Hanoi plans congestion charges for vehicles entering inner city from 2028
Hanoi authorities are considering charging road vehicles entering the city’s inner ring roads from 2028 as part of efforts to ease congestion and reduce air pollution.
Hanoi plans to charge vehicles entering Ring Road 1 from 2028 (Photo: Thanh Dong).
Under a draft resolution released for public consultation by the Hanoi People’s Committee, fees would apply to vehicles entering areas within Ring Road 1 starting January 1, 2028. The policy would later expand to Ring Road 2 from January 1, 2030, and Ring Road 3 from January 1, 2032.
The proposal is included in a broader plan on transport development, high technology application in traffic management, and measures to limit private vehicles in central urban areas.
According to the Hanoi Department of Construction, the capital’s transport system is under mounting pressure as the number of private vehicles continues to rise while land allocated for traffic infrastructure remains limited.
Authorities said congestion frequently occurs on major roads and in central districts, increasing travel time, social costs and environmental pollution.
The department said congestion charges are viewed as an economic measure to regulate private vehicle use, reduce traffic volumes and encourage people to shift to public transportation.
Officials added that the phased implementation by ring roads is intended to ensure feasibility and align with the completion of transport infrastructure and public transit systems, while giving residents and businesses time to adapt to the new policy.
Ring Road 1 was selected for the first phase because it experiences the highest population density and traffic pressure. Authorities said the city would evaluate the policy’s effectiveness before expanding it to Ring Roads 2 and 3.
Hanoi currently has around 8.1 million road vehicles, including 1.1 million cars and about 7 million motorbikes and scooters. The city also records around 1.2 million vehicles from other provinces entering the capital. About 95 per cent of the city’s motorcycles and scooters use gasoline engines.