Ho Chi Minh City to Break Ground on Three More Metro Lines by Year-End; Network to Reach 255 km by 2030

【Hanoi, Vietnam—Kim Jun-seok, Correspondent】Ho Chi Minh City plans to officially begin construction in the fourth quarter of this year on three metro lines connecting Binh Duong, Thu Dau Mot, Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Phu Huu and other areas. The total cost of the three projects is estimated to exceed 245 trillion dong (approximately ₩12.8133 trillion).
According to local media on the 22nd, the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Authority (MAUR) said on the 21st that it was working with consulting agencies to prepare feasibility study reports for the three urban railway projects. It is also finalizing procedures to obtain approval from the relevant authorities.
The three lines will span approximately 90 km in total. All will be developed as government-funded projects, with completion planned for 2030. If construction proceeds as planned, Ho Chi Minh City's urban railway network will expand to approximately 255 km by 2030.
The Thu Dau Mot–Tao Dan Metro is the largest of the three projects. The line will extend more than 33 km, with a provisional total cost of approximately 113 trillion dong (about ₩5.9098 trillion). It will have 24 stations, comprising 11 aboveground and 13 underground stations. Its terminus is planned to connect with the Ben Thanh–Tham Luong Urban Railway, creating a transfer hub between lines in central Ho Chi Minh City.
The second project is the Tan Son Nhat–Phu Huu section of Phase 1 of Metro Line 6. The line will extend approximately 23 km, with a provisional total cost of more than 86 trillion dong (about ₩4.4977 trillion). It will have 17 stations, including four aboveground and 13 underground stations, and will extend to the eastern part of the city via two underground stations serving the Tan Son Nhat International Airport area. Once completed, it will connect Tan Son Nhat International Airport with the existing metro network and the Thu Thiem–Long Thanh Railway, creating a mass-transit corridor linking the two airports.
The third project is the Binh Duong–Suoi Tien Metro, which will extend approximately 32 km and cost about 55 trillion dong (approximately ₩2.8764 trillion). The first phase will include 17 stations. The line is also expected to connect with major railway networks serving Dong Nai City and Long Thanh International Airport, as well as the existing metro network.
Ho Chi Minh City's only operational urban railway at present is the approximately 20-km Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 1. The city has set a goal of expanding its total urban railway network to approximately 255 km by 2030. Since the beginning of this year, Ho Chi Minh City has begun construction on or held groundbreaking ceremonies for three projects: Ben Thanh–Tham Luong, Ben Thanh–Thu Thiem and Ben Thanh–Can Gio Railway. In addition to these three lines, the city is also pursuing the Thu Thiem–Long Thanh Railway and the Tham Luong–An Ha–Northwestern Urban Area section of Metro Line 2.

[email protected] Kim Jun-seok Reporter