HCMC – HCMC will start work on the long-awaited Metro Line No. 2 on January 15, marking a key step forward for a project that was approved in 2010 but has faced prolonged delays.
Metro Line No. 2, also known as Ben Thanh–Tham Luong, is among four major infrastructure projects scheduled for simultaneous groundbreaking or inauguration on January 15 as part of activities marking the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
The Ben Thanh–Tham Luong line will start at Ben Thanh station adjacent to the landmark Ben Thanh Market and end at the Tham Luong depot in former District 12, with a total length of 11.269 kilometers. Of this, around 9.255 kilometers will be underground, 846 meters will be elevated, and approximately 903 meters will run on the ground into the depot.
The route will pass through 14 wards, including Ben Thanh, Ban Co, Xuan Hoa, Hoa Hung, Vuon Lai, Nhieu Loc, Tan Hoa, Tan Son Nhat, Bay Hien, Tan Binh, Tan Son, Tay Thanh, Tan Son Nhi and Dong Hung Thuan.
Metro Line No. 2 is designed to adopt a range of modern technologies. These include the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction management and operations, the integration of automatic fare collection systems with the city’s public transport network, and upgrades to signaling, power supply and communications systems.
Consultants have also proposed upgrading the level of train automation to GoA4, the highest level of automation, allowing for fully driverless operation.
Following the groundbreaking, construction across the entire line is scheduled to begin on January 16. The project is expected to take 57 months to complete, with full completion targeted for the end of 2030. Compared with Metro Line No. 1, which took around 12 years to build, the construction timeline for Line No. 2 is projected to be significantly shorter.
It is estimated that during the initial operation phase, Metro Line No. 2 could serve about 140,000 passengers per day, nearly three times the current daily ridership of Metro Line No. 1.
Once completed, Metro Line No. 2 is expected to improve connectivity between the city center and the northwestern area of HCMC.
