On July 1, 2026, city buses running through central Hanoi became entirely free for a full year. The scope is the 45 routes running inside Ring Road 1, and the free period runs until June 30, 2027. On the same day, Vietnam’s first “low-emission zone” trial also began in Hoan Kiem district. For Japanese travelers walking the Old Quarter, this is a story where both “the ride to get around” and “the hours you can walk” change at once. Knowing which routes you can use, and when motorbikes and cars can no longer enter, before your trip makes getting around easier.
What began in July
Hanoi has rolled out two main measures. One is making buses that run within Ring Road 1 free for a year. The other is the start of a low-emission zone (LEZ) trial in Hoan Kiem district, including the Old Quarter. The free service covers 45 routes within Ring Road 1; of these, 29 have their start and end points inside the zone, and 16 run through it. Even if you can't read the Vietnamese or English notices, you won't be far off assuming that inside Ring Road 1 you can hop on and off without worrying about the fare.
What to watch out for is that only regular city buses become free. Commercial services such as airport shuttle buses and tourist buses are excluded. In Ho Chi Minh City, too, 134 routes went free from the same July, with the two major cities aligning to start encouraging public-transport use.
A low-emission zone creates "time you can walk"
The low-emission zone trial first runs for half a year, from July 1 to December 31, 2026, in Zones 1 and 2 of Hoan Kiem district. What affects travelers is the hours when car and motorbike traffic stops. In Zone 1, which includes Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter, motorbikes and cars — except official vehicles — are banned from 19:00 to 24:00 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. In Zone 2 around the Old Quarter, large vehicles seating 16 or more can no longer pass from 6:00–9:00 in the morning and 16:00–19:30 in the evening.
In other words, on weekend nights the area around the lake and the old quarter switches to a pedestrian-centered space. Hanoi has long held a weekend car-free zone on 11 streets in part of the old quarter, and this new zone widens that 'quiet time' further. For those who want to take photos away from the flood of motorbikes, or stroll the night market at leisure, Friday-to-Sunday nights become the sweet spot.
What happened with the motorbike restrictions everyone's watching
In Hanoi, a plan was initially considered to shut out gasoline motorbikes inside Ring Road 1 all at once. But the city People's Council sent it back once in May 2026 as "insufficiently supported by documentation," after which it was reworked into a phased, gradual narrowing approach.
The flow decided at this point is as follows. In the trial phase from July 2026, the use of ride-hailing petrol motorbikes will be curbed, but it won't go so far as a blanket ban on privately owned motorbikes. The zone will expand in 2027, and full-fledged regulation of privately owned petrol motorbikes will begin in stages from January 2028, in the form of not allowing entry to vehicles that don't meet emission standards. For travelers who use rental motorbikes or ride-hailing, for now it's enough to remember just that "you can't enter some areas on weekend nights."
Getting around, for travelers to actually use
The city is also putting in place infrastructure to support the shift in transport. Around the zone, 220 parking areas were reviewed and four boarding/alighting points for large vehicles were designated. Handy for those getting around on foot are the public rental bicycles set up in Hoan Kiem and Cua Nam districts, with 456 bicycles across 44 stations. Coming to the center by free bus and then touring the old quarter by rental bike or on foot is a realistic combination.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Eligible for free buses | 45 routes inside Ring Road 1 (July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027) |
| Weekend car and motorbike restrictions | Zone 1: entry banned Friday–Sunday, 19:00–24:00 |
| Restrictions on large vehicles | Zone 2: no entry daily from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Bicycle rental | 44 stations, 456 bikes (Hoan Kiem and Cua Nam wards) |
How locals see it
ゾーン内に暮らす住民からは、週末の夜に湖畔が静かになることを歓迎する声が上がる一方、日常の通勤や買い物でバイクに頼ってきた層からは、代替の足がどこまで使えるのかを心配する反応も出ています。配車アプリのドライバーの間では、ガソリン車からの切り替えコストをどう吸収するかが話題になっています。市は住民の乗り換え支援として、対象となる世帯に、困窮度に応じて貧困世帯は上限2,000万ドン（車両価格の100%補助、1円≈167ドンの前提で約12万円）、準貧困世帯は上限1,500万ドン（80%補助、約9万円）、一般世帯は上限500万ドン（20%補助、約3万円）を直接補助する方針を示しており、規制と支援をセットで進める姿勢を見せています。
Tips for making the most of it on your next trip
For travelers from Japan staying in the old quarter, over this year the pattern of 'coming into the center by bus and getting around on foot and by rental bike' becomes far easier. Since you can move at zero fare without relying on motorbike taxis, the savings can go toward cafes and meals. If you arrive in Hanoi on a weekend, walking the old quarter after 7 p.m. on Friday to Sunday lets you enjoy streets with fewer cars and motorbikes at a leisurely pace. Over the medium to long term, the metro is also being built out, and getting around — including airport access — will change further. During your stay, asking the lodging staff 'is today a car-free time slot?' before heading out makes it easier to plan your route.
Summary
For travelers, free central-Hanoi buses and the low-emission zone trial are a positive change: lower travel costs and more hours when the Old Quarter is easy to walk. On your next visit to Hanoi, we recommend getting around within Ring Road 1 by free bus and working the weekend-night pedestrian hours into your itinerary. Full-scale motorbike restrictions come from 2028 on, so for now rental motorbikes and ride-hailing apps work as before. Check the latest service status and restricted hours with your accommodation or local guidance before you set out.
Sources
- VnExpress International・Hanoi makes buses free for a year as it opens Vietnam’s first low-emission zone
- VietNamNet "Hanoi drops proposal for outright petrol motorbike ban around Hoan Kiem Lake"
- Vietnam Plus: Hanoi approves plan on low-emission zone within Ring Road 1
Related reading:Ho Chi Minh City buses: 134 routes go free from July／A weekend of walking the Old Quarter: the day motorbikes stop on Hanoi's 11 streets／Hanoi breaks ground on five metro lines at once: here’s how airport access will change
