The HCMC Public Transport Management Center said on the afternoon of February 4 that, in line with directives from the HCMC Department of Construction to promote cashless payments in public transport, it is working with e-wallet providers—including VNPT Money, Viettel Money, ShopeePay, and ZaloPay—to launch a range of promotional programs for bus passengers in 2026.
The flagship initiative is the “Cashless Friday – Zero-Fare Bus Rides” program, which applies every Friday from February through December 2026. Under the scheme, passengers who purchase bus tickets via participating e-wallets will enjoy full fare exemptions, up to four trips per person per day.
In addition, the city will continue to offer free bus fares for passengers using cashless payment methods on major public holidays, such as New Year’s Day, the anniversary of the National Reunification (April 30), International Workers’ Day (May 1), National Day (September 2), as well as during other major political and social events throughout the year.
According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Dung, Director of the HCMC Management Center of Public Transport, these incentive programs are designed to encourage greater use of public transportation while fostering digital payment habits, thereby improving service quality and supporting the development of a modern, environmentally friendly urban transport system.
HCMC currently operates around 2,325 buses, of which 1,082 run on clean energy, accounting for nearly 46.5 percent of the fleet. The city aims to transition 100 percent of its buses to green energy by 2030.
From March 1, 2026, an additional 500 buses are expected to be converted to electric power, raising the share of clean-energy vehicles to approximately 58.4 percent and further advancing the city’s green transition in public transportation.
