Ho Chi Minh City rolls out all-in-one public transport card

Many residents arrived at Saigon Bus Station on Pham Ngu Lao Street in Ben Thanh Ward early on Friday morning to register for a public transport card, according to Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper’s observations.

At the registration site, residents were assisted with having their photographs taken and completing the necessary procedures.

Students from the University of Transport Ho Chi Minh City were also on hand to help elderly residents complete the registration process.

Holding her newly issued card, 61-year-old Dinh Thi Kim Thuy from Gia Dinh Ward said she was delighted with its convenience.

She was so impressed that she proactively helped around 10 friends register online.

“I have been taking buses for more than six years and have seen the service improve significantly in recent years,” Thuy said.

“Drivers are professional, while attendants are extremely dedicated and friendly.

“Whenever an elderly passenger gets on or off the bus, attendants are always ready to help them step by step and carry their belongings.”

She said the introduction of the public transport card would make travel more convenient, particularly for elderly passengers.

Thuy added that the card would become even more useful when mandatory passenger verification for free bus services takes effect on October 1.

Seventy-two-year-old Nguyen Thi Ki from Phu Nhuan Ward also praised improvements in the city’s bus services.

“For elderly people, both the service and the public transport card are very convenient,” Ki said.

“We are very happy with the thoughtful support provided by the city.”

The public transport card is expected to serve as a convenient means of verifying passengers’ eligibility when they use public transportation.

Equipped with an embedded chip and QR code, the card allows verification systems to authenticate passengers’ information.

The card is not intended solely for bus travel.

As part of its plan to expand the use of the public transport card across the city, Ho Chi Minh City aims to make the card applicable to buses, metro services and public bicycles.

Using a single card instead of carrying multiple documents is expected to benefit many passengers, particularly elderly people and people with disabilities.

The city started allowing residents to register for a public transport card from early August.

People eligible for fare exemptions can register for a public transport card to travel free of charge on metro line No. 1 and 134 subsidized bus routes in Ho Chi Minh City.

Four priority groups are eligible to apply for a card, including people with meritorious service to the revolution, people with disabilities, senior citizens aged 60 and above, and children under six.

As of August 27, the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Center had received 24,938 applications for public transport cards, including 14,879 submitted online and 10,059 in person.

From October 1, passengers using free bus services in Ho Chi Minh City will be required to undergo identity verification when boarding.

The issuance and wider adoption of the public transport card are therefore expected to make the verification process faster, simpler and more convenient for both passengers and public transport operators.