Hanoi Bus Station Joint Stock Company has announced plans to organise transport services during the five-day National Day holiday from August 29 to September 2 to meet increased travel demand.
Pham Manh Hung, director of Hanoi Bus Station Joint Stock Company, said passenger numbers were expected to rise sharply on the afternoon of August 28 and August 29 as people leave Hanoi.
Demand for return journeys to Hanoi is expected to increase again on September 2 and 3.
Most passengers are expected to travel to their home provinces, go on holiday or visit relatives, with short- and medium-distance routes likely to see the strongest demand.
The company forecasts the following passenger and vehicle volumes at Hanoi's main bus stations during the holiday.
At Giap Bat Bus Station, passenger numbers on peak days are expected to reach about 9,000 a day, with around 760 coach departures. Routes to Thanh Hoa, the former Nam Dinh and Thai Binh provinces, and Ninh Binh are expected to be particularly busy.
My Dinh Bus Station is expected to handle about 11,403 passengers and more than 770 coaches a day, mainly on routes to Lao Cai, the former Ha Giang and Yen Bai provinces, Phu Tho, Dien Bien, Son La, Lai Chau, Quang Ninh and Cao Bang.
Gia Lam Bus Station is expected to serve about 1,900 passengers and 385 coaches a day, with demand concentrated on routes to Haiphong and Quang Ninh.
To help clear passenger backlogs, the company plans to deploy 500 additional coaches: 200 at Giap Bat Bus Station, 100 at Gia Lam Bus Station and 200 at My Dinh Bus Station.
“The deployment of additional coaches will be based on actual passenger numbers, vehicle occupancy rates and the capacity of individual routes, avoiding indiscriminate increases that could disrupt regular operating schedules,” Hung said.