Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam Railway Corporation (VNR) announced that its revenue in the first five months of 2021 decreased strongly to only 51.4 percent of the figure of the same period last year, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The railway served about 1.147 million passengers, a reduction of 35.4 percent compared to the same period last year, bringing in over 400 billion VND (17.4 million USD) in revenue.
In May, which saw the peak of COVID-19 outbreaks in the latest resurgence wave, the number of passengers was only by 132,300, equal to 48.4 percent of the corresponding figure last year. As a result, revenue from passenger transport stood at 44.7 billion VND (1.9 USD), equivalent to 55.4 percent of the figure of the same period last year.
According to VNR, a decline in revenue and demand for transportation and travel is attributable to travel restrictions prompted by outbreaks of COVID-19 in many localities across the country.
The VNR curtailed most of its operations in May. It is currently operating only one train on the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route.
Also due to the COVID-19 resurgency, more than 11,300 tickets were returned on the occasion of the Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) holidays, worth about 4 billion VND (174,900 USD)./.
Railway sector asked to improve competitiveness
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