At the start of the week, a surge of motorbike commuters transferring to the metro caused parking lots to overflow. By 7.30 am, the Vietnam National University station had stopped taking vehicles, and the High-Tech Park station soon followed with No Parking signs.
Volunteers managing the lots worked flat out, arranging vehicles tightly to maximise space, yet demand still far exceeded supply.
Nguyen Mai Trinh, 35, said that “After 8 am, there are almost no available spaces at the university station. If I don’t want to park outside, I have to drive farther to Thu Duc or Binh Thai stations.”
Many commuters have had to leave home 45 minutes to an hour earlier than usual to find parking, while others, unable to secure a spot, were forced to turn back or look elsewhere.
Some households have opened small private lots near the stations, charging VND 10,000 per vehicle, about 2.5 times the official rate. However, these lots can hold only 20-30 motorbikes and fill up soon after 9 am.
Mai Lan, 26, said she felt uneasy leaving her bike in private lots despite the higher price. “If there’s a fire or theft, I don’t know who would take responsibility,” she said.
At the opposite end of the line, long queues of motorbikes were also seen waiting to enter the Ben Thanh station parking area. Each station along Metro Line 1 can accommodate about 450 vehicles, but this remains far below actual demand.
The shortage of parking spaces has persisted for months, especially during weekday mornings when commuters and students flock to the metro.