Public visitors in Hanoi got the first experience of the city’s metro line 3, which connects Nhon Terminal and Hanoi Train Station, on Saturday.

Earlier, it was announced that the metro train would be available for general public viewing between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm this Saturday and Sunday.

From the early morning, citizens of the capital city were seen queueing up at the S1 terminal in the Nhon area of Bac Tu Liem District to take a glance at the much-anticipated train.

Nguyen Phuong Lan, 44, from Nam Tu Lien District was one of the first in line to visit the train at the S1 station.

Donning a white ao dai and holding a branch of apricot tree as a prop, she mulled a photo shoot inside the train to commemorate the event. 

According to the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board, the showcase of the train was meant to be an act of celebration for the 13th National Party Congress next week, as well as a public announcement on the progress of the city’s metro line 3.

“This is such a memorable event of the city that all of us have been waiting for it," Lan said.

"For that reason, my friends and I came here today to capture the moments [in photos].”

Vuong Ngoc Hai, 70, from Cau Giay District, said the wait for the first look of the train made him feel nervous and proud at the same time.

“The train looks great," Hai remarked.

"As far as I know, it is one of the twelve arteries of the city, so I wish it can be operated soon to resolve traffic congestion issues in Hanoi.”

Public visitors will be allowed to visit the metro train in groups of no more than 20 people at a time.

The MRB requires visitors to bring personal IDs, don face masks, shun high heels, and abide by guidelines.

They will also collect visitors’ feedback at the end of each tour.

On October 18, 2020, the first carriages of the train to run on Hanoi’s metro route 3 were unloaded to Nam Hai Dinh Vu Port in northern Hai Phong City before reaching Hanoi two days later.

The train cars are designed and assembled, in accordance with European quality standards, by French manufacturer Alstom.

The train's exterior is made of lightweight aluminum alloy with a green, red, and white coating and a symbol of Khue Van Cac – the iconic structure of Hanoi’s Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) – on the front.

It is fully equipped with air conditioning and ventilation systems, loudspeakers for public announcements, surveillance cameras, standalone smoke and fire detectors, and LED lighting with auto-adjust brightness, among others.

The interior of the train will be themed in light tones with white LED lighting to provide the most comfortable experience for passengers.

Each train consists of four carriages with a total passenger capacity of 944 to 1,124 per trip.

It can travel at 35 kilometers per hour in real-life commercial use, which can rise to a maximum of 80 kilometers per hour.

Nguyen Cao Minh, head of the MRB, said the metro line 3 will commence commercial operations along a 8.5-kilometer length from Nhon to the University of Transport and Communications in the second half of 2021. 

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