Ha Noi ends paper monthly bus passes from July 1
VGP - Ha Noi officially discontinued paper monthly bus passes on its subsidized public bus network from July 1, replacing them with an electronic ticketing system in a bid to modernize public transport and accelerate the adoption of cashless fare payment, according to the municipal Department of Construction.
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Under the new system, all paper monthly passes are being replaced with electronic transport cards that can be used across every subsidized bus route in the city. Passengers purchasing or renewing monthly passes are now required to use cashless payment methods, while existing electronic tickets—including both virtual and physical smart cards—remain valid.
Free travel cards without embedded chips will continue to be accepted until July 31 but will expire on August 1.
Passengers aged 60 and above and children under six can use either their national ID cards or virtual transport cards to access free travel on subsidized buses. Other eligible groups, including war veterans, revolution contributors, people with disabilities and members of low-income households, may use virtual cards or register for chip-enabled physical smart cards.
Passengers can apply for new electronic transport cards or convert existing paper passes through the city's online ticketing portal or the "Ha Noi Transport Ticket" mobile application. Registration and card replacement services are also available at the Ha Noi Traffic Management and Operations Centre at No. 1 Kim Ma Street, Giang Vo Ward.
The electronic ticketing system supports daily, weekly, monthly and stored-value fare options. Passengers using stored-value cards or bank-linked virtual accounts can pay by tapping a smart card or scanning a QR code when boarding and exiting buses.
Single-trip fares are calculated based on travel distance. The system deducts a provisional fare when passengers board and automatically adjusts the final charge after they tap out. Those who fail to tap out will be charged the maximum fare for the entire route.
For holders of daily, weekly or monthly passes, the system verifies ticket validity upon boarding and records travel data when passengers exit. Authorities said the information will help monitor passenger demand and improve revenue allocation among bus operators.
The virtual transport card is integrated into the "Ha Noi Transport Ticket" app and generates QR codes protected by digital signatures and time-based authentication. The QR codes refresh every 30 seconds to reduce the risk of duplication, screenshots and ticket fraud.
Physical smart cards, equipped with embedded chips, offer the same functions as virtual accounts, enabling passengers to pay fares using stored value or linked bank accounts across Ha Noi's subsidized bus network./.
