With Ho Chi Minh City’s first metro line scheduled to begin commercial operations in December, many detailed guidelines have been provided for locals and tourists.

The link runs from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu Duc City, a district-level administrative unit of the southern metropolis, through three underground stations and 11 stops above the ground.

Ngo Hai Duong, head of the Road Transport Management Division at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that various bus routes are connected with the metro. 

The Public Transportation Management Center is in the process of launching 17 electric bus routes to match the opening of the metro line, he said.

Besides, the city is working to prepare four-seater electric vehicle and public bicycle services at the three underground stations, including Ba Son, Ben Thanh, and the Municipal Theater, to facilitate passengers’ access to the metro line.

The municipal department also aims to link the metro and water bus routes in 2025 to increase access to the new mode of transportation.

Pedestrians will use footbridges to reach the stations, and five parking lots have been built near some stations to make it easier for commuters who ride a bike or motorcycle.

The department also took into account the traffic organization around the station areas and along the metro line, including installing signs, painting roads, and renovating sidewalks and roadbeds.

A project to open bicycle lanes to link the metro line in District 1, District 3, District 5, and Binh Thanh District will get off the ground in December.

The department announced that the city is finalizing ticket prices for metro rides.

To encourage residents to embrace the new transportation option and boost its competitiveness, the first metro line will be subsidized.

Passengers will have the flexibility to purchase tickets either with cash or through their bank accounts, Duong added.

The department has sent the municipal People’s Committee a fare proposal for the first metro line, with ticket prices ranging from VND6,000 (US$0.2) to VND20,000 ($0.8) per trip.

Under the proposal, single-trip fares for passengers paying with cash will range from VND7,000 ($0.27) to VND20,000 ($0.80), depending on the distance.

Non-cash payments will be slightly lower, at VND6,000-19,000 ($0.25-0.75) per ride.

The department is also drafting a fare integration plan to streamline connections between buses and the metro system.

The plan, aimed at improving convenience for public transport users, will be submitted to the municipal administration for approval.

According to Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Company, station ticketing systems have been designed to support e-tickets, flexible fare adjustments, and multiple payment options.

The first metro line is 19.7 kilometers long, including 2.6 kilometers of underground urban rail link and 17.1 kilometers of elevated track, carrying a price tag of VND43.7 trillion ($1.7 billion). 

The line has a total of 17 trains, each capable of accommodating 930 passengers, including 147 sitting and 783 standing.

The metro line project got off the ground in 2012 and is set to start commercial operations in late 2024.

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