Hanoi's answer to gridlock and smog? Two days of remote work

It is not a new concept. During the Covid-19 pandemic, remote work kept offices and schools running. Now, with fuel prices climbing, roads jammed and air pollution worsening, the same model could be brought back, this time as smart policy, not a crisis measure.

The math is staggering. Hanoi has nearly nine million people and over six million motorbikes. Every workday, those bikes burn about three million liters of gasoline, around VND60 billion (US$2.3 million). If five million vehicles stayed off the road just two days a week, that is a fuel saving of VND50 billion per day. Over a year, more than VND5.2 trillion ($198 million) could be saved, not counting the health costs avoided from cleaner air and fewer accidents.

The environmental impact is just as big. Cutting 60–65% of motorbike traffic on peak days like Mondays and Fridays would ease gridlock on key routes such as Truong Chinh, Giai Phong and Nguyen Trai. It would also slash PM2.5 pollution, which often breaches safe limits. A 2023 study found that every one million fewer motorbikes in circulation cuts PM2.5 levels in central Hanoi by 8–10%. Removing five million for two days each week could be transformative.

Health, productivity and quality of life all stand to benefit. Air pollution already costs Hanoi the equivalent of 1–1.5% of GDP annually in health damage, according to the World Health Organization. Less commuting means less stress, more rest, better productivity and lower indirect costs, like vehicle wear and wasted energy in traffic jams.

Of course, there are challenges. Not everyone can work remotely. IT infrastructure is uneven, especially in suburban schools. Essential services like healthcare, public security and administration require in-person presence. And traditional management culture can be slow to change.

But other cities have made it work. Tokyo promotes work-from-home Fridays to ease pressure on its transit system. Singapore has work-from-home Wednesdays to cut energy use and boost mental health. In South Korea, more than 40% of office workers still work remotely one or two days a week even after Covid-19. Hanoi can adapt these lessons to local realities.

This is more than a traffic fix. It' is a strategic move toward green urban development and digital transformation. It could be piloted quickly in central districts, evaluated in six months and scaled up citywide.

Hanoi has already floated bold policies like phasing out gasoline motorbikes.

Reducing traffic through remote work is faster, cleaner and more realistic right now. It would cut emissions, lower noise, relieve pressure on roads, and free space for buses, ambulances and delivery vehicles.

Two days of remote work a week is practical, urgent and cost-effective. Hanoi does not have to wait for universal electric vehicles or massive new energy infrastructure. This is a policy that can save billions, protect health, and make the city more livable, starting now.