The city inaugurated a nearly 70-seat electric bus route operated by Vinbus with a distance of 29 km, 94 flights per day, ticket price 3,000-7,000 VND each, on the morning of March 8.
Route D4 opened this morning connecting the Vinhome Grand Park urban area (Thu Duc City) to Saigon Bus Station (District 1), operating time from 5am to 9:15pm every day, frequency of 20 minutes per trip. On the route, there are 12 buses, each with 67 seats (standing, sitting), with two entrances similar to regular buses.
Outside, the car is designed with blue and black main colors, easy to identify. The car uses clean energy, does not emit emissions, moves smoothly, does not cause noise pollution… The car is equipped with a camera, wifi, USB charging port for guests…
Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Deputy General Director of Vinbus Ecological Transport Service Company Limited (investor), said that the car has the feature of automatically controlling driver behavior, warning of unsafe risks. The body of the car is designed with an automatic lowering mode for the elderly, disabled, pregnant women… to easily get on and off.
Route D4 follows the route: Saigon Bus Station – Pham Ngu Lao Street – Yersin – Tran Hung Dao – Ham Nghi – Nguyen Thai Binh – Ky Con – Vo Van Kiet – Saigon River Tunnel – Mai Chi Tho – Tran Quy Kien – Bat Nan – Truong Van Bang – Phan Van Dang – Dong Van Cong – Mai Chi Tho – Vo Chi Cong – Le Van Viet – Nguyen Van Tang – Nguyen Xien – Vinhomes Grand Park urban area.
The ticket price of the route is currently applied at 3,000 VND per turn for students and 7,000 for normal guests; Episode 30 tickets cost 157,500 VND. The elderly, disabled, children under 1.3 m… are free.
D4 is the first electric bus of 5 routes piloted by Ho Chi Minh City in the area. The remaining four routes include: VB01 (Vinhome Grand Park – Emart Trade Center); VB02 (Vinhome Grand Park – Tan Son Nhat airport); VB03 (Vinhome Grand Park – Saigon Bus Terminal) and VB05 (Vinhome Grand Park – New Eastern Bus Station – National University Urban Area). These lines are expected to operate in the third and fourth quarters of this year.
Vice-Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoa Binh assessed electric buses with many technology applications, e-tickets not only facilitate travel but also change people’s habits in using public transport. Currently, city leaders require units to coordinate for the effective operation of the route and continue to replicate.
Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport Tran Quang Lam said that in the near future the city will complete an electronic ticket card system, connecting all types such as metro , bus, river bus , with modes such as day tickets, month, year… to create a modern transportation system.
Ho Chi Minh City currently has 126 bus routes, including 90 subsidized and 36 non-subsidized routes. The city has previously piloted electric bus routes, but with just under 15 seats in the central area, District 7 and Can Gio district, mainly serving tourists.
Previously, by the end of 2021, Hanoi had deployed three electric bus routes connecting to the capital’s bus network.