Hanoi to launch first bus rapid transit system this month

By VnExpress   December 14, 2016 | 06:21 am PT
Hanoi to launch first bus rapid transit system this month
Rush hour traffic at an intersection in Hanoi. Photo by AFP/Hoang Dinh Nam
This is among several public transport projects aiming to help the city reduce the use of personal vehicles and traffic jams.

Hanoi's first bus rapid transit (BRT) system will be ready in the next two weeks, promising to cut travel time by half for passengers.

The service, linking Kim Ma and Yen Nghia, will have modern buses running on a dedicated lane to avoid traffic congestion. The 14-kilometer journey is expected to take only 30 minutes.

The route connects downtown areas via main streets including Giang Vo and Lang Ha, where many restaurants, office towers, residential buildings and diplomatic missions are located.

Hanoi will also take measures to soon restrict motor vehicles on some streets and overpasses during rush hours to facilitate the new service.

The BRT system is based on the idea that buses can travel faster and more efficiently on lanes of their own. Other vehicles are not allowed to use these lanes or park near BRT stations where passengers get on and off.

The project was started in 2013 and missed the deadline last year. It cost around $55 million, with funding from the World Bank.

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