HCMC – HCMC’s Metro Line 1 carried nearly 19 million passengers in the first year of its commercial operation, exceeding initial targets, according to the city’s urban railway authority.
As of December 15, Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien) had operated safely with 78,194 train trips and served about 18.95 million passenger journeys, or 114.2% of the planned volume, the Management Authority for Urban Railways of HCMC (MAUR) said.
MAUR released the figures at a briefing on December 18 to mark one year since the line entered official service and to update the public on upcoming railway projects.
Metro Line 1 currently operates 17 trainsets, including three reserves. Each train has three carriages, is 61.5 meters long, and can carry up to about 930 passengers. End-to-end travel time from Ben Thanh Station to Suoi Tien Bus Terminal is around 29 minutes. Trains run at speeds of up to 110 km/h on elevated sections and 80 km/h underground.
Fares range from VND6,000 to VND20,000 depending on distance. The service is free for people with meritorious service to the nation, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and children under six. Passengers can pay using tickets, cash at vending machines, bank cards, e-wallets, citizen ID cards and other electronic payment methods.
Ridership averages about 1.5 million passengers per month, or roughly 52,000 per day, with daily peaks exceeding 110,000 passengers during public holidays and the Lunar New Year.
Station and onboard amenities are being gradually expanded. These include vending machines, phone charging points, electronic display screens and information materials providing journey guidance, safety instructions and metro-related information.
Phan Cong Bang, head of MAUR, said the performance of Metro Line 1 has encouraged the city to accelerate other urban rail projects. Preparations are underway to start construction of Metro Line 2 in early 2026.
Metro Line 2 is a key infrastructure project for HCMC and one of the first to apply special mechanisms under National Assembly Resolution 188. The project is technically complex and runs through densely populated areas.
The line will be 11.2 kilometers long, with more than nine kilometers underground. Total investment is estimated at around VND57 trillion, funded by the city’s budget.
During construction, partial road and sidewalk barriers will affect traffic and may cause congestion in some areas, Bang said, calling for public support. Once completed, Metro Line 2 is expected to serve as a main transport corridor linking the city center with the northwest, along the Ben Thanh–Cach Mang Thang Tam–Truong Chinh–Tham Luong axis.
It will also connect with other planned metro lines, helping ease traffic congestion, improve the urban environment and enhance quality of life, he added.
