HCMC set to begin construction of 3 new metro lines for $9.6B

Ho Chi Minh City plans to expand its metro network by nearly 90 km with three new lines, including one connecting Tan Son Nhat airport, built at a cost of more than VND254 trillion (US$9.6 billion). The Thu Dau Mot - Tao Dan, Tan Son Nhat - Phu Huu and Binh Duong New City - Suoi Tien metro lines, are expected to break ground in the fourth quarter of this year.The Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board, which oversees all metro projects in the city, announced on Sept. 21 that it is working with consultants to complete feasibility studies and procedures for the three lines before submitting them to the authorities for approval. A render image of the Tao Dan underground station on the Ben Thanh–Tham Luong metro line, which will eventually connect to the Thu Dau Mot line. Photo by the HCMC Urban Railway Management Board All are expected to be funded by the government. If completed by 2030 as planned, they will help the city's urban rail network to around 255 km by the end of the decade.The Thu Dau Mot - Tao Dan metro line will be the longest and have the highest price tag at more than 33 km and an estimated cost of VND113 trillion.It will start near Hung Vuong Street in Binh Duong Ward and run along Pham Ngoc Thach Street, Binh Duong Boulevard, National Highway 13, and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street before entering central HCMC.It will have 24 stations, including 13 underground, and a depot in Hiep Binh Phuoc.The final station at Tao Dan Park will be an interchange in the city center with the Ben Thanh - Tham Luong metro line, or line No. 2, which is now under construction. The Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien metro line near Long Binh Depot, which will eventually connect to the line serving the new urban area of Binh Duong. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran The second line is the first phase of Metro Line No. 6, from Tan Son Nhat to Phu Huu, which will span around 23 km and have a cost of VND86 trillion. The line is expected to have 17 stations, including 13 underground and four elevated stations, with a depot in Binh Trieu.The line will pass through Tan Son Nhat airport with two underground stations before heading toward the city's eastern area. Once completed, it will connect Tan Son Nhat with the metro network and the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway, forming a mass-transit corridor between the two airports.The remaining line will connect Binh Duong New City with Suoi Tien, stretching nearly 31 km with a cost of around VND55 trillion. It will start near the A1 Roundabout in Binh Duong Ward and run through Phu Loi, Thuan Giao, An Phu, Tan Dong Hiep, Di An and Dong Hoa.The first phase is expected to have 17 stations. In the Dong Hoa - Tan Van area, the line will connect with the existing metro network and railway lines toward Dong Nai and Long Thanh Airport.HCMC currently operates nearly 20 km of the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line. The city aims to expand its urban railway network to around 255 km by 2030.Since the beginning of the year, the city has started construction or held groundbreaking ceremonies for three projects: Ben Thanh - Tham Luong, Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem and Ben Thanh - Can Gio.In addition to the three other state-funded lines being prepared for investment, the city is also accelerating work on the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway and Metro Line No. 2's Tham Luong - An Ha - Northwest Urban Area section. Ho Chi Minh City’s planned metro network by 2030. Graphic by Khanh Hoang