HCMC – HCMC’s first metro line, which connects the landmark Ben Thanh Market and Suoi Tien Theme Park, serves an average of 50,000 passengers per day, more than double the capacity of the two metro lines in Hanoi.
Speaking at a dialogue between HCMC People’s Committee leaders and the city’s youth on March 28, Bui Hoa An, deputy director of the Department of Transport, highlighted the metro line’s success.
He noted that the line’s robust ridership is a promising indicator for the city’s public transit development.
The operation of the metro line has eased traffic congestion, with the city reporting an 80% reduction on Hanoi Highway, a key route into the city center. Environmental monitoring data also showed a 40% decline in air pollution levels in the area.
Regarding the development of the second metro line, he said that its infrastructure clearance has been completed and construction is set to begin in December 2025.
Bui Hoa An also noted that HCMC currently manages around 10 million vehicles, including one million cars and nine million motorbikes. If these vehicles were lined up on the roads, the city would require 2.5 times its current road surface area, excluding space for traffic movement.
Additionally, around two million vehicles from other provinces pass through HCMC daily. As a result, traffic congestion, gridlock, and pollution are inevitable challenges faced by major cities, not just HCMC.
“When metro systems and other high-capacity public transportation networks become operational, they will reduce the number of private vehicles on the roads, easing traffic congestion and lowering pollution levels,” he added.
