A bus station in Ho Chi Minh City

The move is aimed at containing the spread of the COVID-19 through buses - a popular means of transport preferred by many students and the elderly in the southern metropolis.

According to the department, the city has more than 3,000 buses with over 200 routes.

On March 27, the committee decided to cease the operation of 54 bus routes from March 28 to April 15, including 27 non-subsidised ones to Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, Tien Giang, Tay Ninh and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces, and nine running within HCM City.

The city will consider maintaining the operation of some subsidised routes where there is a high demand and no alternative.

In addition, all coaches running on contracts and tour buses with more than nine seats are not allowed to depart from or arrive in the city from March 30 until April 15.

Buses operating on frequent routes between HCM City and other cities and provinces and covering less than 100km can still run a maximum of two trips per day, while others can only operate one trip per day./.

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HCM City to suspend 54 bus routes due to COVID-19

The Transport Department of Ho Chi Minh City on March 27 proposed suspending 54 bus routes and cut 60 percent of trips on fixed routes from March 28 to April 5 to curb the spread of the COVD-19 pandemic.