According to a submission the Department of Construction recently sent to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the expansion of ticket purchasing options aims to create diversity and flexibility for public transport users in the city. This is especially relevant as the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro has already implemented various forms of ticketing, including: single tickets, one-day passes, three-day passes, and monthly passes, alongside incentive policies for cashless payments.

Electric bus transporting passengers in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Giang Anh

Currently, bus tickets in Ho Chi Minh City consist of two types: single tickets and pre-sold tickets (30-ticket packs). For subsidized routes, general passengers pay 5,000 VND for trips under 15 km, 6,000 VND for distances of 15-25 km, and 7,000 VND for journeys over 25 km. Students pay 3,000 VND per ride. A pack of 30 tickets costs 112,500-157,500 VND, depending on the distance.

The Department of Construction's proposed plan, set for implementation from 1/3/2026, will add one-day, three-day, and monthly passes for bus passengers, in addition to single tickets. These passes will allow unlimited rides, similar to the current system for the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro.

The Department proposes adjusting fares upwards for individual ticket purchases. Specifically, for single tickets paid in cash, trips under 15 km are expected to cost 7,000 VND, 15-25 km will be 8,000 VND, and over 25 km will be 9,000 VND. Cashless payments will receive a 1,000 VND discount for each fare type. Students will continue to pay 3,000 VND upon presenting their cards.

For time-based tickets, a one-day pass will cost 18,000 VND, and a three-day pass will be 40,000 VND. A monthly pass for general passengers is set at 215,000 VND, and for students, it will be 108,000 VND.

Passengers passing through the control gate at Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien underground station. Photo: Quynh Tran

In addition to these ticket types, the system will introduce shared tickets for bus and metro. These shared tickets will only allow cashless payment and will not apply to student single tickets. Specifically, passengers transferring between bus-bus or bus-metro within a permitted timeframe will benefit from lower fares compared to purchasing separate tickets. This aims to reduce costs and improve convenience for multi-modal public transport connections.

Ho Chi Minh City currently operates 176 bus routes with nearly 2,400 vehicles, including both subsidized and non-subsidized services. In the first nine months of 2025, the bus system served approximately 66.5 million passengers, a 2% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro, after nearly one year of operation, has also recorded close to 17 million passenger trips.

The metro line currently uses an automatic fare collection system integrated with various electronic payment methods, while many bus routes have also implemented cashless options. According to the Department of Construction, the upcoming electronic ticketing system will expand across the entire bus network. This adjustment in fares and diversification of ticket types will enhance convenience for passengers, promote cashless transactions, and improve management transparency and operational efficiency.

Giang Anh