Thirteen-year-old Do Hoai Nam experiences the first ride on the 8.5km elevated section of the Nhon-Hanoi metro line. — VNA/VNS
HANOI: Many people in Hanoi lined up early Thursday (Aug 8) morning to eagerly experience their first ride on the 8.5km elevated section of the Nhon-Hanoi Station urban railway line.
After 14 years of construction and multiple delays, the elevated section of the metro line was officially opened to passengers at 8am in Hanoi.
Following the Cat Linh- Hadong urban railway line, this is the second metro line in the capital to start operating, providing residents with a fast, high-capacity, civilised and modern mode of transport, which it is hoped will help reduce traffic congestion in the city.
Hundreds of people queued at the stations to receive free tickets on the first day of the Nhon-Hanoi urban railway line's opening. At the ticket counters, staff enthusiastically guided passengers to the correct boarding areas and assisted them with purchasing tickets quickly and conveniently.
Excited and thrilled while admiring the spacious and modern train compartments, Bui Thi Hong from the northern province of Tuyen Quang, who came to the capital with her husband, said she was eager to come early to experience the metro line.
“It was very crowded on the train. The train ran very smoothly and was well-ventilated, making it very convenient for commuting or leisure,” she said.
“The fare of VNĐ200,000 (US$8) per month for regular travellers is very reasonable. As a teacher with a modest salary, this is quite affordable,” Hong added.
Passengers at a station to take the train on Aug 8 morning. — VNA/VNS
| Passengers at a station to take the train on Aug 8 morning. — VNA/VNS |
Among other passengers enjoying the city views as the train passed various stations, 13-year-old Do Hoai Nam from Xuan Dieu Street, Quang An Ward in Tay Ho District humorously remarked: “The railway line has been under construction for more than 10 years, which is also how long I’ve been waiting for it to open, so I had to experience it to see how interesting it is.
“The station is very large and impressive, the train is long and can carry many people and it travels at a maximum speed of 80kph. I will invite more friends to experience it and hope that we will have a line like this closer to home,” said the youngster who had taken a bus alone to the Nhon-Hanoi metro line station.
Vu Hong Truong, General Director of Metro Hanoi Co, Ltd, stated that Hanoi is implementing a plan to integrate tickets for public transportation, including buses and urban railways, with plans to include taxis and ride-hailing services like Grab in the future.
Recently, the city has conducted a trial of this plan.
The tickets for the Nhon-Hanoi urban railway line are designed to be flexible and can be integrated with other urban railway lines and other public transport in the future.
However, unlike the Cat Linh-Hadong metro line, the monthly tickets for this new line are personalised to prevent any misuse, he added.
The Nhon-Hanoi urban railway line will offer free rides to passengers during its first 15 days of operation. On the first morning, most passengers tried out the new service.
Nguyen Thi Hue, a student at the University of Civil Engineering, said she wanted to try the new railway line to see if it would be suitable for her daily commute.
“Currently, I have to take two buses from Thanh Xuan District to reach Cau Giay Station, which is a bit inconvenient. Also, while the train is very cool, the stations are quite hot. I think adding a few fans would improve the service,” she said.
Phuong Ha from Hoang Mai District, who works in Hai Ba Trung District, expressed her satisfaction with the Nhon-Hanoi line.
“I’ve heard that the city’s urban railway system plans to extend to Dong Anh District. I hope this line is developed soon so I can move to Dong Anh and avoid the daily traffic jams and pollution,” she said.
Many passengers praised the line, noting that travelling 8.5km in just 13 minutes was amazing. However, some people feel that while the VNĐ12,000 fare for a full journey is reasonable, the VNĐ8,000 fare for a single station is a bit high.
The elevated segment, extending from Nhon area to Cau Giay District, consists of eight stations of Nhon (S1), Minh Khai (S2), Phu Dien (S3), Cau Dien (S4), Le Duc Thọ (S5), Dai Hoc Quoc Gia (S6), Chua Ha (S7) and Cau Giay (S8).
In the first three months the line will be operational from 5.30am until 10pm everyday, with trains arriving and departing every 10 minutes.
Following that, depending on demand, the operating company will adjust the schedule as needed to best meet the travel needs of passengers. — Vietnam News/ANN
