Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – The Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien urban railway line 1 in Ho Chi Minh City carried more than 570,000 passenger trips during the seven peak days of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, exceeding the target by 42%.
From February 16 - 22, the metro operated 1,801 trips, hitting 100% of the scheduled timetable and registering a 39% annual hike in services. Total ridership reached 571,528 passengers, equivalent to 94.4% of the line’s annual passenger volume.
The Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No.1 Company (HURC1) reported smooth operations throughout the period, with services fully aligned to the schedule. Daily passenger numbers showed a clear upward trajectory.
On February 16, or the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, ridership stood at 50,217, or 89.9% of the plan. While the lowest figure of the holiday period, it adequately matched demand, as many residents had already departed for hometowns or remained home preparing for New Year’s Eve festivities.
Travel demand surged sharply from the first to the sixth day of Tet (February 17–22) and stayed elevated. On February 17 alone, the line recorded 79,649 passengers, or 131.5% of plan, reflecting a robust rebound from the prior day. To accommodate post–New Year’s Eve travel, HURC1 proactively added 20 extra train services between 00:30 and 02:00, serving an additional 3,426 passengers.
Ridership held firm at high levels between February 18-21, peaking on February 21 with 96,320 passengers, the highest single-day total of the holiday. By February 22, the final day of Tet, passenger volumes began to taper off.
Cashless payment methods dominated, accounting for 71.8% of total ridership. Cash transactions made up about 23.2%, while roughly 5% of passengers used their ID cards for fare payment./.
