The HCM City Department of Construction and relevant agencies on April 2 discussed steps to implement a proposal to make bus travel free for residents.
According to Bui Hoa An, deputy director of the department, the city currently operates 135 intra-city bus routes, including 109 subsidised and 26 unsubsidised services. The free-fare policy would initially apply to all of these routes, while inter-provincial services would be excluded.
The department is drafting the policy, finalising the legal framework and conducting technical assessments before submitting the proposal to the city government for approval by the People’s Council.
HCM City Party Chief Tran Luu Quang said the initiative is part of a broader push that also includes waiving certain infrastructure fees. The city already subsidises free bus travel for residents aged 60 and above at an annual cost of about VND 1.7 trillion (USD 64.63 million). Expanding the scheme could raise spending to roughly VND 7 trillion, he added.
Preparations are expected to run through the end of April, after which the policy could be rolled out if approved.
Officials said procurement and service contracts are still being finalised to balance public benefits with the costs and operations of transport providers.
An said existing infrastructure should be able to handle higher demand, noting that free fares could lift ridership by about 30 per cent from 2025 levels.
The policy will also align with the city’s green transport roadmap, which targets a fully electric or clean-energy bus fleet by 2030.
Following administrative expansion, the city’s bus network has grown to 179 routes with 2,112 vehicles, 62 per cent of them electric. It plans to convert a further 3,011 diesel and CNG buses by 2030, accelerating the shift to greener public transport.
