Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – The Hanoi Municipal Construction Department issued a notice on June 23rd stating that the Municipal Transport Management and Operations Center is accelerating the replacement of paper monthly passes with electronic tickets, covering all government-subsidized bus routes in the city. From July 1st, 2026, paper monthly passes will no longer be valid for subsidized bus routes, and citizens must use non-cash payment methods for ticket registration and renewal.
According to the notice, all previously issued electronic tickets (including virtual and physical cards) can still be used normally on subsidized bus routes throughout the city. Chipless plastic free-ride cards can continue to be used until July 31st, and will cease to be valid from August 1st.
The free-ride policy covers multiple groups: senior citizens aged 60 and above and children under 6 years old can ride with their citizen ID card or virtual electronic card; meritorious service recipients, disabled persons, and members of impoverished families can use virtual cards or apply for a physical card with a chip. All passengers must swipe their cards or scan QR codes when boarding and alighting so that the system can record their travel information and conduct passenger flow statistics.
Citizens who need to replace their paper monthly passes with electronic tickets can do so through two channels: online and offline. Online, they can register at https://vedientuonline.com.vn or download the "Thẻ vé giao thông HN" (Hanoi Transport Ticket) mobile application to activate a virtual card; offline, they can go to No. 1, Kim Ma Street, Giang Vu Ward, Hanoi. All electronic tickets are verified and managed through onboard ticket checking equipment.
Different ticket types have different usage rules. For passengers who purchased tickets with cash, the ticket seller selects "single ticket" on the equipment upon boarding. The system automatically calculates the fare based on the distance from the boarding station to the final stop. The ticket seller prints the ticket, collects payment, and gives it to the passenger. The passenger must keep the ticket safe throughout the journey.
Passengers using electronic single-trip tickets or non-cash payments swipe their physical card or scan the virtual card's QR code upon boarding, and the system pre-deducts the corresponding amount. Upon alighting, they swipe their card or scan the code again to settle the bill based on the actual distance traveled, and any overcharged amount is refunded. If they do not swipe their card upon alighting, the system will deduct the highest fare for the entire journey.
Passengers using daily, weekly, or monthly passes swipe their card or scan the code upon boarding. The system automatically verifies the validity and legality of the pass—if valid, a voice prompt will say "Passport valid, please proceed"; if invalid, it will display information such as not renewed, not applicable to the current route, card frozen, or cancelled. Passengers must swipe their card or scan the code again upon alighting for the system to record travel data, conduct passenger flow statistics, and allocate route revenue.
The virtual transport pass is integrated into the "Hanoi Transport Pass" application, presented as a dynamic QR code, using time verification and digital signature technology. The system uses a high-strength encryption algorithm, and the QR code is automatically updated every 30 seconds, effectively preventing copying, screenshotting, and ticket fraud.
The virtual card can be used as a daily, weekly, monthly, or single-trip pass, and payment can be made by topping up a transportation account or linking a bank account. The physical transportation card has a built-in smart chip, supports multiple ticketing modes, and can be topped up or linked to a bank account for flexible use. (End)
