Ho Chi Minh City to expand smart ticketing across all public transport

According to Mastercard, the city will be among the first localities to implement an open-loop payment system across multiple public transport modes. 

Commuters will be able to use credit cards, debit cards, or e-wallets to pay directly when riding metro lines, buses, or water buses.

The Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Company Limited (HURC1), which operates metro line No. 1, stated that the metro officially began service at the end of 2024. 

The fleet includes 17 trains, each with three carriages and a maximum capacity of 930 passengers.

Between January and August, metro line No. 1 served more than 12 million passengers, 1.3 times higher than projected. 

The city aims to have five more metro lines operating by 2035.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City runs 138 bus routes with 2,221 buses, providing around 13,000 trips per day and serving 250,000 passengers. 

Officials plan for the entire fleet to switch to green energy, specifically electricity, by 2030.

The city also operates a water bus line connecting riverside and canal areas to key transport hubs. 

Its public bicycle system has over 770,000 registered users, with about 480 trips made daily.

During the meeting, vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong said the city is accelerating digital transformation, with cashless payments for public transport among its top priorities.

Following the launch on metro line No. 1, the smart ticketing system will be expanded to the bus network, water buses, and other public transport services to ensure a seamless, safe experience for users.

Cuong urged Mastercard to support the city by installing payment acceptance devices, building mobile applications, and launching public communication campaigns to promote public transport.

He also asked Mastercard to help achieve full terminal coverage across all vehicles so that users can pay with a single tap.

"Based on the consensus reached at the meeting, the city will assign HURC1 to further cooperate with Mastercard in the upcoming period," Cuong added.

In the foreseeable future, all public transport in Ho Chi Minh City will be equipped with digital payment terminals, allowing passengers to simply scan a card or e-wallet to pay fares.