To ease congestion, Ho Chi Minh City urged people to take public transport, with free service on buses and Metro Line 1.
As reported by Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper’s reporters, on August 30, heavy traffic heading to the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway caused a jam stretching over three kilometers along Mai Chi Tho Street near the Vo Nguyen Giap intersection.
At peak points, six to seven lanes of vehicles were packed, forcing drivers to spend over 30 minutes covering the three kilometers to An Phu Interchange.
Traffic police were forced to intermittently block access to the expressway and divert some vehicles onto Hanoi Highway to relieve the congestion. However, the diverted vehicles soon merged with traffic leaving the expressway, causing the congestion to spread further.
Other major entry points, including Vo Chi Cong, Nguyen Thi Dinh, Hanoi Highway, National Highway 1 and National Highway 13 also recorded heavy congestion.
At Cat Lai Ferry Terminal, about three kilometers from An Phu Intersection, although the ferry terminal was not congested, Nguyen Thi Dinh Street became heavily jammed due to the large flow of container trucks accessing the Cat Lai Port.
Mr. Nguyen Chien Thang, Director of the Youth Volunteer Ferry Management Enterprise said that the four-day holiday is expected to see about 65,000 passengers per day, 20,000 more than usual.
The terminal is currently operating 320 ferry trips daily, double the regular schedule, with seven ferries added.
Similarly, severe congestion was also reported on the Ho Chi Minh City–Trung Luong Expressway throughout the day as large numbers of vehicles traveled toward the Mekong Delta. In Ben Luc Commune, Tay Ninh Province, a truck tire burst in the afternoon, causing hours-long traffic jams.
On National Highway 1A, multiple sections through Tay Ninh Province were also gridlocked, mainly due to the high volume of motorcycles heading to the Mekong Delta.
Notably, Rach Mieu Bridge connecting Tien Giang and Ben Tre provinces remained free of congestion thanks to the newly opened Rach Mieu 2 Bridge, which helped divert traffic.
Along National Highway No.1 in Tan Huong Commune, Dong Thap Province, local police forces and youth union members distribute breads, pastries and water to thousands of holiday makers.
At Tan Son Nhat International Airport, vehicle traffic surged from the morning of August 30, causing hours-long jams on Phan Thuc Duyen, Tran Quoc Hoan and Hoang Van Thu streets.
During the holiday period, the airport is expected to receive an average of 125,000 passengers per day, a six percent increase over the same period last year.
Meanwhile, both the old and new Mien Dong (Eastern) Coach Stations and Mien Tay (Western) Coach Station recorded heavy crowds, resulting in frequent congestion in surrounding areas. Saigon Railway Station also experienced traffic congestion as taxis and app-based ride services picked up and dropped off travelers.
In response to severe traffic congestion, Ho Chi Minh City implemented several measures to encourage residents to use public transportation. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Center, from September 1 to September 2, passengers can ride multiple bus routes and Metro Line No. 1 (Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien) free of charge.
For Metro Line No. 1, passengers can ride for free on September 2 by using a chip-based citizen ID or scanning the “Independence” QR code on the HCMC Metro HURC app at the fare gates.
Since August 20, the system has also operated 44 automatic ticket kiosks at all stations, supporting single-ride, daily, and monthly ticket purchases.
During the holiday period, Metro Line No. 1 is expected to run 264 trips per day from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., increasing service to meet public demand.
