Electric double-decker buses begin sightseeing tours in Ho Chi Minh City
The operator says fares will stay unchanged as it initially assigns the electric vehicles to central routes.
Vietnam Sightseeing JSC’s Ho Chi Minh City branch has introduced two electric double-decker sightseeing buses, branch director Nguyen Le Vinh Lynh said. The launch follows the company’s deployment of two similar vehicles in Hanoi.
Lynh told Tuoi Tre that the electric buses would initially serve routes in the city centre without a change in ticket prices. The company will then consider converting the rest of its fleet, with the goal of making all its sightseeing buses electric before 2030.
The operator’s two main tours serve central Ho Chi Minh City and Cho Lon, offering around 10 stops where travellers can leave the bus and rejoin a service. Double-decker sightseeing tours have operated in the city since 2015 using conventional fuel-powered vehicles.
Lynh said the electric vehicles were intended to broaden the city’s tourism options and support its sustainable urban tourism goals.
Ho Chi Minh City also plans a trial low-emission zone covering the city centre and Thu Thiem from 2028. Its proposed timetable would require vehicles operating within low-emission zones to run on clean energy by 2040. The requirement would apply throughout the city by 2045, including to specialised vehicles.
