket system connecting public transport types. This is not only a technical improvement but also a fundamental solution to reorganize urban traffic, increase connectivity between vehicles such as buses, BRT, Cat Linh - Ha Dong metro, Nhon - Hanoi Railway Station...

The electronic ticket system helps reduce inconvenience in ticket purchases, make revenue transparent, reduce losses and allow real-time transportation operations.

On July 14, speaking with the press about the contents that the Prime Minister requested Hanoi in Directive 20, Mr. Duong Duc Tuan, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee, said that the city is studying a mechanism to support and exchange about 450,000 motorbikes using petroleum in the Ring Road 1 area.

In addition, Hanoi leaders said that with the policy of converting private vehicles, the city will invest in developing green transport infrastructure to meet the travel needs of people in the area.

Hanoi plans to increase small electric buses (8-12 seats) and 4-seat electric vehicles for inner-city transit in Ring Road 1. At the same time, speed up urban railway lines.

The requirement to convert vehicles to a destination without motorbikes, mopeds, and cars using fossil fuels circulating in some areas in Hanoi according to Directive 20 of the Prime Minister is a correct policy and also a "test" for the operational capacity, planning, and reform of the public transport system. To be successful, it is necessary to comprehensively re-plan the starting and ending points, build integrated transit points for trade - services - transportation, expand sidewalks and lanes for bicycles, increase metro - bus - pedestrian connections.

If done well, Hanoi will not only be ahead in reducing emissions but also be a model of a smart, modern city, for people and the future.

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