Free bus fares drive increase in bus, metro ridership in Ho Chi Minh City

One month after Ho Chi Minh City introduced free bus travel, bus ridership has surged by 39%, while metro passenger numbers have also increased by around 15% year-on-year. Free travel has been available on all 134 bus routes across the city starting July 1.Deputy Director of the HCMC Public Transport Management Center Le Hoan said at a conferenceon July 30 that the bus network operated nearly 478,000 trips in July, serving more than 8.48 million passengers.The strongest increase was recorded on routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the former Binh Duong area, where passenger numbers jumped by between 72% and 135%. Public buses arrive at a station in Ho Chi Minh City, July 1, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung The MultiGo transport application also saw strong growth, with the number of regular users rising 47% to more than 105,000, while total downloads exceeded 376,000. The share of passengers using the electronic ticketing system climbed from 9% before the policy took effect to 60% after four weeks.Hoan said buses departed on schedule 97% of the time, surpassing the city's target of 95%, while passenger satisfaction remained above 80%.Metro Line No. 1 also recorded positive results.Le Minh Triet, Director of Urban Railway No. 1 Company Limited, said the line served more than 1.8 million passengers in July, up 15% from the same month last year despite the summer holiday period.He attributed the increase partly to improved connections between buses and the metro through upgraded bus stops, shelters and pedestrian links.Bui Hoa An, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Construction, said the sharp rise in bus ridership suggested that more residents were switching from private vehicles to public transport. However, he stressed that, besides maintaining a high departure punctuality rate, operators should improve on-time arrivals, as reliability is essential to attracting commuters.The city has also continued upgrading its public transport system. Since June, 175 conventional buses on 13 key routes have been replaced with electric buses, while hundreds of bus stops have been upgraded with reflective signs, LED information displays, and new shelters linked to Metro Line No.1.The Public Transport Management Center is planning to use AI to optimize bus schedules, study dedicated bus lanes, introduce public transport cards for priority groups, and launch a loyalty program on the MultiGo platform to encourage regular use.