On the afternoon of September 9, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong held a working session with Mastercard officials to discuss the rollout of smart payment solutions for public transport systems, including metro, bus and riverbus services.
The solutions included fare collection systems, card readers, mobile apps and public communication campaigns.
Vice Chairman Bui Xuan Cuong expressed hope that Mastercard would assist in installing fare collection systems, card readers, mobile applications and public awareness campaigns to encourage the use of public transport.
Mastercard said that Ho Chi Minh City would be among the first cities in Vietnam to adopt an open-loop payment system, allowing passengers to pay directly with credit cards, debit cards, or e-wallets.
The Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee highlighted that Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien) has been operational since late 2024 with 17 three-car trains, each accommodating up to 930 passengers.
In the first eight months of 2025, Ben Thanh- Suoi Tien Metro Line served over 12 million passengers, surpassing projections by 30 percent. The city plans to add five new metro lines by 2035.
Ho Chi Minh City also operates 138 bus routes with over 2,200 buses, completing 13,000 trips daily and serving approximately 250,000 passengers. HCMC aims for a fully green-powered bus fleet by 2030.
Riverbus services and the city’s public bike-sharing system, with more than 770,000 registered users, further support sustainable transport.
In addition, the city operates riverbus routes connecting multiple riverside areas, as well as a public bike-sharing network with more than 770,000 registered accounts.
Vice Chairman of the municiple People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong emphasized the city’s commitment to digital transformation in transport, especially cashless payment adoption, to improve the commuter experience. He urged Mastercard to continue supporting the city in equipping all public transport vehicles with digital payment systems.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has appointed Urban Railway Company No. 1 (HURCH) as the lead agency to coordinate future collaboration with Mastercard.
