The fare-free bus service Ho Chi Minh City launched on July 1 got off to a strong start, carrying about 1.32 million people in its first five days. It covers 134 city routes and runs through December 31. For travelers, it's a half-year in which the cost of getting around the city vanishes entirely; for residents, it lowers the fixed cost of commuting to work or school. The framework of the scheme itselfA pre-launch notice that 134 routes would become free from Julywe told you earlier, but now the results — whether people actually moved — are in. Following the numbers, here's a practical rundown of when, on which routes, and how you can ride for free.
1.32 million people in the first five days, over 30% above the same period last year
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, the 134 fare-free routes carried about 1.32 million passengers in total over the first five days. On the first day, July 1, it was roughly 274,000, or 128% of the same day last year, rising to about 283,000 on July 3, reaching 135% year on year. Averaged over the five days, passenger numbers were up about 30% compared with the same period in 2025
City buses have long been a mode so underused it was mocked as 'carrying air.' That a simple move like free fares produced a 30% lift from the outset confirms price was the bottleneck for ridership. Even though fares were already cheap at 5,000 to 7,000 dong (about 30 to 42 yen, at 10,000 dong ≒ 60 yen), the gap from 'zero' was still big
Ride Empty-Handed from July to September; Identity Verification from October
This free-fare rollout is split into two phases. This division is what travelers should keep straight.
Phase 1 runs from July 1 to September 30. During this period no registration or identity verification is required at all—even foreigners ride free simply by boarding and taking a seat. The city positions these three months as a transition period for passengers to get used to the electronic fare gates and onboard equipment. The buses have an electronic device called the T10, but Phase 1 does not require strict authentication
Phase 2 runs from October 1 to December 31. From here, riding free requires identity verification via one of the following: a chip-embedded ID card (CCCD), the VNeID app, a bank card, an e-wallet, or the MultiGo app. For short-term travelers the registration burden is heavy, and whether advance preparation is needed changes, soHow to prepare for the free buses, which require identity verification from OctoberIt's safest to check it before you travel. Put another way, those visiting Saigon by September can most easily enjoy the benefit of free buses
The early numbers: growth on day one and day three
Laying out the initial data released by the Department of Construction shows it taking hold day by day
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Number of fare-free routes | 134 routes (109 subsidized + 25 non-subsidized) |
| Free period | July 1 to December 31, 2026 |
| Ridership over the first five days | About 1.32 million people (cumulative) |
| Passenger count on July 1 | About 274,000 people (128% of the same day last year) |
| Ridership on July 3 | About 283,000 people (135% of the same day last year) |
| Year on year | About 30% increase |
The 134 routes break down into 109 subsidized by the city budget and 25 unsubsidized. Since both carry zero fare during the free period, riders don't need to worry about the subsidy category of each route
How the city and the front line see it
Gathering officials' words about the scheme shows the city views this initial rollout as a success
- Tran Quang Lam, director of the transport department, praised it: "The free-fare policy, grounded in the Party Committee's direction and the City People's Council's resolution, has won strong support from residents."
- The Department of Construction—it frames the initial 30% increase as “an encouraging sign for the city’s public transit” and says it will keep building out the e-ticketing base
- Transport experts—pointing out that zero fare alone won't take hold, and that without improvements in network usability and service frequency, the effect won't last
The city is also advancing on the environment while it's at it: of 2,432 city buses, about 1,649 (67.8% of the total) are already EVs or clean-energy vehicles. It has set a policy of converting all city routes to clean energy by year-end, running fare-free service and fleet decarbonization at the same time
How Residents and Travelers Should Use These Six Months
Boil this free-fare rollout down to real benefits for daily life and travel, and there are three things to keep in mind.
First,You can ride with zero preparation until the end of Septemberis the time-based advantage. In Phase 1, even foreigners need no ID presentation or advance registration—just board at the stop and sit down. Travelers visiting Saigon in summer are well served to check whether a parallel route bus exists before using a ride-hailing motorbike taxi or car. Since identity verification becomes a barrier from October, these three months are when you can maximize the ease
Second,The effect of squeezing fixed costsIf a resident uses the bus round-trip on weekdays, the 5,000-to-7,000-dong fare each way won't pile up through year-end. Even at around 60 to 80 yen a day, it's a non-negligible sum over six months of commuting to work and school. Just shifting the kids' cram-school trips and the shopping run to the bus visibly lightens a household's transport costs
Third,Pre-registration with October onward in mindThe longer you’re staying, the better it is to get the VNeID, bank card, and MultiGo app required in Phase 2 ready during September, so you can keep riding free without interruption from October 1. Conversely, short-term travelers arriving from October may not meet the free conditions, so it’s safer to plan not to rely on buses alone for getting around
How to use the free buses and the basics
Here's a rundown of the boarding flow and what you need to prepare for each period
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Coverage area | 134 routes within Ho Chi Minh City |
| Phase 1 (7/1–9/30) | No registration or identity verification. Foreigners just board, and that’s fine |
| Phase 2 (10/1–12/31) | Identity verification required via one of: CCCD, VNeID, a bank card, an e-wallet, or the MultiGo app |
| How to board | Tap your card on the onboard T10 reader, or scan a QR code, and take a seat |
| Fare (normal) | The usual 5,000 to 7,000 dong per ride (about 30 to 42 yen) is zero during the free period |
| Vehicles | Of 2,432 city buses, about 1,649 are EVs or clean-energy vehicles |
Those who want to tour Saigon efficiently for sightseeing can, alongside the city buses,A double-decker open-top sightseeing bus that loops the cityCombining it with dedicated routes like ___ lets you balance everyday routes and tourist flows without strain
Summary—if you're coming in summer, now, when you can “ride empty-handed,” is the deal
Ho Chi Minh City's free buses carried 1.32 million people in their first five days—a 30% year-on-year rise—showing price was the biggest barrier to use. Travelers and residents should check three things next. First, whether one of the 134 routes runs by a stop you use or your destination. Second, if your stay spans October, whether you can prepare the VNeID, bank card, or MultiGo app needed in Phase 2 during September. Third, that the free period ends December 31. For now, before opening a ride-hailing app during your stay, check the bus route map once. Through the end of September, when no preparation is needed, is the easiest time to benefit
Sources
- Free public bus fares boost ridership by over 30% in Ho Chi Minh City（VnExpress International）
- Ho Chi Minh City: Free bus fares boost ridership by over 30%（Vietnam Plus）
- Ho Chi Minh City announces 134 free bus routes from July（VnExpress International）
- Instructions for taking free buses in Ho Chi Minh City from July 2026（AnonyViet）
