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Saigon Plans Free Public Buses: What Travelers Need to Know

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Ho Chi Minh City is set to scrap bus fares to cut congestion and air pollution. Rides currently cost VND5,000–7,000, and are already free for children under 6 and seniors over 60. Here's what the plan means for visitors.

The announcement

At a municipal meeting on April 1, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Trần Lưu Quang announced that HCMC will remove bus fares in a bid to reduce road congestion and air pollution.

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Current fares & who already rides free

Single-use tickets: VND5,000–7,000 per trip on average

Free for: children under 6, adults over 60, war veterans, people with disabilities

Students: discounted fares

What it will cost the city

The subsidy scheme currently accounts for around VND1.7 trillion a year, and it's estimated the cost will balloon to VND7 trillion if expanded to cover all riders. It's still unclear when free buses will come into effect.

Going green

Beyond free fares, the city plans to improve service quality, expand bus routes and convert more routes to green energy. HCMC's bus network has about 2,325 vehicles, of which 1,082 (46.5%) run on green energy (electric and CNG). In Q1 2026, that share is expected to rise to 58.4% with 500 new electric vehicles — part of a plan to phase out fossil-fuel buses completely by 2030.

Some routes are already privately operated, including electric-only lines run by VinBus and Futa Buslines.

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