Crowded gateways; bustling train stations and bus stations before September 2nd holiday

On the afternoon of August 30, at the gateways, bus stations, train stations, and airports of Ho Chi Minh City, the number of vehicles began to increase significantly as people flocked to leave the city to return to their hometowns or travel on the occasion of the National Day holiday on September 2.

According to the reporter of Giao thong Newspaper, the roads around the old Mien Dong bus station (Binh Thanh district) such as Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Dinh Bo Linh… started to be crowded with vehicles, lining up from 2:30 pm. Among them, many people moved to the bus station to return to their hometown or go on vacation.

Inside the station, the number of passengers returning home was not too crowded because many routes had moved to the new Mien Dong bus station. However, the bustling, hurried atmosphere still prevailed.

Similarly, at Mien Tay bus station, the later it gets, the more crowded it is with people moving to the station.

A large number of people were present at the ticket counters to buy tickets to return home. At Mien Tay bus station, the unit arranged officers and security guards to direct traffic and guide people and vehicles in front of the gate to avoid congestion. At the same time, they guided the ticket counters so that people could move quickly.

Ms. Long Phung Xuan, a ticket seller for the Ho Chi Minh City – Kien Giang route at Mien Tay bus station, said that the number of customers coming to book tickets is increasing quite rapidly. Currently, the bus company has sold about 90% of the tickets, and it is likely that they will be sold out by evening.

Mr. Trong Nghia (living in Tan Phu) took advantage of the time to go to the bus station at 4pm to buy a ticket to Soc Trang. He said that there are often traffic jams on holidays, so he arrived a few hours early. "On this occasion, I took my wife and children back to my hometown to rest and visit relatives. I chose to go today, it's a bit rushed but there will be less traffic jams than tomorrow," said Mr. Nghia.

Although the front gate of Mien Tay bus station is quite clear, at the western gateway (Kinh Duong Vuong street to National Highway 1), there are many vehicles, people have to move slowly, and many places are congested.

On Highway 1, the traffic started to stretch out. Among them, many people from neighboring provinces such as Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre… traveled back to their hometowns by motorbike.

At Saigon Station, people also flocked in large numbers this afternoon. Many people shared the same mentality of leaving early to avoid traffic jams, so they had to wait quite a while to get on the train.

Vietnam Railways Corporation said that during the National Day holiday on September 2, when purchasing round-trip tickets, passengers will receive a 5% discount on return tickets for individuals and a 7% discount on return tickets for groups of 20 people or more.

In the photo, people line up at the train station at 5:00 p.m. on August 30.

At Tan Son Nhat airport, it was not until 5:30 p.m. that the number of passengers began to increase. During the holiday, people mainly choose to return to their hometowns to visit their families, while others travel to destinations such as Da Lat, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, etc.

“I was quite surprised because the airport was not as crowded as the previous holidays I went. Maybe tomorrow will be the peak time,” said Nguyen Van Trong (living in Go Vap district).

Tan Son Nhat International Airport said that the number of passengers arriving and departing during the National Day holiday on September 2 is expected to be about 120,000 passengers per day, an increase of about 8% compared to the number of passengers on normal days.

This afternoon, on many routes, Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Police force patrolled and controlled to ensure traffic safety; at the same time, gave water, cold towels... to people traveling back to their hometowns.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/tphcm-cua-ngo-ken-dac-nha-ga-ben-xe-nhon-nhip-truoc-ngay-nghi-le-2-9-192240830180010479.htm