According to reports, there are 7 million motorbikes and 1.1 million cars in Hanoi. In addition, about 1.2 million vehicles from neighboring localities enter Hanoi every day. Because of the number of personal vehicles, traffic congestion is getting more and more serious.

In an effort to ease traffic jams, in recent years Hanoi has developed metro routes, and two routes, Cat Linh – Ha Dong and the elevated Nhon - Hanoi Station, have been put into operation.

Vu Hong Truong, general director of Metro Hanoi, said after one week of operation, more than 1,370 trips on the Nhon - Hanoi Station route were provided, serving 100,000 passengers.

On the Cat Linh – Ha Dong route, 20 percent of passengers use the metro line even  though they have private cars. It is estimated that about 35,000 passengers use the Cat Linh – Ha Dong metro route. Of these, 47 percent go to the office, 45 percent to school, and 8 percent for other purposes.

Nguyen Cao Minh, head of the Hanoi Urban Railway Management Board, said cities with more than 2 million people worldwide all have to think of developing metro networks to satisfy demand.

He noted that Hanoi began thinking of developing a metro a long time ago. 

“We are aware of the viewpoints and goals as well as the opportunities and strong direction of the Politburo and the National Assembly on metro development,” he said.

The Politburo has decided that Hanoi must develop its metro system by 2035. The government has approved a plan to develop 10 metro routes in Hanoi with total length of 400 kilometers.

“To develop 10 metro routes, Hanoi would need a huge amount of capital, $55 billion. But the country has to spend money on many issues, such as cultural, educational development and waste treatment,” Minh said.

In the last 15 years, Hanoi has built only two metro routes, while HCM City has only one.

Minh said after the two metro routes in Hanoi were put into operation, people now better understand urban railways. He believes that Hanoi needs a policy offering preferential incentives to develop 10 metro routes.

“We are consulting with experts on the development of metro routes and calling for investment,” Minh said.

Vu Diep