Passenger transport under contract, except for inter-provincial passenger routes, to/from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will be suspended until April 15, according to the an instruction from the Ministry of Transport released on March 29 to limit the risk of coronavirus infection from mass movement of people.

A bus station in Hanoi. (Photo: Le Tuoi)

Accordingly, all the contracted service vehicles of more than nine seats are required to suspend operations until April 15. Passenger transport on fixed routes to/from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is maintained, but operators have to reduce to two trips per day, provided that the distance is less than 100 km, and the number of passengers would not exceed 20 or less of 50% of the total seats. Exceptional cases will need the authorization of the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam.

The restriction is not applied to non-passenger transport.

The Departments of Transport in provinces and cites are asked to enforced the ministerial instruction; reorganize or temporarily suspend public transport to minimize travel and gatherings, except for goods transport.

Vietnam Railway Corporation and railway transport units are also requested to suspend the operation of all the passenger trains from March 30 until the end of April 15.

Only two pairs of passenger trains are allowed to operate per day between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

The Vietnam Maritime Administration and Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration are requested to stop all boats taking passengers to islands and adopt strict disease prevention measures for crew members and passengers.