Hop on a ride-hailing vehicle to the metro...

Ho Chi Minh City's Metro Line 1 has officially commenced operations. In addition to public transportation connecting to the train stations, residents of Ho Chi Minh City can easily use two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle services from ride-hailing apps to reach the stations.

People are excited to book a ride to the station to experience the metro - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

In particular, the collaboration between the metro line management unit and the ride-hailing app Grab makes transportation more convenient and economical for the public.

Eager to experience the metro.

When the metro line officially began operating in late December 2024, the atmosphere at the stations, especially Ben Thanh station, became very lively. Thousands of passengers, including families and young people, eagerly awaited to experience the new train line.

Despite the large crowd, the atmosphere was still very exciting; everyone was happy to be among the first to ride on the modern metro train.

Anh Tuan, an IT employee living in District 12, was one of those who decided to take his young son to experience the metro.

To get to Ben Thanh station, Mr. Tuan used the Grab app to book a 4-seater car, saving him the worry of finding parking. He was quite surprised that the app displayed the metro station names clearly, and even automatically provided a discount code for the ride, helping him save money.

Upon arriving at Ben Thanh station, Mr. Tuan and his son quickly boarded the train. The son couldn't hide his excitement as the train left the station, gliding through the city center at a fast and steady speed.

On the train, Ms. Lan, an office worker living in Thu Duc City (Ho Chi Minh City), shared that combining metro travel with Grab services truly made her feel satisfied. She didn't have to worry about traffic jams or rain and sun; she just needed to open the ride-hailing app to get to the station.

Grab announced that from 4:00 AM to 11:30 PM, from December 23rd to December 31st, people can use the code METRO1 to get a 20,000 VND discount on rides with pick-up or drop-off points at metro stations. Then, in January 2025, the app will continue its partnership with Metro Line 1 with the METRO1 discount code (offering a 20% discount on rides).

Many ride-hailing drivers also benefited from the surge in bookings to and from metro stations. Hung, a GrabCar driver, was thrilled that the app's bookings helped him increase his income.

Towards a green, civilized, and modern city.

According to reports, Metro Line 1, with its modern and convenient stations, will become an important transportation route helping to reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution.

However, for people to use this system effectively, connecting it with other modes of transportation such as ride-hailing apps, buses, river buses, etc., plays a very important role.

In particular, the combination of Grab and the metro makes it easier for people to access public transportation without worrying about transfers.

In particular, Ho Chi Minh City Railway Company No. 1 (HURC1) and Grab have just signed a cooperation agreement. According to Ms. Van Thi Huu Tam, Deputy Director of HURC1, with Grab's support, people will not only have a fast means of transportation but also be able to take advantage of promotions and discounts to save costs.

According to Ms. Nguyen Hanh Linh, Director of Mobility at Grab Vietnam, this cooperation agreement is part of the company's long-term strategy to contribute to building an efficient and sustainable public transportation system in major cities across Vietnam.

Mr. Le Van Dat, Deputy Director of the Institute of Transport Strategy and Development ( Ministry of Transport ), stated that both sides have a specific plan, aiming for the common goal of providing a seamless travel experience for passengers. Passengers leave home, use a Grab ride to the ferry terminal, take a ferry to the terminal nearest their destination, and then use Grab again to reach their final destination.

"Such a seamless and harmonious experience can make passengers feel more excited, not only contributing to reducing private traffic congestion, but also promoting a culture of using public transport, towards a green, civilized, and modern city," Mr. Dat said.

The metro line is 19.7km long, with 14 stations. According to the plan for phase 1, metro line 1 will operate from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily. Each train can carry a maximum of 930 people (including 147 seats and 783 standing places). The travel time from Ben Thanh station to Suoi Tien station is only about 29 minutes.

Metro Line 1 reached a record high with over 175,000 passengers.

A large crowd of people wait to board the metro train at Ben Thanh station, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: Quang Dinh

According to the Metro Line 1 Company Limited, after 7 days of official operation, Metro Line 1 has received widespread support from the public. Many people have gradually become accustomed to using the metro to go to work, school, etc. Ben Thanh Station remains a popular destination for passengers experiencing the service.

Specifically, over the 7 days of operation, from December 22nd to 28th, Metro Line 1 welcomed 707,161 passengers. Of these, the number of passengers on Saturday (December 28th) reached a record high of over 175,000, exceeding even the first day of official operation (nearly 150,000). Meanwhile, the plan registered with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transportation was only about 40,000 passengers per day.

The Metro Line 1 Company Limited reports that operations on Metro Line 1 are still being maintained from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM with 9 trains. The average interval between trains is 8-12 minutes, with approximately 200 trains running per day.

In addition, the number of trains and the train schedules can be flexibly adjusted to serve the travel needs of people on metro line 1, especially during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year).

The Metro Line 1 Limited Liability Company further stated that, out of the 14 stations on the line, the Ben Thanh underground station always has the largest crowds. The company has mobilized the maximum number of staff and volunteers to guide people to have the safest and most comfortable train journey possible.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/len-xe-cong-nghe-toi-metro-20241230100545469.htm