Digitalizing Public Transit: A Smart Mobile Application for Optimizing Vietnam’s MRT System

Abstract

Public transit adoption in Vietnam remains limited despite recent metro infrastructure developments, mainly due to fragmented information, manual ticketing systems, and low user convenience. This study proposes a novel mobile application specifically designed for Vietnam’s MRT system, integrating real-time route planning, fare calculation, digital ticketing, in-app wallet, QR-code check-in, and VietCard management. The application is built on a modular microservices architecture hosted on AWS, ensuring scalability, security, and seamless functionality. A user-centered design approach was employed, supported by a survey of 101 commuters in Ho Chi Minh City, which confirmed strong demand for digital features that enhance accessibility, usability, and efficiency. Key contributions of this study include the development of the first fully integrated MRT mobile platform tailored to the Vietnamese context, the application of scalable cloud-native architecture in public transportation, and empirical validation through user insights. By addressing existing operational gaps, the proposed solution aims to improve commuter experience, promote public transport adoption, and support sustainable urban mobility initiatives in Vietnam.