People queue up at a bus ticket sales booth on Kim Ngưu Street to get a free bus card.. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Phú

HÀ NỘI — Thousands of Hà Nội's citizens will be allowed to use buses free of charge starting on September 1.

According to the decision issued by Hà Nội People's Committee, Hà Nội Transport and Services Corporation (Transerco) will issue free bus pass to policy beneficiary families, poor families, disabled people and people aged over 60.

Trần Thị Phương Thảo, deputy director of the Hà Nội Public Transport Management and Operation Centre, said that starting from August 22, the city has been receiving applications for cards which allow for free-of-charge use of public transport for these priority groups.

Children under the age of six are allowed to use bus for free without a card.

Those applying for the cards can submit their dossiers at nearly 50 bus ticket sales booths across the city.

Earlier, the Hà Nội departments of Transport and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs issued documents guiding the issuance, management and free use of public transport across the city.

The bus passes will be valid within the year (until the end of December 31) for poor families and for up to five years from the day of issuance for other cases.

There are 700,000 elderly people in Hà Nội and 64,000 poor people, according to Nguyễn Hoàng Hải, director of the Hà Nội Public Transport Management and Operation Centre.

The new policy aims to encourage more people to use public transportation to limit the use of personal vehicles and ease congestion in the capital. — VNS