A close look at Vietnam's largest bus station in HCMC

A group of window cleaners apply the finishing touches to the new four-storey Mien Dong coach station.

The station covers 16 ha (40 acres) in the city's outlying District 9 and nearby Binh Duong Province's Di An Town.

"I've been to many bus stations but found this new station to be very modern, large and airy, with a hall as wide as an airport terminal," said cleaner Le Van Hung.

An information counter is located inside the main lobby of the bus station.

During its first phase, the station will serve 71 routes spanning over 1,100 km (683 miles) each, carrying passengers between the city, central and northern regions. These routes have all been transferred from the old station in Binh Thanh District, which will remain operational until the new hub is entirely complete.

In addition to common metal chairs, the bus station includes comfortable sofas for passengers to relax.

A ticket counter is located to the left of the main entrance, with four large screens displaying route and fare updates.

A staff member practices selling tickets.

A shopping complex is under construction to serve passengers waiting for their bus.

Each of two basement parking areas covers 11,600 square meters.

The drop-off area covers 15,680 square meters, including an approximate 140 bus parking bays.

The pick-up area and outside parking lot covers over 30,000 square meters.

During its first phase, the station will serve 24 routes to central and northern provinces, with about 40 buses in operation.

The station was scheduled to open on August 15, though the country's second coronavirus outbreak forced authorities to delay its inauguration.

The station is expected to tackle current overload and help reduce traffic congestion across inner-city areas during Lunar New Year, and other holiday occasions, when travel demand for tourism and family visits peaks.

Construction on the bus station, which started in April 2017, cost VND4 trillion ($173 million), with the first phase accouting for VND740 billion.

Once complete, the new station, funded by state-owned Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation, will be three times the size of the existing hub, which is already the biggest station in Vietnam, and have the capacity to serve seven million passengers a year.