Ho Chi Minh City to offer free metro rides on New Year’s Day 2026

Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Company Limited, the operator of metro line No. 1, announced that it will waive 100-percent of fares for all passengers on January 1, 2026.

The initiative has been approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.

Passengers using the line can enter stations and board trains for free through one of three methods:

– ID cards: Passengers may use a chip-based citizen ID card to scan directly at fare gates.

– QR code via the HCMC Metro HURC app: By downloading the app and selecting the ‘QR Vuon minh’ feature, passengers can generate a QR ticket and scan it at the gates.

– Paper QR tickets: Free paper tickets with QR codes will be available at automated kiosks and can be scanned at fare gates.

During the free-fare period, only these methods will be accepted.

Passengers who choose to purchase a ticket despite the promotion will still be charged, and no refunds will be issued.

The ‘QR Vuon minh’ feature will appear on the HCMC Metro HURC app starting January 1, 2026, and will be valid for use on that day only.

Several promotional programs are being rolled out to celebrate the New Year.

Particularly, passengers using Vikki cards to scan directly at entry and exit gates will enjoy a 100-percent fare discount at metro stations from now until December 31.

Also, a cashback promotion applies to passengers using VPBank’s ‘Cham’ (Tap) payment method via the HCMC Metro HURC app.

The program runs until March 17, 2026.

Cashback is capped at VND100,000 (US$3.8) per passenger per month and VND300,000 ($11.4) per passenger for the entire program.

Passengers using the Sacombank Mastercard Metro Pass to scan directly at fare gates can enjoy 100-percent fare refunds, with the program expected to run through December 31.

Updates to cashless fare collection

The operator of the line also announced updates to the metro’s cashless payment system starting January 1, 2026.

Notably, passengers using Visa cards will no longer be charged the initial VND6,000 ($0.2) authentication fee when tapping in at fare gates.

Under the updated system, Visa card users will have their trips recorded throughout the day, with the total fare deducted in a single transaction at the end of the day.

Paper QR tickets will not be sold at ticket counters from January 1, 2026.

Instead, passengers can continue to purchase tickets through automated ticket vending machines, self-service kiosks, bank cards, e-wallets, or via the HCMC Metro HURC app.

Direct payment at fare gates will also be available through the ‘VPBank Tap and Go’ feature on the app.

Passengers requiring assistance are advised to contact station staff for guidance.

The line began commercial operations on December 22, 2024.