Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1 Offers Free Rides for National Day

To celebrate the 81st anniversary of the founding of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City's Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) will offer free rides across its entire route on September 2. This measure aims to encourage citizens' participation in celebratory events and promote the use of public transportation. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Co., Ltd. (HURC1), the service will increase its train frequency from the usual 228 trips to 264 trips on the day. Furthermore, operating hours will be extended, with services running from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Specifically, from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., trains will run every five minutes to accommodate passengers attending the National Day fireworks display. Free rides can be accessed by scanning a chip-based identity card or citizen ID card at the ticket gates, using a QR code from the HCMC METRO app, or obtaining a free QR-coded paper ticket from automated kiosks. HURC1 advises passengers to use one of these free ride options. Those who purchase a paid ticket will not be eligible for a refund. The HCMC METRO app's QR code function will be available on September 2 and will be valid only for that day. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Centre, public transport services in the city are expected to carry approximately 280,000 passenger trips per day during this year's National Day holiday, a 29% increase compared to the same period last year. The city's 156 bus routes are also expected to operate around 19,245 trips daily, an increase of about 8% year-on-year. This free service can be seen as reflecting the close relationship between Laos and Vietnam, particularly in economic cooperation and infrastructure development. Within Vietnam's one-party system, policies that directly benefit citizens' lives are also expected to enhance the legitimacy of the regime.