Chairman of Hanoi Taxi Association Nguyen Cong Hung informed that the common rate of most taxi companies in Hanoi since the beginning of this year is at VND15,000 per kilometer (US$0.64). His association has already sent a written request to these companies, proposing a fare reduction of VND500-1,000 a kilometer ($0.04). Two of them have accepted this proposal.
Vietnam Railways Corp. shared that from August 10-21, the seat and sleeper fares of Thong Nhat train routes are reduced by 3 percent and 5 percent, respectively. Other routes like Hanoi – Vinh, Hanoi – Dong Hoi also enjoy a 10 percent fare reduction, while the routes of Hanoi – Lao Cai and Hanoi – Hai Phong maintain their fare because they did not raise this price along with the fuel price rise. Freight fares on the railways decrease by 5 percent on average.
The Department of Freight Transport (under the Transport Ministry) informed that as freight fares are identified in long-term contracts for each shipment batch and do not change correspondingly with short-term fuel price rises. As to new contracts to be signed in the near future, transport enterprises will calculate the input costs, including gasoline prices, to adjust the new freight fares accordingly.
