Hanoi's Public Transport Management Center (TRAMOC) has introduced a virtual ticket to make public transport travel easier.

Public transport authorities launch a virtual ticketing system on April 2. Photo: Pham Cong/The Hanoi Times

The move will improve the convenience of public transport, said TRAMOC director Thai Ho Phuong at the launch ceremony on  April 2.

With the new solution, developed by a joint venture between VPBank and Asim Telecom, Hanoi has taken another step towards building a smart transport network through digital transformation, he said.

According to the official, each passenger will have an electronic account managed on their smartphone, integrated with personal information for authentication like a physical travel pass, to prevent fare evasion, guarantee the interest of all passengers and avoid loss of revenue for companies.

The virtual ticket also helps bus companies avoid the unnecessary costs of producing and printing physical tickets. Passengers no longer need to go to the ticket office and can easily track their travel history.

It is expected to reduce the workload of local authorities in managing buses and fares, contribute to the city's digitalization and improve bus companies' corporate governance.

According to Dao Viet Long, deputy director of the city's Department of Transport, the launch of the virtual bus ticket is a major step forward for the city's public transport sector and will facilitate connectivity with the metro through the metro-bus e-ticketing system introduced earlier, he added.

Hanoi is working hard to increase the number of passengers using mass transit networks, such as the metro and buses, to reduce the number of individual vehicles and improve the local transport system, Long said.

The Hanoi government official urged TRAMOC and its partner to continue working with the media to disseminate the positive effects of the virtual bus ticketing system to the general public.

TRAMOC and local bus companies will find a way to ensure the interoperability of a wide range of existing smart transport applications, such as BusMap and Bus Finder, to create a smart public transport ecosystem for people. "Other priorities include the development of cybersecurity measures," he said.

Hanoi now has a total of around 150 bus routes, including two city tours. In 2023, the number of bus passengers in Hanoi increased by 35% year-on-year to 227.6 million, accounting for nearly 60% of the city's public transport network load.

Meanwhile, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line has served a cumulative 20 million passengers since its inauguration in early December 2021. The line is Hanoi's first metro.

As part of the capital's development plan, Hanoi will build 13 more metro lines. At present, the Nhon-Hanoi Station line is nearing completion and test runs are underway.