Ho Chi Minh City has introduced a new contactless payment system on its bus network, enabling passengers to use domestic ATM cards issued under the National Payment Corporation of Viet Nam (NAPAS). The initiative has been jointly rolled out by NAPAS, Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Sacombank), and the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Centre.
The system is initially being deployed across 30 routes, covering more than 600 vehicles operated by Viet Thang Inter-provincial Transport and Tourism Cooperative; Bao Yen Tourism, Service and Construction Co., Ltd.; City Transport JSC (Citranco); Saigon Passenger Transport JSC (Saigonbus); and Transport 26 JSC. The project follows the adoption of an automated ticketing system on Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien) earlier this year, positioning Ho Chi Minh City as a pioneer in cashless transport solutions.
Passengers can now tap NAPAS contactless cards—issued by 28 Vietnamese banks—directly on card readers installed inside buses. The system also supports mobile payments through smartphones and smartwatches linked to digital NAPAS cards. With over 80 million NAPAS cards in circulation nationwide, the rollout is expected to simplify fare collection, reduce cash handling, and shorten boarding times.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Centre, cashless payment systems are already in place on 96 bus routes with 1,456 vehicles, and the expansion will accelerate the transition to a fully integrated digital ticketing framework.
