HCM City has reopened fixed-route buses to 17 provinces. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY —  Tây Ninh Province is the latest to reopen fixed-route passenger buses to Eastern and Western bus stations in HCM City.

Earlier, 16 other provinces reopened fixed-route buses through HCM City.

At the Eastern bus station, there are currently more than 50 bus routes connecting the city with 10 provinces, including Bình Định, Khánh Hòa, Quãng Ngãi, Phú Yên, Bình Dươnng, Đắk Nông, Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu, Thừa Thiên Huế and Cà Mau.

At the Western bus station, bus routes connect the city with Vĩnh Long, Bến Tre, Bạc Liêu, Cần Thơ, Khánh Hoà and An Giang.

Trans-provincial buses travelling between neighbouring provinces and cities will be permitted to operate after localities reach a transport planning agreement.

Employee shuttle services meeting safety transport criteria are allowed to operate, but vehicles transporting workers and specialists among provinces and cities must follow the transport planning agreement of localities.

Explaining the current small number of passengers, some bus operators said that many provinces and cities where travel demand is high have not reopened bus routes.

In addition, COVID-19 prevention regulations in many provinces differ, with strict requirements for people returning from HCM City due to the higher level of the outbreak there.

Some provinces require passengers to submit a negative COVID-19 test result taken within the last 72 hours. People who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 within the last six months must quarantine at home for seven days. — VNS