Ho Chi Minh City metro line’s automatic ticket machines to be operational next month

According to the metro operator, Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Co., Ltd., four types of smart cards will be available: single-ride tickets, one-day passes, three-day passes, and reloadable cards for multiple trips.

Each station entrance will be equipped with two ticket vending machines (TVMs) and one fare adjustment machine (FAM).

To buy a ticket, passengers choose the ticket type and destination on the machine, pay the total amount (fare plus deposit), collect the card, and scan it at the gate to enter.

After completing their journey, passengers can return the card to receive a refund on the deposit.

Deposits are VND15,000 (US$0.6) for single-ride tickets and VND35,000 ($1.4) for the other card types.

The machines accept cash in denominations from VND1,000 ($0.04) to VND200,000 ($8).

However, once a card has been scanned at the gate, the fare is non-refundable.

For reloadable cards, the minimum top-up amount will be VND10,000 ($0.4) and the maximum balance will be VND5 million ($192), excluding the deposit. Fares will be deducted based on the distance traveled.

The metro operator said that the current fare rates range from VND7,000 ($0.3) to VND20,000 ($0.8) per trip.

The one-day pass costs VND40,000 ($1.5) and the three-day pass is VND90,000 ($3.5), both allowing unlimited travel during their valid periods from the time of first use.

Metro riders can top up their cards at either the TVM or FAM.

Lost reloadable cards are not refundable, including any remaining balance.

Card balance and usage history can be checked at the TVMs, FAMs, or displayed on gate screens when tapping in or out.

The city’s first metro line spans 19.7 kilometers from Ben Thanh Station in District 1 to Suoi Tien Coach Station in Thu Duc City, including 2.6 kilometers of underground rail and 17.1 kilometers of elevated track, built at a total cost of $1.8 billion.

Construction on the metro line project began in 2012 and it officially began commercial operations on December 22, 2024.

The system operates with 17 trains, each capable of carrying 930 passengers.