The Asia Investment Facility under the European Union, together with the French government through its French Development Agency (AFD), and the government of Vietnam on Thursday signed a financial agreement to develop Hanoi’s transport system and extend its metro line No. 3.

Under the agreement, the EU will provide €10 million (US$10.8 million) in support for the research and preparation of investment to extend metro line No. 3, as announced by the European Commission for International Partnerships. 

Following the extension, metro line No. 3, which originally spans 12.5 kilometers between Nhon Station in Bac Tu Liem District and Hanoi Railway Station in Dong Da District, will be expanded by 8.7 kilometers from Hanoi Railway Station to Hoang Mai District.

This expansion of metro line No. 3 is meant to address critical infrastructure, transportation, and environmental challenges arising from Hanoi’s rapid urbanization. 

The first phase of the project involves funding a feasibility study for the extension, followed by updates to Hanoi’s urban transport master plan and enhancement of management capabilities.

“Through this project, the EU is supporting plans to develop Hanoi’s transport system and extend metro line No. 3,” European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen said. 

“It is an excellent example of the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy. 

“We are working together with partner countries, like our good partner Vietnam, to develop sustainable infrastructure that brings concrete benefits to the local people and stimulates the local economy, while tackling climate change and pollution.” 

Construction on Hanoi’s metro line No. 3, connecting Nhon Station with Hanoi Railway Station, commenced in September 2010, funded by France's official development assistance (ODA) loans. 

The initial total investment for the project was VND18.4 trillion ($723 million), with completion originally slated for 2016, according to online newspaper Vietnamnet. 

However, the project has faced repeated delays since 2015, missing the deadline 11 times. 

Recently, due to ongoing challenges, the Hanoi People’s Committee extended the implementation deadline to the end of 2027. 

Additionally, they revised up the total investment to VND34.8 trillion ($1.37 billion), representing an 89.1-percent increase from the initial estimate.

After over a decade of construction, the elevated segment of the route spanning from Nhon Station to Cau Giay District reached testing phases and is slated for operation soon.

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