Research on three options for developing the Ho Chi Minh City metro system

Based on the adjusted planning orientation of Ho Chi Minh City, the consulting unit proposed three options for developing the metro system with a total length of more than 500 km, double the old planning.

The proposal was made at a meeting on the development of the Ho Chi Minh City urban railway project according to Conclusion No. 49 of the Politburo, chaired by the city's Department of Transport, on the afternoon of April 10.

In addition to the new approach and breakthrough mechanism for implementing projects, the consultant proposed adjusting the total length of the city's urban railway to 511 km, more than twice the old plan, to be implemented by 2045. With this plan, Ho Chi Minh City will have 10 metro lines, including one belt line and 8 radial lines.

Metro train No. 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) test run through the city center, 2023. Photo: Thanh Tung

According to the above orientation, the consultant proposed three implementation options. Of which, option one is to invest in the entire network from now until 2045, with a total preliminary capital of nearly 50 billion USD. Option two is to invest in 6 routes, including 5 radial routes and one belt route), with a total length of about 303 km. This option requires capital of about 25 billion USD.

The remaining option is to invest in completing lines 1, 3, 4 and partially constructing lines 2, 5, 6. In this way, the total length of the lines to be built is about 180 km, with a total capital of more than 20 billion USD. The consulting unit assessed that this option is suitable for the current planning of the city, and at the same time more feasible in terms of resources than the other two options.

At the meeting, Director of the Department of Transport Tran Quang Lam said that Conclusion 49 of the Politburo assigned Ho Chi Minh City to basically complete the urban railway network with 8 routes, total length of more than 200 km by 2035. This is the basis for the city to propose mechanisms and develop implementation projects. However, this is a very large project, unprecedented, and a breakthrough in the development of the metro system.

"This project includes many areas related to investment procedures, capital mobilization, land, planning, science and technology; construction and exploitation organization models...", Mr. Lam said.

Routes of 8 metro lines have been planned in Ho Chi Minh City. Graphics: Xuan Viet

According to the leader of the Department of Transport, due to the urgent time, the city is mobilizing departments, consultants, and leading experts in many fields to complete the project to send to the Ministry of Transport, collect opinions from ministries, and submit to the Government in May this year. The most important content of the project is the investment and development plan and feasibility, so that when the National Assembly approves it, it can be implemented immediately.

Ho Chi Minh City has implemented two metro lines, including: No. 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien (nearly 20 km long) and No. 2, Ben Thanh - Tham Luong section (more than 11 km long). Of which, after 17 years of approval and 12 years of construction, Line 1 is now about to be completed. Line 2 has also been delayed many times, and is expected to be completed by 2030. Therefore, to achieve the goal of basically completing about 200 km of metro by 2035 according to the current plan, experts say it will be difficult to achieve if the old method is still followed.

Ha Giang

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