Traffic moves slowly in both directions toward Trường Chinh Street, Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh

HÀ NỘI — With private vehicle ownership surging, compounded by a large volume of traffic from neighbouring provinces, Hà Nội is grappling with severe urban congestion that has become a direct barrier to the capital’s socio-economic development, while also undermining living conditions and the city’s investment appeal.

In response, the city’s Department of Construction has recently unveiled a series of breakthrough, strategic solutions and roadmaps aimed at easing congestion in the short term, cutting emissions, improving air quality and enhancing quality of life.

According to the expert, Hà Nội has a population of 8.7 million with a remarkably high mechanical population growth rate of 1.96 per cent per year. However, transport infrastructure has failed to keep pace, resulting in mounting traffic congestion.

Specifically, inter-district road networks have reached only 43.51 per cent of planned targets. Land allocated for transport infrastructure has increased by just 0.3-0.35 per cent annually, while private vehicles have grown by 4-5 per cent per year, with automobiles alone rising by more than 11 per cent annually. The city’s total vehicle fleet has now surpassed 9.2 million units, of which motorcycles dominate with a 72.3 per cent share.

Statistics also show that 27 per cent of daily trips are concentrated within two peak hours of 7.30-8.30am and 5.30-6.30pm, placing enormous pressure on gateway intersections.

“Traffic congestion has pushed logistics costs up to 16.8 per cent of GDP, restraining labour productivity and the capital’s competitiveness,” said Đào Việt Long, Deputy Director of the city’s Department of Construction.

He revealed that Hà Nội not only bears the burden of inner-city traffic but also absorbs around 1.45 million trips per day from neighbouring provinces. Of these, 22 per cent involve travel distances of 50–80km, mainly from Bắc Ninh, Hưng Yên and Vĩnh Phúc. With interregional infrastructure reaching less than 50 per cent of planned capacity, these traffic flows directly paralyse ring roads during peak hours.

“Traffic congestion is no longer merely a mobility issue. It has become a direct obstacle to the capital’s socio-economic development, driving up logistics costs, reducing productivity, and negatively affecting the living environment and investment attractiveness,” Long said.

Regarding transport modes, the Department of Construction noted that bus punctuality remains relatively low, undermining public trust. For example, on the same route, motorcycles take about 20 minutes while buses require up to 43 minutes, discouraging commuters from switching.

Notably, 70.6 per cent of inner-city trips are under six kilometres, with 40 per cent shorter than three kilometres - ideal distances for walking, cycling or bus travel. Yet residents continue to favour motorcycles due to convenience. Meanwhile, 40 per cent of bus passengers must walk over 500m to reach stops, reflecting poor connectivity and limited convenience.

In fixed-route passenger transport, interprovincial demand is declining amid competition from new services such as limousine vans. Short-distance routes are particularly weak, with many operators combining passenger and cargo transport to cover costs. Only long-haul routes and large enterprises remain relatively stable.

Additionally, up to 70 per cent of container trucks return empty, wasting infrastructure capacity. Hà Nội currently lacks hubs linking long-haul and short-haul freight transport, forcing large trucks to penetrate urban gateways and exacerbate congestion. This leads to inefficient vehicle use, high empty-trip rates and rising logistics costs.

Tackling urban mobility bottlenecks

With land for transport infrastructure nearly impossible to expand rapidly, technology has been identified as a critical lever to optimise existing resources.

Accordingly, the Department of Construction has proposed a range of immediate and long-term solutions. It plans to develop an integrated traffic data platform to unify information across agencies and deploy intelligent traffic signals to regulate traffic flows and reduce congestion.

The department also aims to introduce interoperable electronic ticketing systems and establish an integrated mobility service model that will allow residents to access metro lines, buses, taxis, ride-hailing services such as Grab, and public bicycles through a single digital platform. These measures are intended to mark a shift from private vehicle ownership toward on-demand mobility services.

The city also plans to establish core zones restricting private vehicles based on emission levels or congestion charges. These measures will be rolled out in phases, not only to ease traffic but also to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a more sustainable urban environment.

To address traffic bottlenecks, Hà Nội will pilot large-scale public bicycle schemes and shared electric motorbikes in high-density areas and around metro stations and bus hubs, targeting the 500-metre to one-kilometre distances people are reluctant to walk. The city will also develop small feeder bus systems to connect neighborhoods with high-capacity corridors such as metro lines and BRT routes.

Dedicated bus lanes will be introduced on major radial roads and Ring Roads 1, 2, and 3 where there are three or more lanes, to ensure speed and punctuality, improving service quality and attracting passengers through reliability.

Recognising that the lack of a unified legal framework remains a major barrier to building a seamless transport ecosystem, the Department of Construction has proposed establishing regulations on traffic data sharing and transport management tailored to Hà Nội’s infrastructure conditions.

The city will continue refining its master plan, prioritising green transport infrastructure and transfer hubs and mobilising investment funds to support the green transition.

“A breakthrough mechanism is to promote transit-oriented development (TOD), using public transport as the backbone of urban growth while reinvesting urban resources into transport infrastructure. Large-scale projects should also be required to conduct traffic impact assessments,” said Long. — VNS