HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội will operate additional buses and trains to better serve people travelling during the New Year (this weekend to Monday) and Tết holidays (from January 26 to February 1).

A representative of Hà Nội Transport Corporation said a total of 2,600 additional buses would run from all bus stations in the city during the two holidays.

The highest number of extra buses would operate on major routes, such as from Hà Nội to Nam Định, Thái Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An and Lào Cai, he said.

Lý Trường Sơn, head of the corporation’s Planning Office, said all local stations had been instructed to ensure that all passengers get the opportunity to visit their hometowns.

Security had also been tightened to prevent passengers from being robbed by pickpockets because of the crowds, Nguyễn Tất Thành, director of Giáp Bát Bus Station, said.

Nguyễn Mạnh Tuấn, Deputy Director of Mỹ Đình Bus Station, said transport companies operating at the station had made commitments not to overload buses, not to hike ticket prices and ensure that their drivers do not drinking and drive.

All steps were being taken to guarantee passenger safety, he said.

Nguyễn Đức Vui, Director of Gia Lâm Bus Station, said they were all set to handle the extra passenger traffic.

For commuters who plan to travel by train, 22 additional trains will be operated during these holidays. Of these, 15 trains will operate on the Hà Nội-Vinh route, four on the Hà Nội-Hải Phòng route and three on the Hà Nội-Đà Nẵng route.

If there were more passengers than expected, more trains would be added to meet the demand, said Phùng Thị Lý Hà, Deputy Director of Hà Nội Railway Transport Joint Stock Company.

Passengers should directly book tickets instead of buying them via brokers, said Phạm Thị Anh Đào, head of the company’s business centre. 

A train ticket could be printed many times at the automatic desks at stations, she said, so often brokers cheated by printing many copies of the same ticket and selling it to many people. — VNS