VietNamNet Bridge - The Prime Minister has allowed Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Quang Binh to use trams to transport tourists.

The decision was made after the success of a pilot program on using trams at tourist sites in three cities and at the proposal of the Ministry of Transportation.

According to the Ministry, this vehicle is appropriate for tourist attractions, old streets and small towns. The battery-powered trams have 5-12 seats, are flexible, safe and especially environmentally friendly.

The total number of tramcars in the four cities will be 621 cars, including up to 431 in Thanh Hoa and only 50 in Hanoi.

In addition to the four above provinces, the Ministry of Transportation wants to develop tramcars in other tourist cities.

If the government approves the expansion of tramcar use in Vietnam, the Ministry of Transportation will issue temporary regulations on the organization and management of this type of public vehicle.

However, the number of tramcars at each site is restricted at less than 150 units.

In Hanoi, a pilot project using electric cars to service tourists in downtown areas, was launched in 2010. As part of the project, 30 electric cars in 2010 were purchased by the Dong Xuan Joint Stock Company at a cost of around VND11 billion (US$500,000).

More than 1.2 million tourists have used the electric car tours in and around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake as of June last year.

Phuong Lan