Most modern coach station in Vietnam to operate in HCMC

The new Eastern Coach Station of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), beginning constructing 3 years ago, is supposed to be the most modern station in the country. It is the first coach station complex in Vietnam and will have its first stage ready for operation this October 10.

The new Eastern Coach Station in District 9 of HCMC. (Photo: SGGP)
The new Eastern Coach Station in District 9 of HCMC. (Photo: SGGP)

The new Eastern Coach Station has a total surface area of 16ha. It is half sited in Binh Thang Commune of Di An Town in Binh Duong Province. Its other half is in Long Binh Ward of District 9 in HCMC.

The Station is on Hanoi Highway, which is a transport route to eastern, central and northern provinces of Vietnam. It is also located near Metro Route No.1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien).

Being a station complex, it provides transport services for passengers and goods coming in and out of HCMC. It is the checkpoint for shopping and entertainment activities as well, with many playgrounds, cinemas, food courts, stores.

Adapting from similar models in Japan and Korea, the new Eastern Coach Station applies advanced technologies in management tasks such as monitoring inbound and outbound coaches via magnetic stripe cards, running financial software connected to Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation (Samco) – its main investor, selling tickets online with various payment options, running specialized software to manage human resources and offices.

The new Station will also launch an app for smart devices so that passengers can look up necessary information and services like coach routes, departure time, ticket price, booking.

The first phase of the whole project comprises the construction of a central terminal, a waste water treatment station and technical infrastructure.

The central terminal has 4 floors and 2 basement floors each with 11,700m2. The second basement is used for a departure-waiting parking area as well as technical infrastructure (technical room, pump room, underground water tank, and fire fighting tank), while the first will be for a passenger pick-up and drop-off area, a parking lot, supporting technical room, and a toilet area.

At the beginning of its operation, the new Station will exist along with the old one, mostly to serve 24 coach routes to 16 Northern provinces. There will be special buses connecting both stations, running from Dinh Bo Linh Street to Hoang Huu Nam Street.

The new routes entering National Way No.2 will begin from the new Station passing Dong Nai Bridge while those entering the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Express Way will start on Hoang Huu Nam Street – D400 Street – passing HCMC Martyrs’ Cemetery – Hanoi Highway – passing Saigon Hi-tech Park – Phu Huu Roundabout – the Express Way.

For the convenience of both transport businesses and passengers, the new Station allows those enterprises to pick up people at the old one and move them to the new gathering point before finishing necessary departure procedures. This policy will last no longer than 3 months from October 10, 2020.

As to traffic to and from the new Station, the new Metro Route No.1 is expected to transfer travellers from downtown areas. Buses will run from Hoang Huu Nam Street – D400 Street – Southern Parallel Line – passing Vietnam National University-HCMC – Northern Parallel Line – downtown area.

HCMC Public Transport Management Center informed that it has already renovated 30 bus stations to serve people moving between the new and old stations. Information about connecting bus routes, luggage support services, and route schedules is published for those interested.

The HCMC Department of Transport asked that the bus routes No.55 (from Quang Trung Software City – Saigon Hi-tech Park), No.76 (Long Phuoc – Suoi Tien – Hung King Temple) finish in time to serve passengers to and from the new Eastern Coach Station.

Since the old station also sell tickets for routes running to and from the new one, transport businesses are suggested to prepare suitable methods to pick up their own customers. These companies are instructed to timely deliver announcements to passengers via posters, flyers, brochures, public media channels.

For further information, please visit www.benxemiendong.com.vn or call the hotline 1900571292 or the official telephone number of the Eastern Coach Station at 02835116858.

Other news