Commuters on the Cát Linh – Hà Đông urban metro line. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hùng

HÀ NỘI — The Cát Linh – Hà Đông urban metro line, the first in the Việt Nam, has transported nearly six million passengers in the nine months since beginning operations, according to Hà Nội Metro One Member Limited Company (Hanoi Metro), a State-owned enterprise specialising in the operation and maintenance of the urban railway in Hà Nội.

Over the four-day National Day holiday (September 1-4), more than 156,000 passengers used the line, with over 55,000 on September 2 alone, surpassing the record of 54,000 on International Workers’ Day (May 1) earlier in this year.

The company’s survey showed that 54 per cent of the passengers use monthly passes.

The line started running last November. It was officially inaugurated on January 13 this year, the same day the line carried its one-millionth passenger.

With a total investment of approximately US$868 million (up $315 million compared to initial estimates) and funded by China’s official development assistance (ODA), the elevated line is more than 13km long and has 12 stations and 13 trains.

Trains run every 10 minutes with a capacity of 960 passengers each train. One-way tickets cost from VNĐ8,000-15,000 ($0.35-0.65) for a trip and VNĐ30,000 for a day pass.

A monthly pass is priced at VNĐ200,000, with lower price schemes available for bulk purchases by companies or factories. — VNS