Hanoi traffic speeds drop significantly in urban areas

Traffic speeds in Hanoi's urban areas have seen an alarming decline, with average speeds dropping from 21.02 km/h during off-peak hours to 15.54 km/h during peak hours. On major arteries, speeds have fallen even further; for instance, the Tran Duy Hung axis dropped from 21.5 km/h to 12.2 km/h, and the Pham Hung - Ring Road 3 section decreased from 18.6 km/h to 12.7 km/h.

This congestion is driven by a heavy reliance on personal vehicles. Motorcycles account for 82.3% of vehicle volume and 52.5% of road space usage, while cars represent 12.2% of volume and 26% of space usage. Currently, public transportation—comprising two metro lines and one BRT line—meets only about 4.8% of travel demand.

In response, the Hanoi Department of Construction has completed the appraisal of a 100-year transport planning mission. This plan aims to shift the city toward a high-capacity public transport network, recognizing that expanding road capacity alone is insufficient to resolve congestion.