Delegates attending the inauguration ceremony - Photo: QUANG DINH
On the morning of March 9, at the area above Ben Thanh Station, Ho Chi Minh City held the inauguration ceremony of metro line No. 1. This is an important event with the participation of central and Ho Chi Minh City leaders, representatives of related units and a large number of people.
Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc attended the inauguration ceremony - Photo: QUANG DINH
The inauguration ceremony of Metro Line 1 also took place in the context of Ho Chi Minh City and the whole country competing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) and on the occasion of the 10th Vietnam - Japan Festival, demonstrating the friendship between the two countries.
The event also aims to welcome the 12th Ho Chi Minh City Party Congress (term 2025-2030), the 14th National Party Congress, and the 8th Ho Chi Minh City Patriotic Emulation Congress.
Mr. Phan Cong Bang - Head of Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board - answered the interview - Photo: QUANG DINH
Speaking to the press at the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Phan Cong Bang - Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board - said that after more than 2 months of operation, metro line 1 has been welcomed and used by Ho Chi Minh City residents with more than 5.5 million passengers.
Recently, during his working trip to Ho Chi Minh City, General Secretary To Lam experienced metro line 1. Mr. Bang said this is a great honor for the Ho Chi Minh City urban railway industry.
According to Mr. Bang, the Government has recently issued a decree on railway management, which is an opportunity for the management and operation unit to exploit more services, creating convenience for people to use.
The National Assembly has also just issued Decree 188 on special mechanisms for urban railway development in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board said that these are very important policy mechanisms for Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to develop the urban railway network.
Ms. Miyazaki Katsura - Senior Vice President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) - interviewed - Photo: QUANG DINH
In an interview at the inauguration ceremony, Ms. Miyazaki Katsura - Executive Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) - said she was very moved when Metro Line No. 1 was officially inaugurated. This is a project with ODA capital support, technology and experience from Japanese enterprises.
Ms. Miyazaki Katsura believes that today's achievements are the result of the efforts of all parties. She believes that the railway will operate safely in the future, contributing significantly to reducing traffic congestion, air pollution and promoting economic development in Ho Chi Minh City.
JICA's Senior Vice President also expressed his joy that in the past two months of operation, about 4.5 million passengers have used the metro.
Many people use the railway to go to work, school and other needs, most of them have very positive reviews, no longer have to suffer from stress due to traffic jams, travel becomes more comfortable.
"The station and the train are very beautiful. It is very convenient. I feel that this metro line has brought positive changes and improved the quality of life of the people living here," said Ms. Miyazaki Katsura.
The completion of metro line 1 will become an important driving force to promote the process of building the urban railway development project in Ho Chi Minh City.
Ms. Miyazaki Katsura said that JICA wishes to continue to provide long-term and sustainable support for the development of this urban railway.
Cultural exchange program between Vietnam and Japan at the inauguration ceremony - Photo: QUANG DINH
Art performance from Japan - Photo: QUANG DINH
Japanese delegates attend the inauguration ceremony of metro line 1 - Photo: QUANG DINH
VikkiGO card is one of the official payment tools on the entire metro line. At this event (at the stations), thousands of people received free anonymous VikkiGO Master cards to travel on the metro - Photo: QUANG DINH
Metro line 1 runs on elevated tracks, near Tan Cang station (Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City) - Photo: CHAU TUAN
Metro No. 1 is the first metro line of Ho Chi Minh City.
With a length of 19.7km, Metro Line 1 includes 14 stations, including 3 underground stations and 11 elevated stations. This is the first urban railway - tram line of Ho Chi Minh City, connecting the city center with the eastern gateway area, helping to reduce the load on Vo Nguyen Giap Street and Hanoi Highway, which are one of the main arteries but often congested.
Cashless payment incentives
Mr. Le Van Thanh - Deputy General Director of Vikki Bank - attended the inauguration ceremony - Photo: QUANG DINH
Metro Line 1 is the first metro line in the country to implement electronic payment. People do not need to go to the counter to buy tickets with cash, just use a card or scan QR code with an e-wallet account to pay conveniently, quickly and safely.
If paying by cash, the fare ranges from 7,000 - 20,000 VND/trip. People who pay without cash will receive a discount, with prices ranging from 6,000 - 19,000 VND/trip.
At the inauguration ceremony of metro line No. 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien), Vikki Bank is the unit that issues 100,000 free VikkiGO cards at 14 metro stations, helping people easily travel by metro without cash. Recently, Ho Chi Minh City has had many activities and strong determination in applying financial technology to public transport.
Since the official launch of Metro Line 1 (December 22, 2024), Vikki Bank has pioneered the implementation of cashless payments, allowing passengers to simply "tap to go", without the need for paper tickets or cash. This solution not only enhances the experience but also contributes to promoting the trend of digital payments in Ho Chi Minh City.
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