LookAtVietnam –
Despite plans to put on more trains
during the national holiday from April 30 to May 3, it now seems unlikely they
will be able to meet demand.
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Coaches are ready for passengers at
the Southern Coach Station in Ha Noi. Transportation demand increases dramatically during the holidays, posing challenges to the transport sector. (Photo: VNS) |
Similar problems
exist with airlines and, to a lesser extent, with coach lines.
According to the
deputy general director of Ha Noi Railway, Nguyen Van Binh, the demand for train
tickets has risen by 50 per cent, but availability has only increased by 30 per
cent. And all tickets for carriages with air conditioning and beds are full.
Binh suggested
passengers depart one or two days earlier – or later – to avoid the crush.
All tickets from HCM
City to Nha Trang beach resort in central Khanh Hoa Province have been sold,
despite the addition of extra carriages providing more than 9,000 seats, said
the deputy head of Sai Gon Station, Nguyen Van Thanh.
To deal with a 30 per
cent hike in demand for plane tickets, 48 extra domestic flights and some
international flights have been added, according to Vietnam Airlines.
Domestic departure
tickets from today until April 30 and return tickets from May 2 to May 6 have
been completely sold out, according to agents.
Le Tung Lam from Ha
Noi’s Dong Da District, said his family would like to go to the central city of
Da Nang for holidays, but could not buy tickets at any price.
Meanwhile, the
director of Ha Noi Bus Station Management Company, Nguyen Hoang Trung, said
demand for coaches could be met even on the peak days of April 29 and 30.
He said the number of
coaches would be increased by 20 per cent.
However, a student
from Ha Noi National Economics University, Le Thi Luong, said she wanted to
return to her hometown in Nam Dinh Province during the holidays, but the coaches
would be too crowded.
To help transport
passengers, the number of buses on 17 routes in HCM City will be increased by 15
per cent per day from April 30 to May 3.
The number of buses
in Ha Noi will also be increased.
VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News