HANOI, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Railway Transport Joint Stock Company increased passenger fares by 10 percent and freight rates by 15 percent on Monday, citing the need to maintain stable services amid a volatile fuel market caused by ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
The adjustment was carefully considered to ease pressure from rising fuel costs while ensuring service quality as well as safe and stable operations, a company representative said.
The retail price of diesel reached 30,230 Vietnamese dong (about 1.21 U.S. dollars) per liter as of 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, a sharp rise of 31.26 percent compared with the price announced two days earlier, the report said, citing the Vietnam National Petroleum Group. ■