A passenger waits for her bus at a sheltered stop on Kim Mã Street, Hà Nội. — VNS Photo Khoa Thư

HÀ NỘI — Some 300 shelters will be built at public bus stops in Hà Nội’s 17 outlying districts and Sơn Tây Town, according to Vietnam News Agency.

The move is part of the city’s plan to encourage people to switch to public transport to ease traffic congestion and improve air quality.

The shelters will feature wifi routers and real-time bus trackers, powered by solar energy.

Suburban bus routes account for 57 per cent of the city’s public transport, playing an essential role in serving inter-city passengers and connecting its peripheral areas with Hà Nội’s downtown.

There are 71 bus routes operating in outlying districts with more than 2,100 bus stops. Only 23 of them are sheltered, accounting for under 1 per cent, according to Hà Nội Department of Transport.

The average distance between two stops is 900m while the operating frequency of suburban buses is low, forcing passengers to wait for long periods of time for buses in these areas. — VNS