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Nov 08, 2021 / 17:05

Hanoians excited to experience the sky train

Hanoians flocked to the Metro line stations over the weekend to experience ride on elevated railway and admire the city from above.

As the first metro line in Vietnam to become operational after more than 10 years of construction, the opening of the Ha Dong-Cat Linh sky train aroused the curiosity of the people of the capital. According to the Hanoi authority, the metro line would help increase the number of commuters using public transport, and together with the nine other routes planned, form a mass transit network that will reduce traffic congestion.

The operation of the train brings the high hope that residents who live near this route are able to travel to Hanoi's downtown without having to endure rain, pollution, and the frustrating daily experience of being stuck in traffic jams.

The trains ran at their full capacity right after the Metro line handover ceremony between Hanoi’s People Committee and the Ministry of Transport took place on November 6.
The Ha Dong- Cat Linh Metro will offer a free ride in its first 15 days of running. When passengers were given free tickets to get on the train. At the alighting station, the tickets are collected. 
Passengers can purchase passes via an automatic ticket vending machine. The machines currently accept cash. In the near future, they will allow transactions via bank cards. 
The fare of the sky train is VND30,000 or US$1.3/person/ticket/day for unlimited travel. 
Monthly pass costs from VND100,000 ($4.4) to VND200,000 ($8.8) person. People with meritorious services, the elderly, people with disabilities, children under six years old, and members of poor households travel for free.
According to General Director of Hanoi Urban Railway Company Limited (Metro Hanoi) Vu Hong Truong, before the Cat Linh - Ha Dong metro was officially put into operation, all the staff had already been thoroughly trained and ready for handling any incident.

Passenger Truong Duy Son from Ba Dinh District, Hanoi said that his home is near the Metro Cat Linh- Ha Dong line and he is thrilled to  take the first metro line trip in Hanoi. “I came to Cat Linh station early in the morning to wait in line for my turn to experience the trip, but many others come here even earlier than me,” he said.

To access the 12 train stations of Metro Cat Linh - Ha Dong, passengers can use 55 bus lines that connect with the metro line. The first metro line station is located on Cat Linh Street, Dong Da District and the last one in Yen Nghia Ward, Ha Dong District.

The metro line operates from 5:30am to 10pm daily. In the first week, trains run at a frequency of 15 minutes. In the second week, the frequency will be 10 minutes.