The launch of metro line No. 1 in Ho Chi Minh City is not only a historic public transit milestone but it also sets the stage for local authorities to continue to develop the second line and beyond.

Metro line No. 1, which stretches from Ben Thanh Station in District 1 to Suoi Tien Coach Station in Thu Duc City, a district-level unit of Ho Chi Minh City, began its official service on Sunday morning.

All 14 stations of the metro line officially opened to the public at 10:00 am.

During the initial operation, nine metro trains, ​​each capable of carrying 930 passengers, were set to operate daily from 5:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Every trip takes nearly 30 minutes, plus the stop time at each station of about 30 seconds.

The interval between two trips is from eight to 12 minutes, so the metro line can serve 200 train trips each day.

Trains run at 110 kilometers per hour above the ground and 80 kilometers per hour underground.

Meanwhile, metro line No. 2 will link the downtown area with districts west of the city and is expected to ease traffic pressure on Cach Mang Thang Tam, Truong Chinh, and Ly Thuong Kiet Streets. It is currently undergoing site clearance and technical infrastructure relocation stages.

Most households along Cach Mang Thang Tam and Truong Chinh Streets have handed over their land for the project, with many hoping it will be completed soon and reduce traffic congestion.

Hoang Huy, a resident of Tan Phu District, expressed his anticipation for the second metro line, which he believes will significantly ease his daily commute to work.

He described the gridlock at the intersection of Au Co and Truong Chinh Streets after work as a constant struggle.

Huy also noted that once both metro lines are operational, traveling across the city will become much more efficient.

Nguyen Le Nhu, a 65-year-old resident on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, shared that her family has grown accustomed to traffic jams.

During rush hours, vehicles crawl along at a snail's pace, with motorbikes often spilling onto the sidewalks of the street.

Nhu added that when she heard that the second metro line would pass through her house, she was excited as the modern means of transport would help ease traffic on the overloaded Cach Mang Thang Tam Street.

The biggest challenge to the project is site clearance. In particular, the route was envisaged to pass through six districts, including District 1, District 3, District 10, District 12, Tan Binh District, and Tan Phu District, with 10 underground stations.

More than 251,000 square meters are planned for reclamation. As the route will run through crowded areas, the site clearance and resettlement work has faced multiple difficulties.

As of the end of 2023, households in District 1, District 10, and District 12 had completed the land handover for the project.

The Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) claimed that the land handover for the project has met nearly 99 percent of the target.

The relocation of technical infrastructure facilities began in March at twelve station sites along Pham Hong Thai, Cach Mang Thang Tam, and Truong Chinh Streets, with 30 percent of the work completed so far.

The head of MAUR, Phan Cong Bang, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that procedures are being completed to commence the second metro line.

Site clearance should be finished by the end of this year, and the relocation of technical infrastructure facilities in the second quarter of 2025, Bang said.

According to MAUR, the first metro line development has left many lessons. Therefore, the city can apply these lessons to the second metro line project, so it is focusing on site clearance, preparing contracts and legal documents, and specifying responsibilities for related parties.

Fukuda Chihiro, deputy chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency Office in Vietnam, addressed several unexpected challenges that hindered the progress of Ho Chi Minh City’s metro line No. 1, including delays in relocating underground facilities, changes in technical specifications, rising material costs, and payment disputes during construction.

Relevant agencies, such as investors, consultants, supervisors, and contractors, have worked to find solutions that remain valuable for future projects.

Fukuda expressed hope for future discussions with the Vietnamese government on policies and solutions to potential challenges in upcoming cooperation projects.

Metro line No. 1, the first of the city’s eight planned urban railway projects, broke ground in August 2012 with a total investment of VND43.7 trillion (US$1.72 billion).

The line is 19.7 kilometers long, including 2.6 kilometers of underground railway and 17.1 kilometers of elevated track.

It has 17 trains, each of which consists of three carriages that can accommodate a total 930 passengers, including 147 sitting and 783 standing. 

The train can run at a maximum speed of 110kph on its elevated sections and 80kph underground.

Ho Chi Minh City's second metro line, which requires an investment of over VND47.89 trillion ($1.97 million), was approved in 2010.

The route was designed to stretch 11.2 kilometers.

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