Ho Chi Minh City is set to commence construction of the Ben Thanh–Thu Thiem section of Metro Line No. 2 this April. Illustrative photo: VNA  

Ho Chi Minh City is set to commence construction of the Ben Thanh–Thu Thiem section of Metro Line No. 2 this April, in a push to fast-track its modern urban rail network and create a strategic corridor connecting key economic centres and major airports.

The municipal People’s Committee has issued an implementation plan for the project, aiming to ensure all conditions are in place for timely groundbreaking while speeding up overall investment progress. The line is expected to play a pivotal role in connecting the city centre with future transport links between Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh International Airport in neighbouring Dong Nai province via the city centre.

The municipal authorities have been instructed to prioritise administrative procedures, enhance the use of digital tools, and streamline approvals to avoid delays. Flexible mechanisms will be applied to ensure the project meets all requirements for construction as scheduled.

Under the roadmap, in March 2026 the municipal People’s Committee will establish an appraisal council for the investment project, while the municipal Party Committee’s Standing Board will endorse the project as an urgent priority requiring immediate implementation and supplement investment through a public–private partnership (PPP) model within the action programme. The municipal authorities will also approve the key standards and technical regulations applicable to the project.
In April, the municipal People’s Council is set to approve a resolution on land allocation for BT (build-transfer) contracts. At the same time, the municipal People’s Committee will approve the investment project and select an investor under special procedures within the PPP–BT contract form. Construction of key components, including retaining walls and underground stations, is slated to begin the same month.

Previously, the city assigned Truong Hai Group (Thaco) to prepare the project’s feasibility study under a PPP–BT model. The Ben Thanh–Thu Thiem section is approximately 5.58 km long, featuring six underground stations, with a preliminary investment of around 33 trillion VND (1.25 billion USD). It forms part of the more than 60-km Metro Line No. 2, which also includes the Ben Thanh–Tham Luong and Tham Luong–Cu Chi sections.

Construction of the Ben Thanh–Tham Luong section began in January 2026, with completion targeted for 2030. This 11.3-km stretch is funded by public investment, with total capital estimated at over 55 trillion VND.

Once extended to Thu Thiem and integrated with the planned Thu Thiem–Long Thanh railway, Metro Line No. 2 is expected to create a modern transport corridor directly linking Tan Son Nhat airport, downtown Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh airport, significantly improving inter-regional connectivity.

The city is also studying additional connections, including linking Metro Line No. 6 with the Thu Thiem–Long Thanh route. The first phase of Metro Line No. 6, running from Ba Queo to Phu Huu, will span about 22.85 km and intersect with the Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien metro line, while also connecting to Long Thanh airport.

The Thu Thiem–Long Thanh railway has recently been reclassified as an urban rail project, with the municipal People’s People designated as the competent authority in charge. Plans are under consideration to assign Thaco to develop the project under a PPP–BT contract, targeting groundbreaking before June 30 and completion by 2030. The line is projected to be 42 km long with 20 stations and one depot, with total investment of about 84.7 trillion VND.

The southern metropolis’s expanded urban rail network is planned to reach 1,024 km across 27 lines. To date, only two projects have been implemented.

According to Phan Cong Bang, head of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board, nearly 200 km of metro lines must be completed by 2030 and about 450 km by 2035, posing significant pressure and requiring accelerated and coordinated efforts to meet the ambitious targets./.