The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has proposed a list of prioritized projects to the Steering Committee for the Development of the city's urban railway system. This move is based on the projected development needs of the expanded city, incorporating Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces.

After the administrative boundary expansion, the urban railway network in Ho Chi Minh City is planned to have a total length of approximately 1,012 km. Of this, the former Ho Chi Minh City area includes 12 lines totaling 582 km, Binh Duong has 12 lines totaling 305 km, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau has three lines totaling 125 km.

Metro running through downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thanh Tung

Metro running through downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thanh Tung

According to the list proposed by the Department of Construction, 10 metro and rail lines will be prioritized for implementation between now and 2035. In the former Ho Chi Minh City area, these include: Metro Line 2 (48 km long, with three sections: Ben Thanh - Tham Luong, Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem, and Tham Luong - Cu Chi); the extension of Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh - An Ha, formerly in Binh Chanh district); and Metro Line 3 (Hiep Binh Phuoc - An Ha, 45.8 km long).

Other lines include: Metro Line 4 (Dong Thanh - Tan Son Nhat Airport - Ben Thanh - Hiep Phuoc, 47.3 km long); and Metro Line 6 (Inner Ring Road, 53.8 km long). A privately-invested railway connecting downtown Ho Chi Minh City to Can Gio (over 48 km long) is also prioritized.

Projects planned in the former Binh Duong province that are included in the prioritized list are: Metro Line 1 (Binh Duong New City - Suoi Tien, 29 km long) and Metro Line 2 (Thu Dau Mot - Ho Chi Minh City, nearly 22 km long). In the former Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, Metro Line 3 connecting Vung Tau - Ba Ria - Phu My, with a planned extension to Long Thanh Airport, is also recommended for prioritized development.

The remaining project is the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway, included in the priority list if Ho Chi Minh City is designated as the managing authority by the Prime Minister. This line is approximately 48 km long and connects Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai province.

Based on the objectives and prioritization of these projects, the city's Department of Construction has also proposed adjustments to the project list to benefit from special mechanisms and policies aimed at accelerating implementation.

According to the city's goals, the 11 km Ben Thanh - Tham Luong section of Metro Line 2 will be the first of these projects to begin construction by the end of this year. This line will also be implemented under new special policies, serving as a pilot for other lines. For the remaining projects on the list, Ho Chi Minh City aims to complete compensation, support, and resettlement by 2027, commence construction between 2027 and 2028, and complete the projects by 2035.

To date, Ho Chi Minh City only has Metro Line 1, the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien section, which is nearly 20 km long. This metro line, which began operation at the end of 2024, significantly meets the travel needs of residents, currently serving an average of over 53,000 passengers daily.

Giang Anh