What’s the Story Behind the Ban on Electric Bikes on the Cat Linh – Ha Dong Metro Line?

This morning, August 12th, the announcement board at Cat Linh station on the Cat Linh – Ha Dong metro line informed passengers that, in order to ensure fire safety, Hanoi Metro (Hanoi Railway One-Member Limited Company – the operator) prohibits passengers from bringing e-bikes on board. Any violation will be subject to punishment.

Mr. Nguyen The Hung, a resident of Ha Dong ward, shared that, as usual, he folded his e-bike to bring it on the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro as a means of continuing his commute to work from Cat Linh station.

“However, this morning, a staff member reminded me that starting tomorrow, I would no longer be allowed to bring this type of bike on board to ensure fire prevention and control. Today is the first day of implementation, so the staff will be lenient,” said Mr. Hung, expressing his disappointment that the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro no longer allows him to bring his e-bike on board.

“My office is about 1km away from Cat Linh station, so I usually commute by e-bike instead of using private vehicles such as cars or motorbikes for my daily commute. If I’m not allowed to bring my e-bike on the train, I’ll have to reconsider my daily commute,” Mr. Hung said.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway has become a popular mode of public transportation for many people

Regarding this issue, Hanoi Metro’s representative stated that the company has studied the experiences of other countries and cities worldwide regarding allowing passengers to bring multi-purpose foldable bikes with Lithium-ion batteries on board.

The research findings showed that most urban railway lines worldwide prohibit passengers from bringing foldable bikes with Lithium-ion batteries on board or have specific regulations regarding battery capacity or requiring the removal of batteries before boarding.

“However, as of August 12th, Hanoi Metro has not issued any regulations regarding the prohibition of passengers bringing foldable bikes with Lithium-ion batteries on the Cat Linh – Ha Dong and Nhon – Cau Giay metro lines,” said the representative of Hanoi Metro.

According to Hanoi Metro, during the research and directive process, some company officials and staff members failed to fully comprehend the directive and prematurely announced the prohibition of passengers bringing foldable bikes with Lithium-ion batteries on board the urban railway lines on the morning of August 12, 2025, causing inconvenience to passengers.

Following this incident, Hanoi Metro has instructed its staff to continue allowing passengers to bring foldable bikes (including those with Lithium-ion batteries) on board for the convenience of their daily commutes until an official regulation is in place.

“However, based on the international research findings, the company recommends and encourages passengers to opt for buses, public bikes, or regular foldable bikes without Lithium-ion batteries when traveling on the metro, especially during peak hours with high passenger volume, to prevent and minimize fire and explosion risks on public transport,” Hanoi Metro expressed.

The management of Hanoi Metro also extended their apologies to all passengers, especially those who use foldable bikes with Lithium-ion batteries, for the inconvenience caused by the miscommunication this morning.

Ngân Tuyền (ANTĐ)