Last week, ITDP China hosted two young professions from Vietnam and Nepal to learn about integrated public transport systems and non-motorized transport best practices as part of their ten month research trip to Hong Kong. For the last five years, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities have brought young professionals from the CAI Country networks to Hong Kong for ten months forair quality training and research.

Ms. Vu Quynh Linh, a representative of the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Mr. Suman Udas represented the NGO Clean Energy Nepal, which works closely with the government, supporting the adopting of bike lanes and bus rapid transit corridors in Katmandu.

ITDP China took them to experience the gold-standard Guangzhou BRT, as well as the city’s bike sharing system which is integrated with the BRT corridor. They also demonstrated best practices in urban design with the transit-oriented Tangxia urban village, a high density residential development near the corridor. Other visits included the integration of BRT and the city’s metro tunnel, and the Liuyun Xiaoqu mixed use commercial and residential area.

Linh and Udas were both surprised and impressed at the capacity and speed of the BRT system. They were particularly interested in the operations data, which will help them to promote BRT and other sustainable transport measures such as bike sharing and greenways in Vietnam and Nepal. “It’s so exciting to see the BRT here!” said Vu Quynh Linh, “It’s so convenient for so many people. In Vietnam, especially in Hanoi, we really need to focus more on the transportation capacity. Hopefully we can work towards implementing a BRT.”

Mr. Suman Udas commented: “In Nepal we are advocating for measures like these, and now with the government to bid the BRT system we think it will improve.” Said Suman Udas, “In Katmandu, it is very crowed and doesn’t have any good public transportation. After seeing the GZ BRT, I see the potential of the BRT. I will push the government harder to build one. I think it would be more feasible for us than a rail system, with our rough geography and the lower cost of BRT, it will be more feasible to convince the government of Nepal.”