HCM City builds new bus stations

14:23' 18/04/2008 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – To keep up with the construction progress of HCM City's new metro routes, several new inter-provincial bus stations are under construction to replace existing ones in central areas.
Pham Quoc Tai, deputy general director of the Sai Gon Transportation Mechanical Corporation (Samco), said the existing eastern-bound bus station will be split into locations in Suoi Tien and Long Truong - Song Tac, both in outlying District 9. Under the city's transportation zoning plan, this should happen by 2020. However, the Suoi Tien bus depot will be operational by 2013 in tandem with the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro route, which has already begun construction.
"The Suoi Tien eastern-bound bus station must be put into operation by 2013 to serve the operation of the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro route," Tai said.
The Suoi Tien eastern-bound bus station will straddle 11 ha in Binh Duong Province's Di An District and 12.5 ha in HCM City. It will be used for inter-provincial bus routes to central, northern and Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) provinces.

The Long Truong - Song Tac bus station will handle transport to coastal central provinces.
The Long Truong - Song Tac eastern-bound bus station is underway and is expected to take up 15-19 ha, according to Samco.
The HCM City People's Committee has assigned Samco to build the new Western-bound bus station in Binh Chanh District's Tan Quy Tay Commune.
Tai said the existing Western-bound bus station will continue to be operational, but as one of terminals of the city's subway routes after the new Western-bound bus station is completed.
Construction of the city's subway running between downtown and the current Western-bound bus station will start in July next year and finish by January 2012.
Construction of a 23-ha trans-Asia bus station in Hoc Mon District's Tan Thoi Nhi Commune is also underway, according to Samco. The Hoc Mon District People's Committee is implementing land clearance for the construction.