Vietnam has introduced a new way for passengers to buy and pay for train tickets through the country’s national electronic identification application, VNeID. The service officially began on November 9 and is part of the railway sector’s wider effort to modernise passenger services and make travel arrangements easier.
The new system allows citizens to book tickets directly through VNeID without installing a separate railway application. Passengers can select train services, enter the required travel information and complete payment through the digital platform. The service covers railway routes across the country, including the main North-South connection.
To use the service, passengers must have a Level 2 VNeID account and be successfully logged in on their mobile phone. The platform uses information already verified through the national identification system, reducing the need for users to enter personal details repeatedly. This can make the booking process faster while improving the accuracy of passenger information.
The integration also allows people to buy tickets for family members or other travellers. Users can enter the passenger’s personal details and send the electronic ticket directly to the recipient through a feature called Send Ticket via VNeID. The recipient can then open the application and confirm the ticket. The system also gives users the option to show or hide the ticket price when sharing it.
The railway sector has retained several existing discount policies for passengers using the new booking service. Older people, children and students can continue to receive eligible reductions. These measures are intended to ensure that digitalisation does not remove benefits that help certain groups afford public transport.
There are also limits on individual transactions. A customer can purchase up to 10 tickets in one transaction, and selected tickets must be paid for within 10 minutes. Payment options include banking applications through QR codes, domestic ATM cards and international payment cards.
After completing payment, the electronic ticket is stored in the My Tickets section of VNeID. Passengers can present it when boarding, reducing the need to print a physical ticket or carry separate booking documents.
The change is part of Vietnam’s broader digital transformation programme. Government agencies have been connecting public services to national digital identification systems to reduce paperwork and make services easier to access. The railway industry has also been updating its electronic ticketing systems and expanding online sales channels.
For passengers, the main benefit is convenience. People can use one application for identification and travel arrangements, while automatic data verification can reduce mistakes during booking. The ability to send tickets to relatives may also make it easier for families to arrange journeys for older people or those who do not regularly use digital services.
However, the service depends on passengers having the required digital identity account and access to a smartphone. Railway authorities will need to ensure that people who are less familiar with digital technology can still receive assistance through existing ticket offices and other sales channels.
The launch represents another step in the modernisation of Vietnam’s railway services. If the platform operates smoothly, it could make train travel more accessible and encourage wider use of digital public services across the country.
