HCM CITY – HCM City has replaced buses on many routes with new ones and changed several routes themselves due to public demand, according to the Public Passenger Transport Operation and Management Centre.

The Miền Đông (Eastern) Bus Station – Hiệp Thành Market route, for instance, now has 14 new 40-seater buses and a new route.

Now it goes through Phạm Văn Đồng, Lê Quang Định and Nguyễn Văn Nghi Streets from Phan Văn Trị Street instead of the army logistics depot.

Then it again goes back through Phan Văn Trị from Nguyễn Thái Sơn instead of Dương Quảng Hàm, on to Tô Ngọc Vân, National Highway 1, Lê Thị Riêng, and Nguyễn Thị Kiêu instead of Lê Văn Thọ and Lê Đức Thọ.

In the reverse direction too the route has been changed substantially.

The trip takes around 65 minutes in either direction and buses operate from around 5am to 7pm.

Semi-trailer ban

To ensure traffic safety and social order, semi-trailers have been banned on the section of Tôn Đức Thắng Street [in District 1] from Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh Street to Khánh Hội Bridge, and on the other side of the bridge on Nguyễn Tất Thành Street to Hoàng Diệu Street in District 4, according the Department of Transport.

They are allowed to use two new routes instead between districts 4 and Bình Thạnh.

The first is through Điện Biên Phủ Street, Sài Gòn Bridge, Hà Nội Highway, Mai Chí Thọ Street, Phú Mỹ Bridge and Huỳnh Tấn Phát Street to Nguyễn Tất Thành Street.

The other is down Nguyễn Tất Thành Street and through Huỳnh Tấn Phát Street, Phú Mỹ bridge, Võ Chí Công Street, Mai Chí Thọ Street and Hà Nội Highway to Điện Biên Phủ Street.

The department has also changed the time that motorbikes can use the Thủ Thiêm Tunnel under the Sài Gòn River to between 4am-11pm, instead of 5am- 10pm. – VNS