From today, March 30, trains and vehicles going to/from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will be officially restricted.

Faced with the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic that is spreading rapidly, on the evening of March 29, the Ministry of Transport continued to send an urgent dispatch to the following units: Vietnam Road Administration; Vietnam Railway Administration; Vietnam Maritime Administration; Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration and Departments of Transport of provinces and centrally run cities.

Official dispatch signed by Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan, requesting to continue implementing Directive No. 15/CT-TTg dated March 27, 2020 of the Prime Minister forLocal Department of Transport:

From 00:00 on March 30, 2020 to April 15, 2020, all operations of contract vehicles with more than 9 seats and tourist vehicles with more than 9 seats departing from/arriving in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will be suspended. In special cases, the Departments of Transport will promptly report to the Vietnam Road Administration for consideration and resolution.

For fixed routes from Hanoi and vice versa, Ho Chi Minh City and vice versa: Only transport passengers with a maximum of 02 trips/day for routes under 100km; ensure the number of passengers on 01 trip does not exceed 50% of the number of seats on the vehicle and does not exceed 20 people;

Only transport passengers with a maximum of 01 trip/day for the remaining routes; ensure the number of passengers on 01 trip does not exceed 50% of the number of seats on the vehicle and does not exceed 20 people;

No restrictions on non-passenger vehicles.

The Ministry of Transport requested the Vietnam Railway Authority to direct the Vietnam Railway Corporation and railway transport enterprises to: From 00:00 on March 30 to the end of April 15, 2020, temporarily suspend all local passenger train operations.

For the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City railway route, only a maximum of 02 pairs of passenger trains are allowed to operate per day (02 trips from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and 02 trips back).

In special cases, Vietnam Railway Corporation and railway transport enterprises must promptly report to the Vietnam Railway Authority for consideration and resolution. There is no restriction on the operation of trains that do not carry passengers.

Request the Vietnam Maritime Administration to direct the Maritime Port Authority to coordinate with the Border Guard and Health Quarantine agencies to not let crew members go ashore and to minimize crew changes;

Coordinate with ports and pilotage companies to take strict measures to protect pilots and stevedores working on ships. - Coordinate with localities to minimize passenger ships from shore to island and take measures to strictly manage crew members and passengers on ships.

The Ministry of Transport requested the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration to coordinate with localities to minimize passenger boat trips from shore to islands and take measures to strictly manage crew members and passengers.

The document also requires the Department of Transport of provinces and centrally run cities to report to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities to direct transport units to minimize the transport of passengers within the locality, to/from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other localities for all types of passenger transport;

Suspend or reorganize public transport activities to limit travel and large gatherings, except for freight vehicles. The Ministry of Transport requests agencies and units to urgently implement.